Part of a four-piece dress. Jacket: Short sleeves with cuffs. Dark blue velvet fully-lined in cream-colored silk with batting between two fabrics. 2 small leather-lined pockets on left inside. Hand-stiched strip on linging at lower edge right front. 3 hooks and thread-covered eyes at waist front. Parallel lines of sticthing on body at sleeve openings and at waist and on 3 bands around neck as well as front and silk at opening. Blue velvet strips have buttons in back and at tabbed ends on front. 4 tabbed front closure peices have buttons. Machine and hand-stitching.
Sheraton-inspired mahogany veneer night table with satinwood inlay accents that outline the apron, drawer and keyhole, as well as the legs. The table top has eight sides and surmounts four saber legs that also support a lower inward-curved shelf.
One of two soup plates with scalloped edge, coat of arms, white porcelain with double gold bands at border. Gold laurel leaves between coat-of-arms (raised arm with dagger) monogrammed in gold. Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, France. Designed by Jacquel.
Named for its principle use, this mahogany table top, with its oblong top and bead molded edge, was typically found at the side of a bedstead. The table's skirt is three to four inches deep and contains a single drawer that is the full width of the skirt. The drawer has two original brass knob pulls and a top centered brass escutcheon keyhole. The table is supported by four round tapering legs with ring and ball turnings at the top and two sets of ring turnings approximately two inches above the tapered feet of the legs.
Provenance
Alexander Speer, maternal first cousin to James Buchanan
Castered 'S' and 'C' scroll shaped flat legs. Lower shelf with shallow drawer. Top shelf is serpentine at front and back. Lyre-shaped racks, two on ends have 'strings', four center racks do not have 'strings'. Each end of top shelf have finger holes.
Two tan / gray linen sheets with red cross-stitching at the top of each. .1 39 inch wide length of ecru linen fabric hand overcast on underside to form a sheet .78 inches wide. Lengthwise sides are selvedges. Handstitched .5 inch hems on crosswise ends. Red cross-stitch, 6.5 inches long, 6.75 inches from a selvedge stitched parallel to selvedge Cotton floss. In center, 2 birds facing a central tulip and perched on a heart; a "B" and "L" and "S"
Provenance
Donated by Ruth Usner; belonged to donor's grandfather.
Acidification lines along probable folds. One large rectangular area of acid burn; may have been stored on wood. Some fraying at corners on one hemmed edge.
Hollow, screw-on pendant earrings. Roughly oval with scalloped outline, two-sided, beaded inside edge. Tapers in thickness. Thickest at bottom. Inscription: 'S' inside a small heart. 10K gold.
Two-piece silk dress with bodice and overskirt. Gray-green fabric with olive trim, yoke, and fringe. Colonial revival style. Bodice has fake jacket with ruching along edge. Thread-covered button closure down front. No collar. Braid and knotted fringe.
beautifully detailed heavy satin top with long sleeves, exquisitly crafted buttons and fringed from short front all along the longer portion in the back. Bulk appear greyish with drab green trim. Fringe is light green and some threads on buttons appear aqua. Sleeves (19.5in long) flare at cuffs that are decorated 5 layers of raduated ruffles on upper portion of cuff. The top of this triangle of ruffles sports a fabric bow. All trim is made of main fabric with drab green trim also used for the triangle faux tab wiht a button at the point that extends from the ruffles to the inside of the sleeve.
Ruffles run the length of the front beneath a band of fabric trim. A front right section of drab green silk from neck to waist contains 12 1in buttonholes. On the left 6 buttons remain (a 7th is pinned to acard) and 1 buttoncover that shows the fine stitching. Two triangular pieces ith trim are seamed at the front armholes with the mitered tip of the handsewn triangles pointing toward the center front. Two bust darts on both sides are stiffened with stays. BOth straight and chain stitch on seams that are hand overcast. Double construction with tan polished cotton on inside of entire garment. Commercially made cord fringe, 3.5in long, are sewn into lower edge around entire top.
Back: Olive green silk piece from neck tapers to a point at center back. Along inside edge, pointing to top, are trimmed ruffles with a 1in wide trimmed border band of main fabric. In addition to side seams there are 2 curved seam fromarm seams to the center back waist where a large bow is attached. The back 13in below the bow is trimmed with sides folded to a center pleat. Outer edges of pleat are trimmed with fringe. Inside of back pane; is lined with drab green silk.
Large trunk (a) with two large shelves (b, c) that lift out, and one smaller shelf (d). Exterior of the trunk has brown-striped canvas with three horizontal wood straps on the front, back, and hinged lid. There are wrought iron straps riveted at the corners of the trunk to reinforce the construction. Iron handles, one each side. Two sides covered with shipping labels.
One of twelve linen napkins. White damask with hunting scenes on outside. Stag hunting with horses and dogs. Scene on inner side of napkin is duck hunting. At one corner, embroidered in white is 'HLJ' with the Johnston crest of an arm and dagger.
One of two clear leaded glass nut dishes. Octagonal and oblong clear glass dishes with flared sides. Laurel wreath border etched 0.50" below the lip around all eight sides. Monogram 'HE' (for Henry Elliott Johnston) etched at the center base.
Glass is 0.125" thick. All 8 sides angle inward to the base at approximately a 45 degree angle. The base measures 4.125" long by 2.50" wide.
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2022-11-09
Condition Notes
A small chip is missing from the lip one of the short octagonal corners. Some light scatches are visible on the base around the monogram initials 'HE.'
Rectangular top, green baize-covered (thick, felt-like cloth) writing surface. Ogee-molded edge overhangs crotch-grain skirt with sectioned drawer opening on one long side with two wooden turned knobs. Brackets on top of two legs have rounded medallions,
One of 16 glass finger bowls. Frosted glass except where clear shield near the upper rolled edge. Shallow bowl with slightly convex bottom on inside. Shield design is etched with an engraved old English letter 'J'. Eight-point star impressed into center of bowl's exterior base.
Traveling trunk. Large chest-shaped with metal sheet strips at corners. Studded wooden bands at front, back, and top over canvas-covered wood. Two metal catches on lid, remains of leather strap. Lid is rounded. Exterior has remnants of travel destination stickers and one end cap has Henry Elliot Johnston's initials stenciled 'HEJ'.
Set of four Renaissance Revival style side chairs. Top rail scroll curved with tight C-scroll at ends. Finger hole is triangular with arrow point inside. Flat finial hangs from bottom of rail. Stretcher is also curved out with scroll work and bell flower. Front legs turned.
One of three linen handtowels. White damask with thinly hemmed edges (c. .125'). Meander border with foliate design and center panels of ivy leaf border, meander dividers, and strawberry vines. 'HLJ' at bottom center in white with pink circle accents.
Shaving stand is comprised of a mahogany veneer; the mirror attached to the top has a veneered bull-nose frame supported by ring and vase-turned stiles set into the top with tenons at a backward cant. The skirt has two half-drawers; however, the brass knob drawer-pulls are missing. The stand is supported by four ring and ball turned feet
Portrait of James Buchanan Henry in oval frame. Elaborate oval frame with light colored dry brushing. Henry faces the viewer; has long mustache, side parted light brown hair, blue eyes. Family history indicates that this was a self portrait by Henry, whose art career was discouraged by his uncle James Buchanan (the 15th US President).
