Lot 81

Extremely Rare Photo of Meserve's "Unknown" Lincoln Conspirator Joao Celestino, Ex-Frederick Meserve Collection

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Extremely Rare Photo of Meserve's "Unknown" Lincoln Conspirator Joao Celestino, Ex-Frederick Meserve Collection

Estimate: $200 - $300

Current Bid: $120

(3 Bids)

by University Archives
July 28, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
88 Danbury Road
Suite 2A
Wilton, CT, US 06897

Abraham Lincoln Conspirators
[New York, NY], Early 20th century
Extremely Rare Photo of Meserve's "Unknown" Lincoln Conspirator Joao Celestino, Ex-Frederick Meserve Collection
Photograph

A photograph of Joao Maria Celestino, one of the rarest of the Lincoln conspirators, and indeed so obscure that he was not immediately recognized by even a world-renowned collector of Lincolniana! Printed ca. 1910, from the personal collection of Frederick H. Meserve (1865-1962). The photo is hand-stamped "Collection / Of / Americana / Frederick H. Meserve / 265 Edgecombe Avenue / New York City" verso. The photo is housed in construction paper wrappers inscribed in Meserve's hand as "unknown" along the bottom edge. Expected surface wear including gentle corner and other folds, else near fine. The photo measures 2.125" x 3.25".

Joao Maria Celestino (anglicized as John Celeste) (born 1826) was a Portuguese ship captain who stated publicly on the night of April 14, 1865 that he wanted to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward. Celestino's comment took on a horrible significance because Seward was nearly murdered by ex-Confederate Lewis Powell the same evening. Celestino did have several strong motives for disliking the federal government: personal funds had been absconded and he had lost his ship's command in 1864 after suspicion of Union blockade-running. In all likelihood, however, Celestino was just a victim of unfortunate timing, and guilty only of hyperbole. Nevertheless, Celestino was sequestered along with the most high-profile suspects of the greater Lincoln conspiracy aboard two ironclad monitor ships.

The photograph shows Celestino wearing a dark pin-striped jacket and buckled hat. The photograph was believed to have been taken in late April 1865 while Celestino was a prisoner aboard the "U.S.S. Montauk." Imprisoned for a total of 82 days, Celestino was finally released on July 8, 1865, one day after Mary Surratt, George Atzerodt, David Herold, and Lewis Powell had been hanged at Washington's Old Arsenal Penitentiary, today Fort Lesley McNair. Among Lincoln conspirator circles, Celestino is what is known as a "fake conspirator," that is, an individual that was not at all involved in the actual conspiracy.

Frederick H. Meserve was a preeminent collector of Lincoln and Civil War era photography, ephemera, maps, and books. He began collecting Lincolniana in 1897, with the intention of illustrating his father's Civil War diary. In the early 1900s, Meserve acquired 10,000 original Brady negatives including seven Lincoln portraits. Meserve continued collecting Lincoln likenesses, as well as photos of Lincoln's contemporaries, over the next sixty years. He eventually amassed a collection of 200,000 pieces including some previously "lost" or unknown images of Lincoln. Meserve's collection was so esteemed for its completeness that he essentially became the custodian of "Lincoln's image." Meserve was approached by medal and currency engravers, as well as by the sculptors of Lincoln's Memorial Monument, for direct access to his presidential photographs. In 2015, the Meserve-Kunhardt Collection was acquired by the Yale Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library (New Haven, Connecticut.)

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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  • Dimensions: 2.125" x 3.25"
  • Medium: Photograph

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000