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Lot Number: 168
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Extremely Rare 1819 George Washington Textile Kerchief Recorded as Number 54 page 71 in “Threads of History”

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1819-Dated, George Washington Memorial Textile Kerchief, Portrait of Washington after the famous “Bowling Green” Portrait, Printed in Rich Brown on White Cotton Linen, Listed in “Threads of History” as Number 54 page 71, Framed, Choice Extremely Fine.

This very important George Washington Printed Cotton Textile measures about 26” tall x 18.75” wide (by sight) being framed within a simple gilt inner-lined black wood frame to an overall size of 29.75” tall x 22.75” wide. Sharply printed in rich deep brown on off-white linen having a sharp clear impression which has expected even light age. This historic textile is found in “Threads of History - Americana Recorded on Cloth - 1775 to the Present” by Herbert Collins on page 71, and there illustrating the NY Historical Society example in that Smithsonian Institution reference, listed as Item number 54. There it describes this Textile as being made in 1819 in Scotland for import to America. This choice quality example has full margins as issued, with all outer border designs present. Their description reads as follows:

“Portrait of Washington after the ‘Bowling Green’ (in lower Manhattan, NYC) portrait; marked ‘Printed and Published at Glasgow (Scotland) by C.G. {Charles Gray} 1819’. The original ‘Bowling Green’ (site of the original Dutch Fort of New Amsterdam, New York) was drawn by Charles Buxton, M.D. (American, 1768-1833), and Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755-1828), engraved by Cornelius Tiebout and published in 1783 in New York by Charles Smith, who dedicated it to the Congress of the United States.

The view is framed within the large panel behind George Washington which shows the Fort, Bowling Green. General Washington is shown standing on the pedestal from which the Statue of George III had been torn down, from July 9, 1776. Also in the background is the Kennedy House, No. 1 Broadway, where George Washington lived during the early days of the American Revolutionary War and where British General Sir William Howe and other British officers lived during their occupation of New York City.”

This Textile is Dedicated both to the Memory of Washington and to the Congress. It gives a glowing summary of his career and achievements, and provides excerpts Henry Lee's famous Funeral Eulogy Oration: “First in War, First in Peace, First in the Hearts of his Countrymen”. He notes the Soldiers and Sailors for their contribution; a lower pedestal reads: “SACRED TO PATRIOTISM” and concludes: "But All Is Not Lost For Providence Survives." An example of the engraving is found in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution.”

We have handled our share of historic George Washington related textiles in the past four decades, yet this is the finest quality example of this rare large size printed textile that we have offered, about tied with our prior EAHA Auction example of January 23, 2021 Lot 131 which was graded EF and sold for $7,800. Most known examples are housed in museum collections. Overall, a marvelous textile apparently housed in its original period frame with its wood backing intact. This example having excellent eye appeal, the finest example we have offered. See: Hart 676, Baker 407.
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Lot Number: 168
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Estimate Range: $6,000 - $8,000
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