George Washington's telescope is to cross the block at Rock Island Auction Company.
The lot will star in the December 4-6 sale of firearms at the company's headquarters in Illinois, with a $15,000-25,000 estimate.
 George Washington owned around 11 spyglasses |
It was made by Dolland of London, one of the top telescope makers of the era, and is inscribed "G. Washington/ Mt. Vernon".
The exact date it was produced is unknown, but the components are consistent with that used during the late 18th and early 19th century.
The telescope passed down through Washington's own family before being sold in 1920. It was last sold at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in 2008, where it made $6,100.
The auction house comments: "It is a humble looking treasure of Americana. While its brass bears a pleasant patina, dings and scratches fleck its surface, the optics themselves need work, and several parts bear over 200 years of honest age�Ǫ
"Telescopes have been highly valued historically - the wealthy and social elite of Washington's day drove their popularity and, in turn, their technological development."
There are 11 spyglasses listed in Washington's personal effects following his death in 1799. The majority of these are housed in the permanent collections of various US museums.
We have a genuine strand of George Washington's hair for sale.
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