Several strands of President Ulysses S. Grant's hair, contained within a gold-tone .75 x .75 locket opposite a portrait of Grant. The front of the locket has an attractive engraved design, and the back is engraved with an ornate letter "G." The locket is suspended from a 12″ long chain. In fine condition.
The provenance letter for this item has been lost, but its text is retained in an old auction listing: the copy of a notarized letter of provenance, dated January 8, 1886, read, in part: "Edward T. Butts being duly sworn says that on the day of 1885 he resided and still resides at No 31 India Street Greenpoint City of Brooklyn County of Kings and State of New York, and that he was employed by Mr. Stephen W. Merritt undertaker and doing business at No 210 Eight Avenue City of New York. Deponent further says that on the 24th day of July 1885 he in company with the aforesaid Mr. Merritt, and one T. J. Hemma who was also employed by said Merritt…proceeded to Mount McGregor for the purpose of reembalming and laying out Gen. Grant. That on the 25th day of July 1885 deponent Mr. Merritt and Thomas J. Hemma duly arrived at Mount McGregor and proceeded to the home of the deceased Gen. Grant and then and there reembalmed and laid out Gen. Grant and that at the time aforesaid deponent trimed [sic, trimmed] and cut his beard and hair and preserved said trimming of said beard and hair and that there after on the 8th day of January 1886 deponent presented a part of said beard to and hair to Henry Matzinger of No 35 Greenpoint Avenue City of Brooklyn."
