[Washington, George] The Love of Truth Mark the Boy

(Germantown, Pennsylvania: Germantown Print Works, ca. 1806). Commemorative handkerchief, printed in red on white cotton; approximately 12 1/4 x 10 3/4 in. (sight) (311 x 273 mm). Scattered light soiling. In mat and in frame, 18 1/4 x 17 3/16 in. (463 x 436 mm). Collins, Threads of History 39

"One moment thought, but shew'd no signs of fear His little heart with principle beat high, 'Papa, I cannot, will not tell a lie! My sharp bright hatchet gave the naughty stroke; The parent then with love and rapture spoke, 'Run to my open arms, my dearest boy; Your love of truth bespeaks a father's joy; My sudden anger and my grief are fled, Although my lovely cherry-tree is dead."

A rare variant of this handkerchief depicting the popular story of George Washington and the cherry tree. The enduring legend was invented by early Washington biographer Mason Locke Weems, and first appeared in the fifth edition of his Life of Washington, in 1806. This handkerchief is possibly the first appearance of the famed story in verse, as its printing has been attributed to the same year as Weems's fifth edition.

In his Threads of History: Americana Recorded on Cloth, Herbert Ridgeway Collins identifies two variants of this handkerchief, printed in blue and brown, but makes no mention of one printed in red. According to RBH, no other red example has appeared at auction. We have not been able to locate another red example in any institutional collections. Rare.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

[Washington, George] The Love of Truth Mark the Boy