(George WASHINGTON) A scarce 12 1/2 x 10 3/4 in. glazed-cotton kerchief printed in blue entitled “THE LOVE OF TRUTH MARK THE BOY.” Printed circa 1806 by the Germantown Print Works who also produced the more commonly seen kerchief, “The effect of principle Behold the Man” that was produced around the same period.

The present example retells, in verse, the apocryphal story of George Washington and the cherry tree that first appeared in Mason Locke Weems’ 1800 celebratory biography, A History of the Life and Death, Virtues and Exploits of General George Washington. The illustration at top is wonderfully anachronistic (we don’t recall top hats to be in fashion in the 1730s) – yet very typical of the first decade of the nineteenth century.

Scarce. Listed as No. 39 in Threads of History.

Some scattered light staining not detracting, very light folds and minor.

(EXA 4060) $750