George Washington Telescope for Auction
Published August 24th, 2008
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, is to auction a telescope believed to have belonged to George Washington, in their October 5-6 Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts auction.
The telescope has been consigned by the renowned Illinois Institute of Technology. Washington possessed many telescopes during his lifetime, having eleven in his collection at the time of his death in December of 1799. Several of these spyglasses are now housed in the Smithsonian, Mount Vernon and other distinguished institutions.
The telescope, engraved with the markings ‘Dolland London’ and ‘G. Washington Mount Vernon,’ was sold at auction by the American Art Association in New York on February 7, 1920.
The telescope is accompanied by a silk-lined Moroccan leather case inscribed ‘Telescope owned by George Washington,’ that was also part of the 1920 sale.
Auction info www.lesliehindman.com
