Locket with hair of George Washington and Martha Washington
Label Text
This double-sided locket contains two different coils of hair. The reddish-brown lock is believed to be George Washington's, while the yellow lock on the other side is believed to be Martha Washington's. The locket descended in the family of Mrs. Washington's niece, Mary Dandridge Willison.
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Date1800-1900
Geography
Made -
United States
Medium/TechniqueGlass, gold, copper alloy, hair
DimensionsOverall: 1 7/16 in. x 1 3/16 in. x 1/4 in. (3.66 cm x 3.02 cm x 0.64 cm)
Credit LineGift of Elizabeth Bowers Hill, Katherine Bowers Beeson, and Robert Lloyd Bowers, 1989
Object numberW-3293
DescriptionCircular, double-sided, gold case containing two different locks of hair; on the obverse, a coil of bright yellow hair is visible within the case; on the reverse, a coil of reddish-brown hair is visible; copper alloy ring loop and hinge, which allows the case to open, at top; short, narrow copper alloy thumbpieces soldered to each half of the locket at its base.
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c. 1801
c. 1812
1800-1830
c. 1817
1750-1800
associated/associated
