What’s the strangest thing you have found hidden in a second-hand novel or library book? Regular finds might include tickets, receipts, or love notes but sometimes people leave behind some very odd things. An unopened condom, a banana skin, and a marriage certificate have been apparently stashed inside the pages of old books but stranger still- the hair of a historical figure has recently been discovered between the pages of a book in a New York library.
Strands of George Washington’s hair with ‘Gaines Universal Register, 1793’ Photograph: Union College
A lock of George Washington’s hair was discovered inside an 18th-century almanac by a researcher at the Schaffer Library in New York. Archivist Daniel Michelson found Gaines Universal Register or American and British Kalendar for the year 1793 while digging through the older books held in the Schaffer Library.
Before being given to the book’s owner- the strands are thought to have first belonged to the son of Alexander Hamilton, the first US secretary of the Treasury who some may also know about through the hit musical that bears his name.
Librarian John Myers examined the book and discovered a “slender yellowed envelope”, and within the pages were “several strands of grey or whitening hair, neatly tied together by a single thread”. Written on the envelope were the lines: “Washington’s hair, L.S.S. & (scratched out) GBS from James A. Hamilton given him by his mother, Aug. 10, 1871.”
Scholar Susan Holloway Scott, author of the historical novel I, Eliza Hamilton remarked:
“In an era when people frequently exchanged hair as a keepsake, it’s quite probable that Martha had given Eliza some of George’s hair, which in turn was given to their son, James, who later distributed it, strand by strand, as a precious memento to close friends and family members.”
Despite there being no DNA testing on the hair, manuscripts dealer John Reznikoff, told the college: “Without DNA, you’re never positive, but I believe it’s 100% authentic.”
It is speculated that the strands may be worth around $2,000 to $3,000 (£1,400-£2,100).
Head of special collections and archives at the library, India Spartz, called the discovery “a very significant treasure” and “a tremendous testament to history.” She said: “As an archivist, we come across interesting material all of the time. But this is such a treasure for the campus.”
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