Washington, George, first President

Printed Shipping Bill with manuscript accomplishment, for the ship George Barclay, listing a Harpsichord ordered by "His Excellency General Washington President of the United States", signed by Bartholomew Dandridge Jr. on his uncle's behalf, 1 page (13 x 8 3/8 in.; 330 x 212 mm), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 30 September 1793, also signed by Delany, Collector of the District of Pennsylvania, docketed and marked paid on verso; formerly folded, silked on verso, fold-tears mended, mounting residue in upper and lower left corners. Light blue half-morocco clamshell box.

B.J. Lossing, Mary and Martha, the Mother and the Wife of George Washington (1886)

formerly folded, silked on verso, fold-tears mended, mounting residue in upper and lower left corners.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

George Washington buys a harpsichord for his grand-daughter Nelly Custis.

One of his greatest pleasures was listening to his grand-daughter play the harpsichord and her playing was a central pastime in his post-presidential family life. He ordered the instrument from a London retailer in 1793, and it was used by Nelly in Philadelphia, but it did not reach Mount Vernon until 1797 when he retired. As Lossing writes (Mary and Martha, pp. 316-317): "Washington presented to her, in Philadelphia, a fine harpsichord at a cost of a thousand dollars. The best teachers were employed to instruct her in its use and her grandmamma made her 'practise' upon it four and five hours a day. It became an instrument of torture to poor Nelly. 'She would cry and play, and play and cry for hours,' said her brother." The harpsichord now resides in the drawing room at Mount Vernon.

The bill is signed by Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., Martha and George's nephew, who was Washington's secretary from 1790 and until the end of the second term in 1797. He assisted Tobias Lear in packing the household goods after the Washingtons left Philadelphia.