Historic Artifacts from Washington to Lincoln to Eisenhower Up for Auction
History buffs and collectors alike are buzzing with excitement as Guernsey’s auction house prepares to offer a collection of rare and historically significant artifacts, spanning from the nation’s founding to the mid-20th century, CNN reports.
The auction, taking place online on November 22, will feature items ranging from a lock of George Washington’s hair to a flag that accompanied Abraham Lincoln on his final journey.
Among the most captivating items is a locket containing strands of George Washington’s graying hair, passed down through a family friend of the first president.
Adding further historical weight to the auction is a US flag that draped Lincoln’s coffin as it traveled from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, Illinois in 1865. This iconic symbol of national mourning is estimated to fetch between $800,000 and $1.2 million, though Ettinger admits that accurately valuing such a unique artifact is a challenge.
The auction will also include a rare 49-star flag dating from the period between Alaska’s admission to the union in 1959 and Hawaii’s in 1959, having flown in the White House during Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency.
Rounding out the collection are a series of never-before-seen presidential portraits from the renowned Bachrach photography studio, offering intimate glimpses into the lives of these historical figures. The collection also boasts a portrait of Lincoln by Francis Bicknell Carpenter, created as a study for the iconic “First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln” painting that hangs in the US Capitol today.
With such a wealth of historically significant items on offer, the November 22 auction is sure to draw significant attention from collectors and institutions alike. A preview of the collection will be held at the Arader Galleries in New York City prior to the online sale.
