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.
A Federal era washstand with a top and lower shelf. Top shelf has a centered opening to support a wash basin with two square pockets at the back corners to store a bar of soap and/or a shaving mug. The wood splash back is three sided and scroll cut with a raised back; the sides slope down to rounded shoulders at the front skirt that has bead trim both top and bottom. The top shelf surmounts four square blocks that transition to double ring and ball turned uprights. The lower shelf is mounted 18.5" below the top shelf with a full width drawer on its skirt with a wooden mushroom-shaped drawer pull in the center and double-bead trim at the bottom. The lower shelf surmounts four square blocks that transition to double ring and ball turned legs that terminate on peg feet.
All cotton quilt of large blocks, each with white ground and floral applique done with "broderie Perse" technique. Wreath designs alternate with clustered floral sprays. Blocks have sashing and border using a green floral print in a Maryland Stairstep design. Wide outer border of white ground is filled with same floral applique technique, but arranged in an undulating line. A final narrow outer border uses the same green Maryland Stairstep design. White cotton backing is brought forward and hand stitched to make binding.
Has a wide range of hand quilting done with white thread in center blocks: wreaths, various flowers, potted plants, leaves, lattice, parallel diagonals and a grid. Outer white border is filled with a pattern of tiny fans.
Tradition states quilt was started in 1795 and took two generations to finish, circa 1830.
Provenance
File notes "Presented by Mr. Harry Hostetter for Mrs. A.K. Hostetter" (Ida L. Kegerreis Hostetter)
Areas of bad fading,especially along border, a variety of stains including large liquid stains, soiling, white paint drips, and various holes and deteriorated fabric. Appliqued chintz in some center blocks is badly deteriorated with strong losses, especially 3 of the blocks and at one end.
Leaded glass. 10 sided bottom. Finger-cut design toward bottom. 10 sided finger-cut shoulder. Neck has 3 beaded rings and flattish lip. Stopper is drop-shaped, pointed at top and is 7 faceted. Body is slightly flared to shoulder.
Shaving Stand: Long rectangular drawer at center flanked by two sets of drawers. Top side drawers are rectangular, bottom side drawers are larger than top. Ball feet with right-turned legs, four legs in front and two in back. Inlaid lighter wood outlinin
Provenance
Sold to the James Buchanan Foundation by an unknown dealer in Lancaster, PA
Sheraton style mahogany, holly and rosewood knife box. The slanting, hinged and hollow lids feature a metal ring on the front. The lids and the case fronts have a serpentine shape with inlaid wood strips at corners on the front, lid and bottom. Top front of the cases have a keyhole beneath the lid seam. The cases surmount three feet; one centered at the middle front wall and two under the back corners. Interiors have six compartments of varying depths that correspond to the slope of the cases.
Long, wooden handled tool with solid, flat metal end. Iron part is two peices - flat scrapper is 12.25'x 5.5' with the longest edge being sraight and the remaining edge being curved. The scrapper is rivioted to the handle holder which is a bent rod that
58.1.1 Stand- Ball-footed, oblong triangular-shaped with rope-like design around edge and around edge of upper decanter holder. 'S'-shaped supports, 4 remain, 2 missing. Three large circles for decanters separated by three smaller circles. Central arm ha
