Silk two-piece evening gown with bodice and skirt. Black satin moire, cloud-like damask design. Bodice has short sleeves, wide open neckline with net collar trimmed with black sequins, jet, and glass beads. Double V-shaped, lapel-like front is decorated with beads and sequins. Bodice is stiffened with several stays. Drawstring at neckline.
Silk evening gown. Cream water moire. Full skirt, longer train at back. Bodice has wide, plain, open neck. Small cap / puff sleeves. Sleeves are short with 2.0' lace hanging from edges. Bodice comes to a 'V' at front and back. Boned. Thin, cordlike lacin
2-22: Off-shoulder bodice, peak at center front waist. Back closure. Name of Paris designer (Henriette Tissier, 17 Rue de Rome, Paris) printed in green on white ribbon attached with cross stitches. 10-inch stays in bodice front. There are underarm stays as well as 3 shaped stiffening pieces within the hemmed edges of both sides of back opening. 10 finished holes for lacing along lengths of both back edges.
39.1 (blouse) Contoured top of satiny finely-striped orange-warm white fabric. Lace trim at neck, 6 inches wide. Front closure with 12 hooks and eyes. Entire bodice double construction with white cotton lining inside. A trapazoidal panel is attached to left center front. This panel has a center of orange and brown embroidered round fruits with stems and leaves on filmy fabric. Across center is a dark diamond-shaped bead attached to small dark irredescent seed beads. Similar beading on bands at shoulder.
39.2 (skirt) Satiny finely-striped orange-wamr white fabric. Back is slightly gored with 4 panels. Placket opening has a later addition to make it 8 inches wides. Closed with one hook and eye. Lining is plain white cotton. In back, one inner edge is hand pinked creating a seam finish. A commercially-made 6-inch long lace and pleat trim is hand-stitched inside.
Front of skirt: Waistband of folded white cotton 1/2-inch wide tape. A v-shaped waist front panel was covered with same orange and brown embroidered fruits with stme and leaves on a filmy fabric. 2 gore-like inserts of the plain fabric are decorated with layered cascaing strips of gathered 5-inch lace panels. Hem circumference is 140 inches (80 in back;60.5 in front).
Unusual sleeve construction with 1/2-inch band to which fabric is gathered for a puffy lower sleeve. Fabric is gathered to a 1 3/4-inch wide wristband covered with a lace band. A self-fabric bow is sewn to the upper side of the wrist opening.
Dressing gown. Main fabric is wide green and rust vertical stripes with narrow red and white vertical stripes. Thin cream horizontal stripes. Black velvet trip down front opening, around cuffs, at shoulder-to-sleeve seam, on pockets, around hem. Bell sle
Made of heavy silk brocade. Blue background with beige and red colors in paisley design. Multi colored cording around collar, cuffs, pockets, and front. Lined in navy blue silk and batting quitled in diaper pattern -- machine stitched. Cording also used for front closre between collar and pockets; three pairs of corded loops anchored by an ornate triangular design of sewn cording with a mesh covered, barrel-shaped wooden button to hold the cord loop from the opposite side. Tassel belt. Inside back has band that can be adjusted/gathered. Two fabric covered buttons with cording at outside side seams for loops to hold the corded belt.
Textile is very fragile and is ripping in some areas. Ed 12/20/2016, VAP. Some stains, wear on lower edge right sleeve. Heavy wear at neck. Center back seam apart. Collar separating from neckline. Left side seam open.
Object ID
W.1940.012.001
Notes
Presented to James Buchanan by Chinese or Japanese Ambassador while Buchanan was Ambassador in England.
Silver serviing spoon with the silver mark for Philadelphia silversmiths Bailey & Co. and Christmas 1864 engraved on the handle accompanied be an engraving on the back of the handle that reads J.B. from H.R.L. (James Buchanan from Harriet Rebecca Lane.) 136 Chestnut St., Philadelphia
Provenance
Lane, Harriet R.
Christmas gift to Buchanan, James
To Johnston, Harriet Lane
To Lane, John Newton (son of James B. Lane) To Fay, Patty Lane (JB Lane daughter)
To Sebrell, Patty Lane Fay (JB Lane granddaughter)
Originally Bailey & Co, the company was founded by Joseph Trowbridge Bailey and Andrew B. Kitchen. It was located at 136 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1840 Joseph’s brother Eli Westcott Bailey, a New York City jeweler and importer hurt financially by the Panic of 1837, came to Philadelphia and entered the firm. The name continued as Bailey & Kitchen. When Joseph died, Eli became the senior partner of Bailey & Co. until he retired in 1867.
Length (cm)
22.86
Length (ft)
0.75
Length (in)
9
Object ID
W.1998.001.003
Notes
Originally Bailey & Co, the company was founded by Joseph Trowbridge Bailey and Andrew B. Kitchen. It was located at 136 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1840 Joseph’s brother Eli Westcott Bailey, a New York City jeweler and importer hurt financially by the Panic of 1837, came to Philadelphia and entered the firm. The name continued as Bailey & Kitchen. When Joseph died, Eli became the senior partner of Bailey & Co. until he retired in 1867.
Open scroll work on rectangular music stand; elaborate lyre-shaped pedal support with two pedals. Three massive legs with ten-faceted tapered legs. Sides of keyboard area scrolled with foliate carving. Around bottom is rope-like molding.
Ames, Kenneth L [ed], 'Victorian Furniture: Essays from a Victorian Society Autumn Symposium', Victorian Society in America, 1982.
Height (in)
37.437
Length (in)
98.5
Width (in)
57
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2022-11-17
Condition Notes
adjusted' piano 5/16/1949
Last cleaning & tuning September 2006
Several strings are broken and the sound board no longer holds its tuning.
Object ID
W.1936.001.004
Notes
Jonas Chickering (1798-1853), whose firm made the piano, began his career as a cabinetmaker in Ipswich, New Hampshire. In 1818 at the age of twenty, he went to Boston and apprenticed himself in one of the town's cabinet shops.
Easgles Nest completed conservation on the image and frame.
Height (cm)
36.195
Height (ft)
1.1875
Height (in)
14.25
Length (cm)
6.985
Length (ft)
0.2291666667
Length (in)
2.75
Width (cm)
41.275
Width (ft)
1.3541666667
Width (in)
16.25
Dimension Details
Dimensions are for frame
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2022-07-21
Object ID
W.1995.015.001
Notes
Based on the pointed waistline of her bodice, this photograph was likely taken in Washington DC while she was the First Lady and before the year 1860. This style was at the height of fashion in the mid-1850s and quickly disappeared in the year 1860, when the straight waistline came into fashion.
