As global attention focuses on the U.S. election on Nov. 5, history enthusiasts may be drawn to a significant auction later in the month, featuring rare presidential artifacts. Items include a lock of George Washington’s hair and a flag that accompanied Abraham Lincoln’s coffin to his burial.
Washington’s Hair and Lincoln’s Funeral Flag Among Auction Highlights
Arlan Ettinger, president of New York-based Guernsey’s auction house, announced the sale, describing it as one of the most historic collections of American memorabilia to date. Among the items are strands of George Washington’s hair, preserved in a locket gifted to a family friend and passed down through generations. Also featured is a U.S. flag that draped Lincoln’s coffin during its 1865 journey from Washington, D.C., to Springfield, Illinois, estimated to sell for $800,000 to $1.2 million.
Rare 49-Star Flag and Presidential Portraits to Be Sold
Other unique items include a rare 49-star U.S. flag from the brief period after Alaska’s statehood but before Hawaii joined the union. This flag was used in the White House during President Dwight Eisenhower’s term. Additionally, the auction will feature presidential portraits from the Bachrach studio, some never publicly displayed, as well as a study of Abraham Lincoln by Francis Bicknell Carpenter for his painting First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln, which currently hangs in the U.S. Capitol.
Auction Goes Online, Preview Set for New York’s Arader Galleries
The auction is scheduled for Nov. 22 and will be conducted online, with a preview available at Arader Galleries in New York City. “The focus on American history and the presidency has never been stronger,” Ettinger remarked, emphasizing the heightened interest surrounding the sale.
