Historic Presidential Memorabilia, Including Washington’s Hair and Lincoln’s Flag, Up for Auction
As the world turns its attention to the US election on November 5, history enthusiasts will have the opportunity to bid on rare presidential memorabilia at an auction later this month. The sale will feature historic objects, including a lock of George Washington’s hair and a flag that accompanied Abraham Lincoln to his final resting place.
“We’re conducting an auction of some of the most historic American artifacts ever to come up for sale,” said Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey’s auction house in New York.
Among the standout items is a locket containing strands of Washington’s hair, preserved and passed down through generations. Washington, the first US president, died in 1799. Another significant item is a US flag that draped Lincoln’s coffin in 1865 during his journey from Washington, DC, to Springfield, Illinois, where he is buried. This flag is estimated to sell for between $800,000 and $1.2 million, although Ettinger acknowledged the challenge in assigning a precise value to such a unique piece of history.
Other notable items include a rare 49-star flag from the period following Alaska’s statehood but before Hawaii joined the union in 1959. This flag once flew in the White House during Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency. The auction will also feature presidential portraits, including previously unseen works from the Bachrach photography studio, and a portrait of Lincoln by Francis Bicknell Carpenter, which served as a study for his famous painting “First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln,” now displayed in the US Capitol.
The online auction, set for November 22, will be previewed at the Arader Galleries in New York City.
“We don’t know what will happen with the election, but the focus on the Office of the Presidency and American history is undeniable right now,” Ettinger said.
Source: CNN
