Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
THF159011
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
THF159015
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
THF159012
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
THF159013
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
THF159014
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929 - Thumbnail
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929 - Thumbnail
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929 - Thumbnail
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929 - Thumbnail
Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929 - Thumbnail

Chair Allegedly Made from Rails Split by Abraham Lincoln, circa 1929

Summary

Henry Ford admired Lincoln's down-to-earth, frontier character. The image of Lincoln as the "rail splitter" is central to that theme - it emerged during the 1860 Illinois Republican nominating convention when Lincoln's cousin emerged with a banner constructed of rails split by Lincoln and the audience went wild. This chair, acquired by Henry Ford, was said to consist of fence rails split by Lincoln.

Henry Ford admired Lincoln's down-to-earth, frontier character. The image of Lincoln as the "rail splitter" is central to that theme - it emerged during the 1860 Illinois Republican nominating convention when Lincoln's cousin emerged with a banner constructed of rails split by Lincoln and the audience went wild. This chair, acquired by Henry Ford, was said to consist of fence rails split by Lincoln.

Artifact

Chair (Furniture form)

Date Made

circa 1929

Creators

Hall, Clarence 

Place of Creation

United States, Illinois, Jonesville 

Creator Notes

Made by Clarence Hall, great-great-grandson of Sarah Bush Lincoln, the stepmother of Abraham Lincoln.

Keywords

United States, Illinois, Jonesville 

Side chairs 

Chairs (Furniture forms) 

Furniture 

United States presidents 

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

30.217.1.4

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Wood (Plant material)

Technique

Carving (Processes)
Painting (Coating)

Color

Brown
Red

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