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Auction Name: 2025 October 24 - 25 Americana & Political Signature® Auction
Lot Number: 43008
Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/6324*43008
Thomas Jefferson: Early 19th-Century Chesapeake-Leopard Affair Commemorative Bandanna, Featured in Threads of History. 22" x 26" (sight). This exceedingly rare printed cotton bandanna commemorates the infamous Chesapeake-Leopard Affair of 1807, a pivotal naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy that escalated tensions leading to the War of 1812. The central design prominently features HMS Leopard and USS Chesapeake, two warships whose clash became a defining moment in early U.S.-British relations.
On June 22, 1807, Leopard intercepted Chesapeake off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, demanding to search for alleged British deserters. When Chesapeake's captain, James Barron, refused, Leopard opened fire, devastating the unprepared American vessel and forcing its surrender. British forces boarded, removing four sailors-three of whom were later confirmed to be American citizens. The attack sparked outrage in the United States, leading President Thomas Jefferson to impose the Embargo Act of 1807, a move that further strained Anglo-American relations and set the stage for the War of 1812.
The intricate red-on-white design of this textile - bordered by billowing sails, maritime symbols, slogans of "Man the Gun boats - Cheer lads Cheer", and corner roundels featuring images of "Thomas Jefferson President US", suggests it was designed to stir American sentiment and reinforce opposition to British interference in U.S. affairs. If, as Threads of History suggests, this textile was indeed printed in America, it stands as one of the earliest surviving examples of American-made political textiles tied to a major historical event. An extraordinary acquisition for collectors of early American-printed textiles, naval history, or Anglo-American conflict memorabilia.
Condition: Moderate staining and fraying at edges, but overall well-preserved for its age. Professionally and archivally custom framed for conservation. The item measures 26" x 30" overall. A museum-quality artifact that captures a defining moment in U.S. and British naval history-an opportunity rarely seen at auction.
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