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Permalink Reply by Joe Alesi on June 29, 2026 at 10:13pm

That is why whoever paid $107,750 for that CDV signed by John Wilkes Booth didn’t actually overpay. It was last sold in 1980 for $3000 and wasn’t seen by the public for 46 years. It was sold by Paul C Richards, A respected and knowledgeable autograph dealer of that era.

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Permalink Reply by michelle on June 30, 2026 at 6:02am

you were really lucky Bonhams refunded, normally its like pulling teeth out to get a refund from an auction house, and this is a high value item, why so few autographed photos of him?

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Permalink Reply by Joe Alesi on June 30, 2026 at 12:40pm

That’s exactly what I have heard. They must’ve known that something was a little sketchy. I presented some good evidence, and there was no argument from them at all. There seemed to be no record of this ever having been sold before and they even admitted that the provenance wasnt there.

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Permalink Reply by John J Beckert on June 30, 2026 at 6:04pm

Joe - can you expand on what was sketchy about it? I'm new here. Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by John J Beckert on July 2, 2026 at 9:57am

After the assassination, public opinion of Booth was not good. People with only casual relations with him were thrown into jail (without charges). Hence, many of those who had letters, photos, etc., simply burned them. 

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