Head Mask. Colorless lead glass; cast. Portrait of Abraham Lincoln’s head; satin finish over all; signed: “Gutzon Borglum by FC”.

photo–CMoG

Friday’s Gazette showed an image of a Lincoln “head mask” with the inscription “Gutzon Borglum by FC.” Borglum was the sculptor of the Mount Rushmore Memorial and that bust of Lincoln shown in the Gazette was the prototype for the image of Lincoln at Mount Rushmore. It was sculpted by Borglum and cast by Carder (Gardner at page 52). At least ten of them were made and there is evidence that another 5 were made from a new model. Some of them still exist in private hands as the club received an inquiry about one of them several years ago.

In 1942 Mrs. Borglum requested that Carder produce replicas of all of the heads at Mount Rushmore but Carder had to turn down the request because he was unable to acquire the necessary lead due to wartime government restrictions (Dimitroff at page 113).

Scott Hansen

The Borglum head mask was made as a model for the face on Mt Rushmore. Borglum came here and met with Carder for his help on how to do Lincoln’s face on the mountain side. Beth Shaut

Dear Gazette,

I loved this Gazelle Gazette.

I respect Lincoln so much!

Thank you!

Lynda Randolph