This pair of American Empire brass andirons feature large turned finials with a mushroom cap. The finials surmount small canisters with turnings at the top and base. The uprights are supported by raised scroll bases on ball feet and a wrought iron back for holding logs.
One pair of Chippendale brass and iron andirons. Contains large reeded ball at top, three graduated small balls center and large ball at base. Snake turned base with two small balls each side of snake turning. Rear of base small turned ball with double column base.
One of two Louis XVI upholstered armchairs. Both chairs have gilt and bronze beading and foliate ornament décor on their crests, arms, uprights and aprons. All four legs are surmounted by foliate-decorated blocks transitioning to an urn-shape and ring and beaded ball turnings. They transition to reeds in the middle tapering to additional ring and ball turnings that terminate on brass casters.
One of two Louis XVI upholstered armchairs. Both chairs have gilt and bronze beading and foliate ornament décor on their crests, arms, uprights and aprons. All four legs are surmounted by foliate-decorated blocks transitioning to an urn-shape and ring and beaded ball turnings. They transition to reeds in the middle tapering to additional ring and ball turnings that terminate on brass casters.
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)
American empire-transitional Victorian armchair. Walnut frames the upholstered back and crest, arm rests have upholstered cushions terminating in a wide scroll surmounting the seat frame that features a serpentine apron. Brocade front legs feature ring-turnings; back legs are squared and canted. Back has slightly arched crest, back rails join to legs that terminate in casters.
Bag made of stiff black leather with a rolled leather handle at top. The handle is attached to a brass-plated iron frame with side hinges. The leather bag opens at the top, is 8.5" deep and has two interior pockets.
Miniature reeded sewing basket of rectangular form but bottom rounding in and down to a stepped oval foot ring anchored onto a solid softwood oval base. Top has high arched handle rising above a strut lashed across center from rim to rim. Hinged to this strut are two lift lids furnished with ring closures at ends. Lift lids have light cardboard glued to undersides, one missing.
Tops of lids are decorated with applied balls of wool onto silk leaves or flowers, now nearly unrecognizable.
Decoration on lids is very worn with one detached wool ball kept in basket with other small sheets of wool batting. Inside bottom of basket has residue and remains of fabric and paper. Cardboard liner under one lift lid is missing. Ring missing on one lid where needed for closure.
Woven in bunches of five; open, diamond pattern, diagonal weaving. Top two are wrapped bands that are connected by vertical pieces, woven with a wide red ribbon and tied in a bow. Mouth is flared outward, sides are tapered more slightly. Bottom are woven
Provenance
James Buchanan- Hetty Parker- Donor's Grandmother- Mrs. T. Warren Metzger [donor]- Foundation
Built-in 3' deep by 5.5' wide zinc bathtub with brass faucets, shower head, diverter valve, and wood surrounded with zinc lined drain pan. Attached at the south end of the tub is a bidet.
Date Range
1873
Storage Location
Wheatland, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Bathroom
Storage Wall
Northwest Wall
Object Name
Bathtub
Material
wood, zinc, brass
Object ID
W.1936.026.001a
Notes
While it is not in practice to catalog fixtures within the house, the James Buchanan Foundation had previously assigned an accession number to this fixture in 1936. As a result, the bathtub has been cataloged as a place holder for its accession number.
Tester bed. American Empire Style. Heavy vase and ring-turned legs, carved posts with acanthus/tobacco leaf design that terminates in long plain tapered top. Plain slat tester frame. Low, plain foot board that's carved at top. Headboard is high with inse
Donor writes that bed was used by William Norris at Wheatland, where he had 'bachelor quarters' with James Buchanan. This is unlikely because Wheatland was not a boarding house. Norris was a classmate of Buchanan's at Dickenson.
Mahogany sleigh bed. Sleigh-shaped bed with a headboard higher than footboard. Outcurved top rails. Cyma curved footboard. Headboard has side pieces with cyma curves. Low to ground. Side rails have curved top edge. Feet are rounded blocks that are caster
Provenance
Buchanan, James
to Johnston, Harriet Lane (niece)
to Kennedy, May (cousin)
to Taylor, Mrs. Edmund R. (Julia) (May's sister)
to Taylor, Mr. Edmund R. Taylor Jr. (Julia's grandson)
Walnut bed finish bleached by sun exposure, especially on back & headboard and footboard. Minor scratches on the wood througout.
