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)
four strands of wicket at one narrow end of the basket is broken off.
Object ID
W.1940.006.001
Notes
In her letter that accompanied the donation, Mrs. Myers informed the museum that "Mrs. Sherry said the basket was used for pretzels.
Mrs. Myers added that "Mrs. Sherry lived on the Old Factory Road near the Old Factory Bridge until about 15 years ago (1925) gave this pretzel basket and bread knife to me. They were given to her by Hetty Parker for whom Mrs. Sherry worked in the Buchanan home for 19 years.
Commerically advertised as a 'Hat Tub,' this portable tin tub was typically setup for use near the kitchen range. The tub is circular and made of tin with a round center bowl. The sides slant up and out in seven sections; one of the sections is topped with a flat seat for the bather. Each of the seven sections is japanned with a gold stencilled geometric pattern decoration. The underside of the tub is painted green. On one side of the bather's seat is a curved tin strip that holds soap and a bathing sponge. A raised semicircular tin piece creates a seat back.
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.
Bodice, part of 3-pieces made of same fabric. (W.84.40.1, .2, .3) Purple silk-like fabric with matching embellished trims and fringe.
Inside: Main portion of bodice (lining & outer fabric) sewn by machine. 5 front stays: 2 bust dart stays (7-8 inches) on each side; one center front. Pieces of machine-knit fabric sewn at underarms (for sweat absorption?) 4 large hooks sewn at waist level match 4 eyes sewn on waistband to hook bodice and skirt. 6 smaller hooks sewn to bottom interior edge, 3 each side.
Outside back: Stiffening on back opening with 14 overcast holes on both sides for lacing. At top opening, fabric tape that's encased around entire edge of neckline can be pulled to gather low front neckline to fit across the chest. 3/5-inch long lightly gathered trim (with lace edging hand-stitched to upper edge) stitched around neckline. 1-inch wide purple ribbon embellished with white stem and leaves is hand-stitched from V/peak at center front up and over shoulders and down back of bodice ending with two 7.5-inch tails below center back opening. Purple and white fringe trim sewn around edges.
Sleeves: Bell-shaped sleeves trimmed with 2 encircling 2-inch wide bands of purple with purple and white diamond chain design. Top edges are trimmed with short .5-inch purple and white fringe. Lower edges trimmed with 2-inch dark purple fringe. Long sleeves inside out bell-shaped sleeve are constructed of fine fabric with lavish 10-inch trim at bottom.
Provenance
Said to have been worn to James Buchanan's inauguration.
Bodice is one of three pieces (1 skirt & 2 bodices) constructed of same fabric. Purple silk contoured garment. Front opening with 11 thread-covered globe buttons on left front. Corresponding .75-inch slit buttonholes on right front. A twelfth buttonhole is bent over. 4 bands of purple ribbon (with white stems and leaves) sewn across the front with 1.5 inches between each on front and back. 4 lower sides are 5-inch openings. Ribbon and fringe trim is mitered at these corners. Cent back ends in a point box pleat. Lower fringe around the bottom is 2-inch dark purple.
Provenance
Said to have been worn to James Buchanan's inauguration.
11/17/2022: Poor; Without sleeves (raw edge); no collar or neckline finish; two pieces cut out of lower front portion of garment, 2 front darts have been let out; spots, underarm stains; back contour seams let out, raw edges on trim revealed. Dark contrasting running stitch thread standing out on outside fabric indicates alteration.
Bookcase composed of two sections. Cabinet with glass doors at top and cabinet with wooden doors at bottom. Two glass doors have square mullions holding the panes. Doors give access to moveable shelves inside. