94

WASHINGTON, GEORGE

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
WASHINGTON, GEORGE
<b>94. GEORGE WASHINGTON</b> (1732 - 1799) First President of the United States and commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Partly printed D.S. "<i>Go: Washingto</i>n" 1p. oblong folio, Mount Vernon, Jan. 1, 1789, a membership certificate for the Society of Cincinnati issued to French naval officer Henri Cesare Marquis de Castellane. The Marquis de Castellane (d. 1789) commanded the 74-gun vessel <i>Marseillais</i> which was part of the fleets under Admiral de Grasse during the decisive naval battle of Virginia Capes in September 1781 which blocked the British attempt to reinforce Cornwallis at Yorktown effectively sealing his fate. Cornwallis surrendered his army to Washington about a month later. De Grasse singled out Castellane for special commendation for his part in the battle. Coincidentally, the Marquis would die on May 5, 1789 only days after Washington's inauguration as President on April 30, 1789. Signature is somewhat spotty and light which is common for these certificates and rates about a seven out of ten. Someone did attempt to augment the signature with pencil, but this does nothing to enhance or detract from the signature. The engraving itself is very sharp and clean and the document bears unusually wide margins. The document bears two clean folds, and is otherwise in fine condition. Matted and ready for framing.<b>$10,000-12,000</b>