The Great Rebellion: A History of the Civil War in the United States.  A salesman for Hartford publisher Hurlbut & Williams took this specimen volume -- contents, illustrations, sample text in English, some in German -- to business and residential areas of New York City, Washington, D.C., and eastern Pennsylvania to solicit subscriptions.  Following the contents pages is tipped-in autographed card by [Lord] Lyons [British minister]. About halfway through the order pages, Lincoln signs his name, writes Washington D.C. as his address, and orders the cloth-bound  "library" edition at a cost of $6.00 total, the cheapest set. The "leather" edition of the finest binding cost $7.50). Lincoln writes his order on the same page as Montgomery Blair and William Seward. Most of the Cabinet ordered a set, as did scores of well-known men in the capital and in New Yorks's financial district. Hurlbut & Williams published the set 1863. It is unknown what became of Lincoln's copy of vol. 1. The Taper Collection Item consists of two 2-volume sets of the published book, plus this specimen volume with 730 signatures, all in slipcase.]]> ]]>