Although many American gentleman of his stature wore powdered wigs, George Washington preferred to have his own hair powdered and dressed in a tightly braided queue. For formal occasions, the queue was encased in a black silk bag drawn closed by a tie concealed under a black bow or rosette. Relatively few hair bags survive today, and this rare example is the only one known of the many worn by Washington. Painted portraits of Washington as president record his use of a similar hair bag.

See the portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, H-4.