Locket with hair of George Washington

Image Not Available

Status

Not on view

Datec. 1875

Medium/TechniqueHair; gold, glass, paper (locket); metal, glass, stone, silk (?), paper, ink (frame).

DimensionsOverall (frame, closed): 4 5/16 in. × 2 5/8 in. × 7/8 in. (10.95 cm × 6.67 cm × 2.22 cm) Overall (Locket (including loop at top)): 15/16 in. × 5/8 in. (2.38 cm × 1.59 cm)

Credit LineGift of Francis D. Everett, Jr. in memory of Eleanor Delafield Everett, 2016

Object numberW-5420

DescriptionA small lock of straight brown hair (several short strands), enclosed in a round locket with glass face, hinge at bottom, and knob with attached metal loop at top. The locket is sewn with green thread to twill weave green silk (?) backing, in one side of an oval frame of brass-colored metal. The frame consists of two vertically oriented ovals hinged together at the center of one long side. The oval containing the locket has a glass face and is backed with white ribbed paper held in place with five metal tabs and red sealing wax; the white paper is partly ripped away to reveal a layer of blue paper over fabric folded over from the face. A flip out stand that supports the frame is hinged at the top center back of this oval. The outer face of the other oval is decorated with Florentine mosaic (pietra dura) depicting a floral spray in white, green, yellow, and aqua polished stone set in black stone background. This oval contains a white paper held in place with five metal tabs, with inscription written in black ink: “Hair / of / Genl Washington – Given by him / to the / Great great Aunt / of / Mrs. L. L. Delafield.”

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