Additional Coverage:
- ‘Pawn Stars’ boss Rick Harrison feels $100,000 is too much for desk linked to Lincoln’s assassination (marketrealist.com)
A piece of history linked to President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination recently made its way onto the hit show “Pawn Stars,” but ultimately didn’t find a buyer. Seller Sue presented a lap desk purportedly crafted by Dr. Samuel Mudd, the physician who treated John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg after he assassinated the president.
Sue explained that Mudd made the desk, bearing the initials “MWK,” for Mary W. Keeffe while imprisoned for conspiring with Booth.
She claimed to have supporting documentation. Rick Harrison, ever the history buff, recounted the story of Booth fleeing Ford’s Theater and seeking treatment from Mudd, who later claimed ignorance of Booth’s crime.
Intrigued, Harrison consulted expert Mark Hall Patton. Patton confirmed the desk’s likely authenticity, noting the “MWK” inscription referred to the wife of a prison guard and that the desk’s construction and style aligned with the period.
Despite the expert’s assessment, Harrison balked at Sue’s $100,000 asking price. While acknowledging the desk’s historical significance, he countered with a $2,500 offer, believing Mudd’s medical kit would command a significantly higher price. Sue declined, and the historical lap desk left the shop unsold.