17

(Washington D.C., 1865)

[Abraham Lincoln] Rope Fragment from the Execution of Mary E. Surratt, Collection of Dr. James V. Mansfield

Small fragment of rope, preserved in a period envelope inscribed in ink "From the rope which choked Mary Surratt for conspiring with Wilks Booth and others in killing A. Lincoln." Envelope measures 2 × 3¼ in. From the personal collection of James V. Mansfield (1817-1899), a well-known spiritualist medium whose clients included prominent public figures, among them Mary Todd Lincoln. Mansfield was an active collector of historic relics and documents: See Lots 14–19 for additional items from this collection.

John M. Rath, a Washington, D.C. undertaker and former police officer, was appointed executioner for the hanging of the Lincoln assassination conspirators in July 1865, including Mary Surratt. Rath oversaw construction of the gallows and the preparation of the ropes, later stating in interviews that he selected a 31-strand, ¾-inch Boston hemp rope obtained from the Navy Yard. After the executions at the Old Arsenal Prison, Rath cut down the ropes and divided them into fragments as souvenirs, a practice he acknowledged repeatedly later in life and which was consistent with 19th-century relic culture surrounding major historical events. Comparable rope fragments with early provenance are documented, including examples retained by Rath himself and fragments associated with William H. Stokely of the 34th Ohio, sold in the John Lattimer Collection.

James Valentine Mansfield (1817–1899) was a 19th-century writer, educator, and prominent spiritualist medium whose career reflected many of the social and intellectual currents of his era. He began his working life as a penmanship teacher and merchant before turning, in the late 1850s, to spiritualism, where he became widely known for producing written messages during séances. Mansfield lived and worked in several major American cities, including Boston, San Francisco during the Civil War years, and New York, and his clients included a number of notable figures, among them Mary Todd Lincoln. He was also a careful collector of historic relics and documentary material, preserving letters and manuscripts that illuminate both his own career and the broader culture of 19th-century America.
Envelope: 2 x 3 1/4 in. (5.1 x 8.3 cm.)

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