Riding crop
Whether inspecting his outlying farms or fox hunting with friends and neighbors, George Washington relied upon carefully chosen tack for all his riding expeditions. Prior to the Revolution, Washington ordered most of his equestrian gear (including several hunting whips) from England. This beautifully crafted riding crop, however, is a rare surviving example made in New York City. It was likely converted from a hunting whip at a later date, but retains its original "GW" monogrammed silver handle.
Alternate names for this form include: hunting crop, hunting whip, riding whip, whipstock.
SignedEngraved around silver handle: "Amory and Johnson Makers New York"
Published ReferencesBuhler, Kathryn C. Mount Vernon Silver (Mount Vernon, VA: Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, 1957), p. 38, fig. 15. (Could not find accompanying text.)
Cadou, Carol Borchert. The George Washington Collection: Fine and Decorative Arts at Mount Vernon (New York: Hudson Hills Press, 2006), p. 64, cat. 14.