George Washington Gift Highlights Americana Sales

A never-before-seen Sheffield-plated silver wine cooler given by George Washington to Alexander Hamilton in 1797 will be auctioned on Jan. 19, 2012,

A four-bottle wine cooler, custom ordered by George Washington in 1789, is for sale at Christie’s during a week of Americana sales in January. Estimate: $400,000 to $600,000. Courtesy of Christie's Images Ltd. 2011

Highlighting Christie’s Americana sales, a never-before-seen Sheffield-plated silver wine cooler given by George Washington to Alexander Hamilton in 1797 will be auctioned on Jan. 19, 2012,

Estimated to reach $400,000 to $600,000, the four-bottle wine cooler is an important piece of American history—the only known three-dimensional object connecting the two great men.