Oval top empire-style table with side skirt. Skirt has beaded top and bottom. Table divides to accomodate four leaves. Four-sided reeded central pillar with two turned feet underneath and four c-scrolled supports. Solid base with four radial, long legs w
Undocumented stories claim that this table was ordered by William Jenkins in 1828, the year he had the Wheatland mansion built, and that it has conveyed to each subsequent owner with the deed. The table dates from the first quarter of the nineteenth century and might attributed to the Bachman cabinetmakers.
The tiger maple washstand's splash back has a scroll-cut design combined with a fleur de lis carving at its center. The sidewalls also have a scroll cut and a rounded corner at the front. Both front legs have an inward curve ending at the lower shelf terminating with an inward scroll design. The top shelf apron has a full-width drawer and two hexagonal molded clear glass pulls. The two back supports are vase-shaped legs with ring and ball turnings at the lower shelf. All four legs below the bottom shelf have ring and ball turnings that terminate on ball feet.
Smithgall family history tells us that the washstand passed to Charles Lee, the donor's son before the piece transferred to Wheatland's collection. Mary Smithgall Lee received it from her father, Charles Smithgall who received it from the estate of his grandfather, John Smithgall. John served as a gardener in the Quartermaster Department of the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry under Breveted Lieutenant Colonel James Miles Moore in Washington D.C. during the administrations of James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln. John Smithgall died in Washington on 12 December 1865; his grave is at the National Military Asylum Cemetery. Mary Smithgall, a daughter of John Smithgall, worked as a domestic for James Buchanan at Wheatland.
Grained pine bookcase. Ring and bun feet. Has bottom cabinets with double doors, butt-hinged, not knobs or handles. Plain keyholes, central rectangular panels on each door. Upper case has sliding doors with glass, 12 panes each. Six shelves on each side.
This artifact was accessioned twice [36.20 and 89.150]. 89.150 accession form said that artifact has Buchanan ownership, however, only criteria used for this declaration was the Leslie Illustration.
Lignum vitas wood caster with round, bowl-like top, pierced for shaking out pounce. Base is ring-turned tapers smaller to broad top, flat bottom. Small, shallow dotted pattern in two bands near bottom. Lip at top has thin groove. Top screws onto base that would be filled with pounce, which is a fine powder made from powdered cuttlefish bone. Pounce was used both to dry ink and to sprinkle on a rough writing surface to make it smooth enough for writing.
Esther 'Hetty' Parker, James Buchanan's housekeeper, chose this among several other household items that Buchanan noted she was to be allowed to choose after his death. Miss Hetty gave this to the daughter of her neighbor. Miss Steckman donated this to the Wheatland collection in 1938.
Black-glazed pottery with wide bottom, narrow neck with molded band, wide flaring mouth. Around inside of lip-heart pattern. Back of body has ornate, double petalled (six each) flower mold. Front has oval medallion, surrounded by scrollwork.
Tall, elongated urn shape, gilded except for four panels of paintings. Handle like shapes at side, not connected to neck, molded ending in medallion of womans head. Design on base and acanthus leaf design around bottom of body. Two small pictures around neck each with larger painting below on body. Painting (a) Lazaroni Napolitani che mangiane macaroni. Painting (b) Il Ballo della Tarantella.
Chaffers, William. Marks and Monograms on European and Oriental Pottery and Porcelain. Borden Publishing Company: California, 1946.
Height (in)
25.062
Dimension Details
Base dimension 7 3/8" square x 1 1/2" height
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2023-05-08
Condition Notes
Some wearing of gilding on wooden base where a brass plate had been fastened with screws - plate removed in 2001 by Buchanan Foundation Executive Director, Samuel Slaymaker.
Brass plate stored in an envelope in the paper accession file
Object ID
W.1938.008.001
Notes
Annie M. Herr purchased the vase at Bailey, Banks & Biddle ca. 1865. Her step-daughter Mary Herr donated the vase and attached the brass plate.
Place of Origin
Naples, Italy
Signed Name
Raffaelo Giovine. 1826
Signature Location
bottom right
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
