Piece of Martha Washington’s dress on sale in Pa.
Feb 8, 2012, 5:52 PM
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A piece of one of Martha Washington’s dresses is for sale.
The Raab Collection, a Philadelphia historic documents dealer, said Wednesday that it’s selling the 5-inch-by-9-inch piece of silk brocade for $40,000. Other pieces of the same dress are at George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon.
The fabric was owned by Martha Washington’s descendants for generations.
In 1932, it was given as a gift to Nan Britton, the subject of the first modern-day presidential sex scandal. Britton wrote a tell-all book that claimed she had an illegitimate daughter with President Warren G. Harding. Her claim was never proved definitively.
The piece of fabric comes from one of Britton’s descendants. The price includes a letter from the person who gave Britton the fabric as a gift.
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