American Empire chair; back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
American Empire chair; back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
American Empire chair; the back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
White damask handtowel. Lengthwise rows of bud-like flowers, light blue woven areas. Chain down sides, floral vine along both edges. Wider band of rosebud vines below. Both ends have multi-knotted fringe. At center bottom of one end, 'A' embroidered in w
White cotton monogrammed hand towel. 3 1/2" tall "A" stitched in the center of towel 6 inches from the bottom. Done in white thread (satin stitch, eyelet) with flowers and eyelet holes.
3.5-inch long drawn-thread panels on both ends. Knotted self-fringe of criss-crossed groups of threads.
About 40 inches, not including the fringe. Total length is 44 inches.
Condition
Good/fair
Condition Date
2018-02-07
Condition Notes
Towel has been folded in 3 sections--tears in drawn-thread panels along folds in 3 places. Exposed top length has yellowed. Lower edge next to fringe has been repaired in one spot. Hard to see, but looks like selvedge edges may have been overcast.
Object ID
W.1989.241.001
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
White damask handtowel. Poinsetta-like flowers. Bottom has triple-band border (3 1/2 inches high) woven in red across the width. Self-fringe, hand-knotted, may have been 3 1/2 to 4 inches long on both ends.
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.
Pair of white damask linen hand towels. White damask with designs in border of diagonal lines, meander, and scrollwork. Also has stylized palm design and, in rows down center, vines with fuschia-like flowers. Fringed around edges, longer on short ends. '
Provenance
Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston, passed to May Kennedy (Harriet's cousin), passed to Julia Kennedy (Taylor) (sister), passed to Taylor daughters, passed to donor (Edmund R. Taylor III).
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.
Two linen handtowels. White and blue damask with border pattern of leaves, berries, and chain designs. Border is blue. 'HLJ' monogram embroidered in white, outlined in blue.
Provenance
Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston, passed to May Kennedy (Harriet's cousin), passed to Julia Kennedy (Taylor) (sister), passed to Taylor daughters, passed to donor (Edmund R. Taylor III).
White plain weave fringed hand towel. 2 rows (1/8 inch wide) of drawn-thread work, 4 1/2" and 2" from lower fringed edge. 1/4' hem on lower edge with self-fringe, 2 1/2" long, bound with white thread. 1/8-inch rolled hand-stitched hem on 3 sides.
Two white linen towels with red, blue, and gold design at ends. Towels were woven using a diaper weave and fringed on their ends. The diaper weave is a tight weave that is more absorbent.
Mahogany vase-splat side chair. Part of a pair, with 95.111.2 (different style chairs, same materials and upholstery). Recently-upholstered blue, gold, and cream seats with oriental designs. The top-back of chair has crotch-grain veneer.Wide back with ro
Provenance
From the Washington D.C. home of Dr. Alexander Speer (President Buchanan's first cousin.) Donated to Wheatland through the estate of his granddaughter, Katherine Speer Powell.
Mahogany vase-splat side chair. Part of a pair, with 95.111.1 (different style chairs, same materials and upholstery). Recently-upholstered blue, gold, and cream seats with oriental designs. The top-back of chair has crotch-grain veneer.Wide back with ro
Provenance
From the Washington D.C. home of Dr. Alexander Speer (President Buchanan's first cousin.) Donated to Wheatland through the estate of his granddaughter, Katherine Speer Powell.
Cherrywood side chair with embroidered seat. Legs are a plain, rectangular style without turnings. Pierced back splat. Legs are square, braced by a box stretcher with recessed front. No arms. Tan tapestry seat with floral, embroidered design.
Provenance
Belonged to Katherine Speer Powell, granddaughter of Dr. Alexander Speer, James Buchanan's first cousin. Chair made by a Speer ancestor.
Benjamin E. Heller received the chair from his maternal grandparents, Eberhard Lamparter and his wife Gertrude Hoffman Weidel. This chair and one matching chair were used in Wheatland and when their condition deteriorated they were given to Miss Shirley who worked at the mansion as a domestic servant. Miss Shirley took the chairs to a family friend, Eberhard Lamparter, who repaired them; his wife, Gertrude Hoffman Weidel decorated the new cushions with needlepoint designs. Miss Shirley gave this chair to the Lamparters as a gift; the Lamparters bequested it to their grandson, Benjamin E. Heller, the donor.
Ca. 1850 maple side chair with foliate carved crest and horizontal splat with floral motif carving along top edge. Back side rails surmount saber back legs. Upholstered cushion is fastened to side rails, back and serpentine-shaped apron with rosette decorative tack nails. The upholstery fabric has floral needlepoint decor with a bird center design.
Empire mahogany side chair with a wide curved tablet top back splat and a horizontal foliate carved center splat. The upholstered seat is supported by sloping rounded side rails. At the apron corners are carved florets above the urn-shaped turnings and reeded front legs terminating with bun feet. The back legs are square saber styles.
Empire mahogany side chair with a wide curved tablet top back splat and a horizontal foliate carved center splat. The upholstered seat is supported by sloping rounded side rails. At the apron corners are carved florets above the urn-shaped turnings and reeded front legs terminating with bun feet. The back legs are square saber styles.
