OPERA glasses dropped by president Abraham Lincoln’s wife when he was assassinated have fallen into the laps of auctioneers in Colchester.

The lacquered brass and ivory glasses were found at a home in Suffolk and are more than 150 years old.

They are expected to sell for up to £20,000 at a Reeman Dansie auction next Wednesday.

The opera glasses were dropped in the theatre box at Ford’s Theatre on April 15, 1865, by Mary Todd Lincoln.

It was when her husband, American President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

The glasses case was found and featured as part of the criminal investigation at the time, but the glasses themselves were never found.

Daniel Wright, auctioneer at Reeman Dansie, came across the glasses by chance.

He said: “It was during a routine house visit in Suffolk. They weren’t necessarily what I had gone there to see but once we had examined some items the homeowner said he had something curious.

“He had found them while sorting through his father’s things. His father is almost 100 and it was the first time his son had ever seen them.

“His father couldn’t confirm where he had got them so it’s a mystery. When I read the inscription it was quite an amazing thing to see.”

The glasses are fairly typical for the time period but these particular glasses are mounted with ivory.

At some point the ivory was engraved with a legend which reads: “Mrs Mary Lincoln left these glasses in the box at Ford’s Theatre, Good Friday, April 14th, 1865, when our beloved President and Leader was cruelly assassinated, found by William Kent Esq.”

The inscription is believed to be authentic.

Daniel said: “William Kent was a noted figure in the whole proceedings, he is known to be the person who found the pistol that shot the president.

“He was there by pure chance, he saw the crowds rushing out and found the president on the floor being treated by a surgeon.

“He helped carry the president across the road to a nearby hotel where he died.

“William later realised he had lost his door keys in the whole proceedings and [it is believed] he found the glasses at the same time.”

The glasses are expected to sell for between £10,000 and £20,000.

An extract from the Reeman Dansie catalogue says: “Whilst the lineage of these glasses cannot be traced the supporting evidence is compelling.

“William Kent is a well known figure in the proceedings of the assassination. He was near the Theatre by chance on the night and assisted others caring for the wounded President.

“On later discovering he had mislaid a key in the mayhem, he returned to the theatre where he famously discovered the Derringer pistol which fired the fatal shot.

“His testimony was delivered on May 16, 1865 and published in the New York Times.”

Various academics and Lincoln scholars have been consulted.

The general view seems to be the glasses are of the correct period and style, the engraving is convincing and the script similar to work of the period.

Lincoln scholar and author Ed Steers said: “There is no doubt in my mind the inscription is authentic and of the period leading me to conclude if the piece is a fabrication it was done a century ago quite cleverly.

“Having seen or handled dozens of alleged artifacts associated with Lincoln and his assassination, all bogus, I have a different feeling about [the] item.”

A RARE map of the Philippines is due to go under the hammer for up to £30,000.

The lot, titled Pedro de Murillo Velarde, dates back to between 1696 and 1753.

The map, which is part of a collection, is engraved with the Royal Bourbon coat of arms, supported by two cherubs with trumpets.

Auctioneer Daniel Wright said: “The maps are relating to the far East, and in particular the Philippines.

“They are from a collector in Essex. It is one of the best collections of its time.

“It’s an extremely rare map and there are 15 known examples, most are in institutions like the British Library so there’s only about 3 in private hands.”

The map has been instrumental in the Philippines’ efforts to assert territorial rights in the South China sea.”

The map will be up for auction on Wednesday, September 25.