Object ID
W.1989.344.001
Notes
Belonged to James Buchanan and Harriet Lane Johnston. According to letter from donor's wife, 'there is no written authentication of its origin, but my husband received the bed from his grandmother, Mrs. E.R. Taylor of Charles Town, Jefferson County, W. V
Mr. and Mrs. Edmund R. Taylor, Jr. donated a set of 8 linen handtowels marked with Harriet Lane Johnston's monogram and a letter from Francis Scott Key to James Buchanan at the same time of the bed donation. A campaign card was also donated at this time.
The matching sleigh bed is currently (2022) owned by Evelyn Byrd Hutton (evelynbyrdhutton@gmail.com), a sister of Betsy Henry Lehman & daughter to Reginald Buchanan Henry, Jr.
White cotton bedspread. Fringe on three sides. Worked in candlewicking, eight-pointed star in bottom two corners. Design of swagged garlands in layered rows around piece, squarish shape overall. In center, large presidential eagle with outspread wings, s
Cotton bedspread. White on white quilting, square with fringed edging on three sides. Motifs of sunflowers, strawberries and grape vines. Continuous serpentine foliate vine around border. Signed in ink at bottom left corner: 'Mary E Lane; signed in cross-stitch, HRL at top right corner with additional note in ink: "for MS Kennedy 1899."
Mary E. Lane No 2 written in ink in bottom left corner. HRL cross-stitched with "for MS Kennedy 1899'" written in ink at top right corner.
Length (cm)
254
Length (ft)
8.3333333333
Length (in)
100
Width (in)
100
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2022-11-09
Condition Notes
Some staining.
Object ID
W.1992.015.001
Notes
Since the quilting on this bedspread is too sophisticated for a young girl, it is probable that Jane Buchanan Lane, Mary and Harriet's mother, was the person who made the bedspread. The signatures in ink and cross stitch inform us that sisters, Mary E. and Harriet R. Lane owned the coverlet at different times in their lives. In or before 1899, Harriet added the message that the textile was to be next owned by her maternal cousin, May Selden Kennedy.
Hand push-bell. Round base with claw-like design around rounded edge. Tomato-shaped body separated into upper and lower bell by grooved band. Body originally dark blue metallic color with reverse star and 'C' and 'S' scroll pattern. Top has 'stemmed' knob.
Provenance
DAR in memory of Florence Buchanan Barnes
To - James Buchanan Foundation DAR in memory of Florence Buchanan Barnes. Mrs. Barnes father was Arthur Buchanan who was a farmer in Bradford, McKean County, Pennsylvania. Relationship to James Buchanan is unknown.
Done in cross stitch. Background in wheat gold, floral pattern. Repeated every 21'. Edge turned under and lined with green cotton twill. One end is turned under and weighted, other end is folded triangularly and stitched.
Year Range From
1860
Year Range To
1900
Storage Location
Wheatland, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Second Floor Hall
Storage Wall
West Wall
Storage Cabinet
Linen Closet
Storage Shelf
Shelf 2
Storage Container
Box 001W
Object Name
Bellpull
Material
Cotton, Wool, Lead, Brass
Length (cm)
226.06
Length (ft)
7.4166666667
Length (in)
89
Width (cm)
13.335
Width (ft)
0.4375
Width (in)
5.25
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2023-07-22
Condition Notes
One end, "V" shaped, has some fraying of the material.
Done in cross stitch. Background in wheat gold, floral pattern. Repeated every 21'. Edge turned under and lined with green cotton twill. One end is turned under and weighted, other end is folded triangularly and stitched. Brass ring on latter end is 3/4"
Remains of green silk at both ends over linen. Backing appears to be natural color linen with an open weave wool decorated with needlepoint floral-design repeated about ten times down length. Red rose/lavender rose/blue violets, with green leaves also shadings of brown.
Attached to the bathtub is a serpentine shaped bidet with a zinc lid and brass water handle mounted on the rear surface of the fixture's wood surround.
Date Range
1873
Storage Location
Wheatland, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Bathroom
Storage Wall
Northwest Wall
Object Name
Bidet
Material
wood, brass, zinc
Object ID
W.1936.026.001b
Notes
While it is not in practice to catalog fixtures within the house, the James Buchanan Foundation had previously assigned an accession number to this fixture in 1936. As a result, the bathtub has been cataloged as a place holder for its accession number.
