Piece of Blood-Stained Dress From Lincoln Assassination Heads to Auction in New York

The dress, which belonged to British stage actress Laura Keene, bears the blood of President Abraham Lincoln, who was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, in 1865. A section of the dress which has the blood of the 16th US president will be selling for the blood-soaked price of $125,000.

Are you a history buff who likes to get close to historical artifacts? Like really, really close? Now may be your chance.

The dress is being sold by Daniel R. Weinberg, who owns the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago. The dress will be available to purchase later this month at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair (NYIABF) at the Park Avenue Armory beginning April 22.

“This particular costume fragment, though small, carries a great moment, actually having been at the scene of the crime,” Weinberg said of the blood-stained dress. “The blood is much darker than [other artifacts], indicating that it was close to the wound."

President Lincoln had been attending a performance of the comedy play “Our American Cousin” in which Laura Keene was to perform, but actor John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, shot Lincoln in the back of the head during the play. He jumped from the presidential box, breaking his leg, but escaped Washington, DC on horseback.

A 23-year-old doctor named Charles Leale was in the audience at the time. He attempted to save the president while Keene tried to help, carrying water to the scene and at one point even held the president’s bleeding head in her lap - hence, where the blood stain came into effect.

In the sale, is this small scrap of bloody fabric along with a note, which is a response to one of Keene’s friends who had asked for the president’s bodily matter. The note reads: “I accede your request. Very truly yours, Laura Keene.” The message is dated May 20th, 1865.