Submarine cable set. Hinged leather box with peaked lid. Gold line along top edge. Octagonal silver plate: 'The Hon.^ble James Buchanan (Old English) President of the United States. (Italic) The Atlantic Telegraph. Specimens of the various component parts to the making of the Trans-Atlantic cable.
Box: 11.437' x 13.937' Lid: 0.937' x 2.0' Cable lengths: 12'
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
1991-03-26
Condition Notes
Cable samples range in order from 1-15. Missing cables 1, 2, 13, and 15.
Object ID
W.1962.004.001
Notes
Cable set presented to President James Buchanan showcasing various types of cables used in the making of the Trans-Atlantic cable. Queen Victoria was presented with a similar set to commemorate the first Trans-Atlantic cable sent from Queen Victoria to President James Buchanan on August 16, 1858.
James Buchanan's inaugural address speech printed on silk. Rectangular white silk with cobalt blue printing. Border c. 1' wide of morning glory vines. Heading: 'The Inaugural Address March 4, 1857. President Buchanan.' A round medallion and pictue medal
One Sheffield steel straight razor with a bone handle. Razor was a personal gift from President James Buchanan to John Henry William Bonitz on 4 May 1857. One side of the bone handle has a 'V' shaped break 1.375" from the end of the handle that is attached to the Sheffield steel shank. This side of the handle has a hand engraving: "1857 May 4 Wm Bonitz." Opposite side of bone handle has a hand engraving: "J.H.Wm Bonitz from Presdt. James Buchanan."
Handle Length: 5.50" With the blade extended the razor and handle length: 9.375"
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2023-10-02
Condition Notes
One side of the bone handle has a 'V' shaped break 1.375" from the end of the handle that is attached to the Sheffield steel shank. Tip of blade has 1/8" chipped off. Light rust on all sides of the shank and blade.
Object ID
2023.021.001
Notes
During the transition between President Pierce and President Buchanan's administration in March 1857, "President Buchanan requested that William Bonitz, then clerk for Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War, be transferred to the White House as a clerk and messenger." The 15th President was pleased to have William as a member of his new administration. On May 4, 1857, President Buchanan gave William Bonitz a bone-handled Sheffield steel razor as a personal gift, telling the young man that he purchased the razor while he was serving as the United States Minister to the Court of St. James.
Rosewood bed with walnut, poplar, and pine. Headboard higher than footboard, but identical in shape. Arched crest with c-curved finish. This is repeated with molding below and on footboard. Molding is cyma-curved and appears on the outside of footboard and inside of headboard. The top of each post is capped with a round finial that transitions to squat bun above a smooth cylinder above a ring and ball shape that transitions to ring and vase surmounting an octagonal post terminates on bun feet Scroll cut brackets connect the posts to the side rails that feature cyma-curved molding.
Bed is higher at headboard than at footboard. Footboard height is 42.625'.
Condition
Excellent
Condition Date
2022-11-10
Condition Notes
Restoration done in 1992-1993 by David Weaver, cabinetmaker, Quarryville, PA. Restoration of rosewood.
Object ID
W.1992.001.039
Notes
Harriet had this custom built with large dimensions to accomodate her Uncle James Buchanan's size. It was intended for his use whenever he would visit her at her Baltimore, Maryland home.
James Buchanan's Inaugural Rail Car Window Screen was painted by Philip Kraus to depict the northern façade of Buchanan's Wheatland home. The farm's carriage house is seen in the West meadow; in the foreground the artist painted the east carriage path, trees and meadow grasses.
Philip Kraus was a German artist living in Baltimore, Maryland. The mid-19th century contemporary name for this type of artwork was known as "stained glass". Kraus was commissioned to paint the screen by Robert Magraw, then president of the Northern Central Railroad for James Buchanan's inauguration rail car.
The elaborate, high relief carved stand was made after Buchanan's inauguration for William Magruder, Mayor of Washington, D.C. He purchased the window screen from Robert Magraw.
On March 2, 1857, Buchanan would begin his journey to Washington, D.C. for his inauguration. For the trip from Lancaster to Washington, D.C., Supt. of the Phila. & Columbia Railroad, Joseph B. Baker, had prepared four rail cars for Buchanan that were decorated with patriotic scenes. One decorative touch included the use of window screens that were painted with images of Wheatland. These window screens were composed of painted or "stained" glass that could be placed in the existing window wells.
Buchanan's train traveled to Baltimore and then to Washington, D.C. The increasing affordability of railroad travel not only made Buchanan's inauguration trip possible, it also permitted many other people throughout the nation to attend the events. The crowds in Washington, D.C. for Buchanan's inauguration were the largest in history up to that time. He was sworn into office on March 4, 1857.
Place of Origin
Baltimore, Maryland
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Andrew Bieber, Michael Birkner and Robin Wagner-Birkner, Margot Brubaker, Tom and Jan Dunlevy, Thomas G. Englert, Jerre and Phyllis Frankhouser, Dr. Wendell L. Funk, Eugene and Bernadette Gardner, Anne and Gene Gardner, Susan and James Volker.