Empire era maple side chair; scroll cut and carved crest with pierced hand-hold at crest. Rail with horizontal splat, upholstered seat terminating with cabriole legs.
Serpentine-back, enclosed arm sofa, Louis XV (Rococo Revival), has yellow upholstery, finger-molded exposed frame of rosewood or mahogany and a rounded back crested with central cartouche of high relief carved fruit and leafage. Outline of rounded back slopes down to rounded shoulders that descend and curve back in to arms that enclose the sitter. Low arm rests have upholstered arm pads. Cyma-curved arm supports extend to short cabriole legs at front. Square, curving legs at back. Serpentine seat front and serpentine lower outline of seat frame.
One of a pair of Empire side chairs (with 2013.008.22) with yellow upholstered seat and cherry wood frame. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Back uprights have slight cyma curve, surmounted by a long, wide concave tablet. Tablet has low relief foliate carved ends while most of face is covered with a panel of mahogany veneer. Tablet extends beyond back uprights. Horizontal splat at center of back is pierced carved with a central rectangle flanked by half-moon carved shells, and is then supported by paired, loosely scrolled lyre-like "legs" that attach to chair posts. Trapezoid slip seat upholstered in an ivory cotton brocade. Front legs have a slight cyma curve.
One of a pair of Empire side chairs (with 2013.008.21) with yellow upholstered seat and cherry wood frame. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Back uprights have slight cyma curve, surmounted by a long, wide concave tablet. Tablet has low relief foliate carved ends while most of face is covered with a panel of mahogany veneer. Tablet extends beyond back uprights. Horizontal splat at center of back is pierced carved with a central rectangle flanked by half-moon carved shells, and is then supported by paired, loosely scrolled lyre-like "legs" that attach to chair posts. Trapezoid seat. Front legs have a slight cyma curve.
Empire side chair of walnut with yellow upholstered trapezoid seat. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Both front legs and back uprights have slight cyma curve. Scroll-cut and carved wide crest rail with concave shape. It is faced with bookmatched crotch veneer, with kidney-shaped handhold at top center. Outline of two C-scrolls flank hole along top. Paired cyma curves form outline of bottom edge. Rounded ends. Scroll-cut horizontal splat is pierced with low-relief carved confronting C-scrolls at center and scrolling "legs" extending to chair posts. Bowed front seat rail and flattened cabriole front legs.
Four post mahogany veneer bed owned by James Buchanan. Includes two sets of rails. Originals have carvings on top edge and hold multiple slats. Modern set accommodates modern box spring and mattress with iron supports.
Majolica tin glazed earthenware dish in shell-like form. Whorl at one end with curving corrugations radiating outward. Dish sides have regular pattern of perforations for drainage. Low footring base. Hand-painted decoration on pale greenish yellow color overall with delicate vining done with delicate brush strokes and daubs of ochre for leaves. Additional decoration of larger scale flowers or flower clusters and a moth-like insect. Dish edges and whorl painted ochre with diagonal stripes.
Underside, within footring, is the famous cockerel mark painted in wispy brush strokes, representing the Cantagalli family factory in Florence, Italy - likely the period when Ulisse Cantagalli succeeded his father in 1878 and started to produce highly decorative Italian ceramics in the Renaissance style. This pottery style was hugely popular at this time in English-speaking countries. Ulisse died in 1901 but his family continued the business.
Provenance: Dish owned by Harriet Lane Joohnston, then descent within family to donor.
Provenance
Plate owned by Harriet Lane Johnston, then descent within family to donor.
Asian Design Compote Owned by Harriet Lane Johnston
Description
Majolica tin glazed earthenware compote. Round dish with serpentine rim mounted on a short pedestal base. Hand-painted decoration is pale greenish yellow color overall with delicate vining branches done with delicate brush strokes and daubs of ochre for leaves. Additional decoration of larger scale flowers or flower clusters and a moth-like insect; Three larger flowers at center. Rim painted ochre as well as bands of ochre on pedestal, along with striping,
Underside of pedestal base has abstract hand-painted mark quite different from the expected cockerel mark, although this dish otherwise matches 2014.002.18. Nevertheless attributed to the Cantagalli family pottery factory in Florence, Italy - likely the period when Ulisse Cantagalli succeeded his father in 1878 and started to produce highly decorative Italian ceramics in the Renaissance style. This pottery style was hugely popular at this time in English-speaking countries. Ulisse died in 1901 but his family continued the business.
Provenance: Dish owned by Harriet Lane Johnston, then descent within family to donor.
Provenance
Compote owned by Harriet Lane Johnston, then descent within family to donor.
Asian Design Sugar Bowl Owned by Harriet Lane Johnston
Description
Majolica tin glazed earthenware sugar bowl. Compressed-round bowl with very short neck and low foot ring. Domed fitted lid with finial of inverted acorn shape. Bowl and lid both hand-painted with decoration on pale greenish yellow color, with faint wispy vining branches done with delicate brush strokes and daubs of ochre for leaves. Additional decoration of larger scale flowers or flower clusters and a moth-like insect. Rim painted ochre as well as a band on pedestal with two stripes.
Underside of base has very stylized hand-painted cockerel mark. This bowl has same decoration as 2014.002.17&.18. Attributed to the Cantagalli family pottery factory in Florence, Italy - likely the period when Ulisse Cantagalli succeeded his father in 1878 and started to produce highly decorative Italian ceramics in the Renaissance style. This pottery style was hugely popular at this time in English-speaking countries. Ulisse died in 1901 but his family continued the business.
Provenance: Bowl owned by Harriet Lane, then descent within family to donor.
Provenance
Sugar bowl owned by Harriet Lane Johnston, then descent within family to donor.
Asian Design Saucer Owned by Harriet Lane Johnston
Description
Majolica tin glazed earthenware saucer. Round plate with center indentation for cup and tiny foot ring. Hand-painted with decoration on pale yellow-green ground color, with wispy vining branches done with delicate brush strokes and daubs of ochre for leaves. Additional decoration of larger scale flowers or flower clusters and a moth-like insect. Edge painted ochre.
Underside of base has very stylized hand-painted cockerel mark. This bowl has same overall decoration as 2014.002.16, .17 & .18. Attributed to the Cantagalli family pottery factory in Florence, Italy - likely the period when Ulisse Cantagalli succeeded his father in 1878 and started to produce highly decorative Italian ceramics in the Renaissance style. This pottery style was hugely popular at this time in English-speaking countries. Ulisse died in 1901 but his family continued the business.
Provenance: Bowl owned by Harriet Lane Johnston, then descent within family to donor.
Provenance
Saucer owned by Harriet Lane Johnston, then descent within family to donor.