Piece of ornate black lace belonging to Martha Washington, 15.5 x 3.25, possibly mourning lace. Accompanied by a color copy of the decorative cover of the box in which the lace was kept, as well a second copy, with "Three ornaments from the mantle piece at Mount Vernon," and later labeled in ballpoint, "Martha Washington's lace." Provenance: the Tobias Lear family, James D. Julia Auction, February 5, 2010. Lear, Washington's trusted friend and personal secretary from 1784 until his death, took nieces of Martha Washington for both his second and third wives. Memorabilia related to Martha is very scarce and thus quite desirable.
