Rare signed photos of former US Presidents fetch a pretty penny at auction

Portraits of Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Herbert Hoover. — (Image credit: Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries)

A trove of historic photographs depicting former US Presidents went to auction over the weekend, selling for staggering sums. What made the images so valuable wasn’t just their famous subjects, but the fact that each photo had been personally signed by its subject.

The auction, held at Swann Galleries in New York on May 07, featured a “remarkable” collection of 126 original photographs depicting some of the most influential US Presidents, along with other historically important figures from the 19th and 20th centuries.

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Portrait of Abraham Lincoln. — Abraham Lincoln (1863)(Image credit: Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries)

Among the standout lots was a signed 1863 portrait of President Abraham Lincoln, which sold for $139,200 (around £102,187 / AU$191,932).

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Almost as eye-catching was a signed 1862 photo of Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth, which fetched $107,950 (£79,260 / AU$148,873) – massively exceeding its estimated value of $10,000 (£7,330 / AU$13,949).

Portrait of Herbert Hoover and his dog King Tut. — Herbert Hoover and his dog, King Tut (1928) (Image credit: Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries)

Other presidential highlights included a lovable 1928 image of Herbert Hoover with his dog, King Tut, which fetched $598 (£438 / AU$824), and a striking portrait of Theodore Roosevelt taken while hiking in Yosemite Valley in 1903, which secured $3,810 (£2,796 / AU$5,251).

Also included was a laughing Dwight D Eisenhower alongside a smiling John F Kennedy during their historic White House meeting in December 1960. That photo sold for a cool $20,320 (£14,910 / AU$28,041).

Portrait of Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt. — Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (1903) (Image credit: Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries)

Fine Books Magazine reported that the principal curator of the collection was a late investment counselor and entrepreneur who was “passionate about United States political and business history.” Following his death in 2017, the curator’s son inherited the collection, expanded it, and later consigned the photographs to Swann.

Speaking to Fine Books Magazine, Marco Tomaschett, autographs specialist at Swann, said: “What is striking about this collection is the evidence of the effort to obtain the best or the most uncommon.”

Portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. — Dwight D Eisenhower and John F Kennedy (1963) (Image credit: Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries)

Other notable features included a signed portrait of Winston Churchill, dated 1952, taken after leading the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through much of World War II.

Alongside it was a candid 1931 image of Indian anti-colonial nationalist, Mahatma Gandhi, and, perhaps most remarkably, a stern-looking portrait of Susan B Anthony, signed and dated 1856.

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Portrait of Winston Churchill. — WWII UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1952)(Image credit: Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries)

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I’m a writer, journalist and photographer who joined Digital Camera World in 2026. I started out in editorial in 2021 and my words have spanned sustainability, careers advice, travel and tourism, and photography – the latter two being my passions.

I first picked up a camera in my early twenties having had an interest in photography from a young age. Since then, I’ve worked on a freelance basis, mostly internationally in the travel and tourism sector. You’ll usually find me out on a hike shooting landscapes and adventure shots in my free time.