[Lee Stewart]

In 2002, a pair of exquisite saddle pistols presented to George Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette during the Revolutionary War made headlines when they sold at auction for a staggering $1.98 million at Christie's. The pistols, crafted by master gunsmith Jacob Walster, were part of the extensive collection of items inherited by Washington's many indirect heirs after his death.

Remarkably, these pistols later found their way into the hands of Andrew Jackson, another prominent figure in American history. During a visit to Jackson in 1826, the Marquis himself confirmed that these were the same pistols he had gifted to Washington during the war.