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Is this the photo that was the inspiration for VDB's Lincoln sculpture?

ModCrewmanModCrewman Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited February 5, 2018 8:30AM in U.S. Coin Forum

I've recently started following @historylvrsclub on Twitter, they post some pretty neat stuff, mostly pop culture stuff from the 20th century, though occasionally some stuff from earlier. This weekend they posted an image and claimed "they used this picture to make the penny." That then leads back to the photo being the inspiration for the Victor David Brenner sculpture/medal that preceded the Lincoln Cent. It seems plausible to me from the image, and I didn't recall seeing the image shared here before.

This blew my mind. а real restored picture of Abraham Lincoln from 1862. They used this picture to make the penny pic.twitter.com/G7l5KP5iLi

— History Lovers Club (@historylvrsclub) February 5, 2018

Comments

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Only Mr. Brenner knows...

  • oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 12,207 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 5, 2018 8:57AM

    I don't know, but using the U.S. Flag as a table cloth...disrespectful...even before the Flag Code was enacted (Previous to Flag Day, June 14, 1923 there were no federal or state regulations governing display of the United States Flag.)

    http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html

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  • CameonutCameonut Posts: 7,293 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @oih82w8 said:
    I don't know, but using the U.S. Flag as a table cloth...disrespectful...even before the Flag Code was enacted (Previous to Flag Day, June 14, 1923 there were no federal or state regulations governing display of the United States Flag.)

    http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html

    I agree - disrespectful. But better than the use of the confederate flag as a rug.

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  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No. See Renaissance of American Coinage 1909-1915 for the facts.
    The OP's photo has also been altered by false color, and maybe other changes.

  • ModCrewmanModCrewman Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RogerB is there another image that was the basis for the sculpture?

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Check the book. It's all there along with related data.

  • ModCrewmanModCrewman Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 5, 2018 11:57AM

    OK...don't have the book. But did find that Wikipedia credits a photo of Lincoln by Mathew Brady (spelling corrected) as the inspiration. A Google image search, indicates this is the likely image.

  • ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,777 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It’s Mathew Brady, spelled with one T. His middle initial is B., though no one knows what that stood for. While Brady was well known in his day, specimens of his handwriting are virtually unknown. Many thought him illiterate, only capable of “drawing” his signature, until one letter was discovered several years ago. He died virtually penniless, only owning a torn frock coat and a cane given to him by the Prince of Wales.

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice picture. Years and years ago, as a kid... I had a book with a daguerreotype of Lincoln on the front... found in an old box of books at the dump. Kept it for quite a few years.... then it disappeared while I was in the Navy... wish I still had it... Cheers, RickO

  • ambro51ambro51 Posts: 13,777 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It is said Lincoln was the most photographed man of his era.

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ambro should be able to correct me, but I recall that most of the Lincoln portraits and field photos were made or organized by the assistant, Alexander Gardner.

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