Exceptional in both craftsmanship and provenance, these Renaissance Revival mahogany dining chairs were once housed in the White House during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. The pair, known as the "Lincoln chairs," possesses a remarkable history. They come from a set of fourteen dining chairs specially made for Mary Todd Lincoln around 1860, the same year that her husband, Abraham Lincoln, was elected president of the United States. Used in the White House dining room during President Lincoln's administration, they represent an amazing artifact from his remarkable legacy.
Highly personal artifacts from past presidents are endowed with an undeniable, intrinsic importance and are rarely, if ever, found outside museums and private collections. Those belonging to President Lincoln, one of the nation’s most beloved and influential presidents, are especially prized. These chairs are distinguished by their impressive provenance. In fact, Lincoln was even photographed by the famed photographer Mathew B. Brady in an armchair from this same suite.
Beautifully handcrafted of carved mahogany in a distinctive Renaissance Revival style, these over 150-year-old chairs are in impeccable condition. To find a matched pair of chairs of such incredible craftsmanship and with such extraordinary provenance is truly special.
Circa 1860
38 1/4" high x 19" wide x 17" deep
Provenance:
President Abraham and First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, The White House, 1860
Mary Todd Lincoln, 1865
Robert Todd Lincoln Hildene, Manchester, Vermont, 1875
Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith, Manchester, Vermont, 1926
Owen Moon, Woodstock, Vermont
Woodstock Country School, Vermont
Whitney's Antiques, Woodstock, Vermont
Pearl Williams Conn, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, 1961
Roberta Carr, Concord, New Hampshire, 1976
Mr. & Mrs. Beverland, Florida, 1977
Lindsey George Durham, Athens, Georgia, 1977
Private Collection, Greenville, South Carolina, 1981
Danny's Antiques, Greenville, South Carolina, 1987
Private collection, 1988
M.S. Rau, New Orleans, 2015
Private collection, Oregon, 2015
M.S Rau, New Orleans, 2018
Private collection, Pennsylvania
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
