Lincoln Assassination Night Tickets to Ford's Theatre at Ongoing Jim Irsay Auction Series

Christie’s will run the last offering in its The Jim Irsay Collection: Icons of History auction series next month with a final group of objects from the personal collection of the late philanthropist and owner of the Indianapolis Colts.  

Highlights include:

• the monumental 1823 stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence (estimate: $2m-$3m)
• an extremely rare broadside proclaiming the first Thanksgiving in 1777
• a pair of tickets to Ford's Theatre, stamped for the night of Lincoln's assassination on April 14, 1865 (estimate: $100,000-$150,000).
• a letter from George Washington to Thomas Jefferson transmitting a copy of the Constitution for his review (estimate: $1m-2.5m)
• first editions of Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

“Our dad was a passionate collector, driven not by possession, but by a profound appreciation for the beauty, history, and cultural resonance of the items he curated,” said Irsay’s three daughters Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, and Kalen Jackson in a statement. “He considered himself a steward of the collection, not its owner. He loved acquiring important items from American history and was especially inspired by great leaders, great moments, and great stories. From rare artifacts to original manuscripts to signed historical documents, each piece tells a story about America."

A live auction will take place on July 1 and a free public exhibition of the lots will take place before the sale June 25- 30 at Christie’s New York.