A lock of George Washington’s hair sold at auction Friday for $35,763.60, according to the auction house that sold our first president’s hair. The starting bid for the lot was $2,500.
The hair follicles came attached to a letter signed by former Secretary of State James A. Hamilton , the third son of Alexander Hamilton and dated March 20, 1871. The letter addressed to a woman named Eleanor G. Collins included the hair as a show of Hamilton’s “respect and regard” for her, according to the letter.
The locks can be seen gathered together with string and attached to the top of the stationery with sealing wax. The hair and letterhead are vintage matted and framed. Hamilton identified the hair as belonging to Washington in the letter as well. The auction house says that the 5.31 inches of Washington’s hair emanated from the family of Alexander Hamilton.
George Washington and Alexander Hamilton were known to have a close bond. Hamilton served as Washington’s Treasury secretary, where he developed the structure for our modern financial system and wrote speeches for the president.
Source: WTHR