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Great Finds

Cherchez la CDV

December 4, 2020

Sometimes it not only pays to be diligent but to also look for material in lateral directions. Case in point: a good friend and fellow Rail Splitter sourced an incredible “Holy Grail” John Wilkes Booth carte de visite. Offered on eBay from France, “L’américain John Wilkes Booth assassin d’Abraham Lincoln CDV vintage albumen carte.”  This is catalogued as G-31 (“John Wilkes Booth Himself”) and is absolutely prohibitive to source. In fact, we can honestly say this is the first period example we have ever seen! No photographer’s imprint although thought to have been taken in Cleveland in 1864, an exceptional find that sold with a “Buy it Now” price of only $320 in U.S. Dollars.