Lot 143

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Description:

"All About Fisk": Newspaper and 3 CDVs About James Fisk Jr.'s Murder

A fantastic group relating to the murder of financier James Fisk Jr., including one special edition issue of "The Day's Doings" and three carte-de-visites of those involved. The three CDVs all measure 2.5" x 4", no place, undated, and are of "James Fisk Jr." (the victim), "Edward S. Stokes" (the murderer), and "Miss Mansfield" (the mistress). All are seated portraits with no maker's backstamps.

The newspaper is a special issue of "The Day's Doings", entirely dedicated to "All About Fisk." 16pp, measuring 11.5" x 16.5", New York, dated January 27, 1872. No. 191, Volume VIII. The newspaper was a blend of typed articles and illustrations of "Extraordinary Events of the Day, Police Reports, Important Trials, and Sporting Events", and this issue includes numerous illustrations of Fisk's funeral throughout. Images include "Jay Gould Weeping Beside the Coffin"; "Wm. M. Tweed Attending to the Removal of the Body From the Grand Central Hotel"; a collage depicting "From Boyhood To The Grave - A Pictorial Epitome of the Life of James Fisk, Jr."; "The Actress, Nully Peiris, Is Unable To Repress Her Hysterical Emotion in the Presence of Her Dead Friend".

A short paragraph from the first page of the paper describes Fisk's last moments: "…In the last issue of THE DAY'S DOINGS were described the shooting of James Fisk, Jr., and the principal incidents of his closing hours. In the present number we continue our pen and pencil illustrations of this sadly interesting subject…Upon repairing to the room of her husband, Mrs. Fisk gave vent to the most frantic exclamations of grief and endearment, which drew tears from the eyes of everyone present. By this time the wounded man had become entirely unconscious, and the wails and grief of the wife were never heard by him…at a quarter before eleven the soul of James Fisk, Jr., sped from its earthly tenement, and he lay stiff and lifeless. The scene in the chamber was sad in the extreme…" The newspaper is work with chipping, separations, and loss at the edges and folds. With additional soiling and foxing throughout, please refer to photographs for condition. The CDVs have light soiling and one has clipped corners. Overall good.

James Fisk Jr. (1835-1872) married Lucy Moore in 1854, and the couple remained happy despite Lucy's knowledge of his multiple extra-marital affairs. In 1867, Fisk began an affair with Victorian beauty Josie Mansfield. Three years later, however, Mansfield met and fell in love with Fisk's business associate, Edward Stiles Stokes. The pair tried to blackmail Fisk, threatening to publish his letters to Mansfield, but Fisk refused to be extorted. On the night of January 6, 1872, Stokes confronted Fisk in the Grand Central Hotel and shot him twice, in the arm and abdomen. After his death, Fisk's body was laid out and nearly twenty thousand people came to pay their respects. Stokes was arrested and ultimately served four years in Sing Sing Penitentiary.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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November 10, 2021 10:30 AM EST
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