Lot 40
Washington, George & Martha Washington. Hair strands of both George and Martha Washington, 3 strands each, approximately 2 in. in length, contained in two 1 x 2 in. pouches, Mount Vernon,Virginia, c. 1800. The strand pouches are mounted on a 10 x 8 in. decorative piece of paper, detailing the provenance. Attractively matted with two brief biographical plaques and two printed color portraits of the First President and First Lady. Handsomely framed to an overall size of 24 x 31 in. The hair samples were originally given to Charles Lee (Charles Lee was the Uncle of Robert E. Lee), by Martha Washington, on February 9, 1800, after George Washington's death. The strands have been passed down through several generations of the Lee family. The Washington hair strands were authenticated by the University Archives in Connecticut. Interestingly, hair collecting really took hold during the Victorian era, when notables were asked by their admirers for locks rather than their signatures. Fine.
Estimated Value $600 - 800.
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| Realized $690 |
