George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States at Federal Hall in New York, then the nation’s capitol. This trio of three miniature figurines on a single base depicts that moment. Intricately hand painted details make this little piece an intriguing addition to any collection. On April 30, 1789, the Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the oath, while the Secretary of the Senate Samuel Otis held the Bible.

Washington was reluctant to accept the presidency and had written that he had given up, “all expectations of private happiness in this world.” But he also knew that this burden of duty was one he could not decline. Washington was keenly aware that everything he did at the swearing-in would set precedent. Even though he had gained his reputation through military service, he chose not to be in uniform. Instead, he wore an American-made brown suit, fashioned from broadcloth, wishing to set a trend. “I hope…it will be unfashionable for a gentleman to appear in any other dress,” he told his friend, the Marquis de Lafayette. As a nod to his martial past, Washington wore a less ostentatious dress sword on his hip, sheathed in a simple steel scabbard. Recreated here is that humble and noble scene.