A number of years ago, while attempting to negotiate the purchase of a Roman death mask at an antique store, a plaster mask was seen hanging nearby. No one seemed to know its origin other than it had been included in a large estate sale whose contents were not well documented.

The mask was of Abraham Lincoln.The purchase was made satisfactorily and the mask hung on the living room wall by nightfall. I soon became very curious about its unusual appearence. Having enjoyed reading about Lincoln over the years I began looking at texts and illustrations for 1860 pictures. Factorial measurements were made between the pictures and the mask and quite surprisingly facial features seemed very close.        

After several years of Internet searches and endless phone calls to private individuals, major museums, private collections, and many other sources, I began to realize that this mask was an authentic 19th century cast from Volk's life mask. I have had the mask evaluated at a major university archival research center. Comparisons were made with their own authentic Lincoln Plaster Mask. The facial markings, structure and measurements necessary to provide authenticity were exact.  There is no doubt as to the authenticity of the mask. No other mask of the handful produced in the late 1880's seem to have an authenticating Caproni Foundry seal.

             In 1891 the author, artist, M.I.T. professor and famous Lincoln historian Truman Howe Bartlett responded to the refusal by the sculpture Volk to allow the offering of this bronze mask to the public as "barbaric and ridiculous". Now it is available in it's actual and exact historic form. We invite those who would care, to "Touch the Face of History". 

Our mask was taken to several foundries until we found Bronzart in Sarasota, Florida. Bronzart had the knowledge and expertise to carefully reproduce the exact mask in bronze from the plaster using the "lost wax technique". The results have been nothing short of amazing. To watch the creation of this face and through our research begin to understand the person of Abraham Lincoln, has been a gift greater than I truly could have imagined.