As Americans prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming US election on 5 November, history enthusiasts are turning their attention to a remarkable auction set for later this month.
On November 22, a collection of historic American presidential artefacts will go under the hammer in New York City.
The sale, organised by Guernsey’s auction house, promises to showcase some of the most significant objects related to American history ever offered for public purchase.
Among the standout items is a lock of George Washington’s greying hair, preserved in a locket passed down through generations.
A lock of George Washington’s greying hair will go on sale at auction on November 22
WIKICOMMONS
Another highlight is a US flag that draped Abraham Lincoln’s coffin during its journey to his final resting place in 1865.
A rare 49-star flag, used briefly in 1959 after Alaska joined the union but before Hawaii’s addition, will also feature.
The flag adorned the White House during Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency.
“We’re conducting an auction of a number of the most historic objects relating to American history that has ever come up for sale,” said Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey’s auction house.
The Lincoln funeral flag carries an estimated value between £640,000 and £960,000, though Ettinger noted the difficulty in pricing such a unique item.
The auction will also feature presidential portraits from the Bachrach photography studio, many never before seen publicly.
A portrait of Lincoln by Francis Bicknell Carpenter, created as a study for his painting “First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln”, will be included.
The painting now hangs in the US Capitol building.
The November 22 sale will be conducted both online and live at the Arader Galleries in New York City.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen at the election, but one way or another, there’s great focus on the Office of Presidency right now and American history,” Ettinger remarked.