Rococo Revival writing desk. High relief carved arching crest with acanthus leaf motif flanked by matching finials. A cherub relief face with wings in a recessed arch is seen below the crest, surmounting a storage cabinet decorated with more highly carved foliate and scroll motifs along both rails. The cabinet door is decorated with inlaid woods that form a vase with flowers. The writing desk has a fold-down/pull-out writing surface and four drawers that surmount a central drawer and four highly carved foliate and scroll adorned cabriole legs that terminate on casters and are connected by supports to central finials.
Several broken finials and high relief carvings under central cabinet
Object ID
W.1936.008.001
Notes
From the account of Major Andre, who visited Wheatland in 1888, it can be surmised that the escritoire stood in the sitting room or study. This room was located to the left of the front door in the central section of the house.
Crest of top rail, finger-molded in scalloped shaped. Horizontal splat curved upward, terminating in scroll on each end, thicker at middle. Seat is shield shape, serpentine front. Legs plain cabriole, back legs square and canted. 36.14.3 differs from 36.
Re-upholstered -date unknown Two had been green velvet and one blue velvet Originally [when owned by Buchanan] chairs were covered in green morocco leather.
The walnut frame of the chair is exposed. The crest is flat and squared. The upholstered back has a slight taper. Three quarters down the back, the walnut arms curve outward with partial upholstered rests, The back frame continues below the arms in a gentle outward curve to form the side rails of the upolstered seat. The seat is an elongated, slightly tapered rectangle with a straight apron. The arms are supported with back curved uprights terminating at the cushioned arm rests with a foliate carved scroll design. The front legs are both ornate, tapered reeded columns terminating in brass casters; the back legs are square and canted terminating on brass casters.
Provenance
George B. Willson
To - Mary Willson Rettew
To - The James Buchanhan Foundation LancasterHistory
Re-upholstered in Black Horsehair -date unknown Seat and back had been covered in beige self-stripe damask with blue braid. Unknown if this was original.
Rococo Revival walnut upholstered Salon Parlor Chair. Carved roses on crest and apron, Cabriole legs terminating in castors. Upholstered in gold damask fabric, chair back is button tufted.
Provenance
Owned by a Buchanan family member
To Elizabeth Hensel Nauman (Dorothy Flinn - donor)
Renaissance Revival Style, large, over-mantel mirror. Top has high crest with shell and heart-like motif in heavy applied piece scroll work to sides of center crest. At ends are heavy capitals with shell design at top and below, small concave flower-like medallion at center. Below scroll work at the top is the same medallionwith wing-like leaves at each side.Larger version of the medallion are found at center of both sides. Curved bracket at top corners of glass. Bottom of sides stylized with leaf and flower applied design. All wood gilded top of frame is heavier than the sides and bottom.
Louis XV balloon back side chairs. Carved open back with scroll designs at top. Central vertical splat does not connect to seat but rather to a central horizontal splat. Cabriole front legs with carved lines and scrolls, back legs are squared and slightl
Mahogany veneered night stand with a gray marble top, bull-nosed edges and rounded corners. Three inch skirt has an ogee curve on all sides with a wide centered drawer and a small brass knob drawer pull. Skirt surmounts two horizontal beads of trim above an ogee crest and sides that form the frame of the cabinet with a centered side-hinged door. The small brass knob pull is missing. The wide base apron is surmounted with cockbeaded trim and at the base are four beveled carved trimmings around the feet that terminate in casters.
Ogee-molded, gilded frame with large overhanging crest at top. Scrolled leaf carving around edges. Central applied molding at center of shield surrounded by foliate/floral garlands. Top has shell style, with fleur-de-lis crown.
Provenance
Harriet Lane Johnston - Mary Speer Denny- Detwiler
Armchair, balloon back with ornate carved crest of flowers, below center and scroll work. Back has concave curve at sides, flaring to arms. Back seat is separate except for two side attachments. Arms are carved scrolls. Rudimentary claw slopes down to se
Rococo Revival armchair. Cyma curve seat back. Tufted Upholstery (arm rests also). Top crest carved with foliate, central flower design with central tablature and metal plate 'Occupied by the President of the National Democratic Convention at Cincinnati,
One of two triple-arched settees; two outer arches feature taller backs with slight curve, the lower arch is at middle. Each back has a small crest with scroll work and an open loop. Wood exposed only along top of teh settee following its curves and down to the arm rests. Arms and back upholstered as one unit. Serpentine front rail valanced with scrolled molding and central carving mirroring a tulip plant. Cabriole legs at front terminating on casters; rear legs are saber and canted.
Small lift-lid desk of walnut, Aesthetic Style, has green baize inset into lid's center panel. Gallery at top rear is missing, leaving only its dark outline and screw holes. Upper section of desk overhangs base, with applied decorative raised panels at front and sides faced with burl veneer. Desk interior has pigeon holes at rear.
Base has 3 drawers and pull-out shelf at right side, and double panel construction on 3 other sides. Base has applied decoration of shaped brackets at top (under overhang) and bottom of sides of front. Applied turned bosses and bulls-eyes. Sits on 4 molded low block feet at corners.
Provenance
Desk reportedly belonged to James Buchanan Henry II (1875-1961).
Desk top finish worn and marred with holes and stains. Baize worn with holes and edge losses. Desk lid warped.
Back right corner of desk top broken off and missing. Top drawer front missing applied edge molding at left side. Left side near front has ten-inch-long crack. Right rear block foot mostly missing, despite nails indicating attempted repair.
Object ID
2013.008.018
Credit
Gift of the Family of Eleanor N. Henry (John D. McNeill Jr., Mary Catherine Henry West, James Buchanan Henry IV, and Elizabeth Henry Richardson)
Oval center table with marble top, rounded on top edge. Elaborate pedestal / leg support. Four arms descend from double layered skirt in curving, flattish, jagged shape to central turned pedestal with top and pendant finial in turnip shape. Four legs des
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,
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.
Rocking chair in the Pennsylvania Dutch style with wide, boldly rounded hoop back and wide vase-shaped splat. The arms are downcurved, about two inches wide, and terminate in large convex scrolls. The arms are supported by short, simply turned arm stumps. The solid wood seat is one to two inches thick, rolled at front and upcurved at rear. The seat is supported by four short turned legs mounted on rockers about 28 inches long. These are braced front and rear by single turned stretchers. Body coat of brown is overlaid with clusters of fruit on back top rail, splat and front of seat in polychrome colors and is striped in gilt.
water spotting cleaned by conservator in early months of 2020 following a water leak inside the bedchamber caused by contractor error during roof restoration project.
