Gettysburg Address, An Especially Early Printing

Description

This much overlooked printing of the Gettysburg Address is actually one of the earliest to appear in book form. 

In the definitive bibliography, The Early Printings of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, John Carbonell places this as #7. Buthe then gives a lengthy explanation as to why “it is difficult to establish priority” to his numbers 5 through 7! 

Thus, this pamphlet should be given as much weight as the so-called Official Report, (#6 in Carbonell) and might plausibly even be the earlier version.  This present printing, though, is much scarcer than #6, which seems to surface on a regular basis in the rare book market. 

In Excellent, fresh condition; lt. dusting only wraps.  Contemporary inscription on front wrap, “Hon. John Aiken / Respects of Geo. Foster.”                      

(Abraham Lincoln). (Gettysburg Address) ADDRESS OF HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN A. ANDREW, TO THE TWO BRANCHES OF THE LEGISLATURE OF MASSACHUSETTS, JANUARY 8, 1864.  Boston: Wright & Potter, State Printers, 1864.  Salmon-colored, sewn printed wrappers; 88 + cx pages; fold-out map of the Gettysburg Cemetery; Address printed on page lxxii of the “Documents accompanying Governor’s Address, 1864.”  [M-193, note; Carbonell,…. #7].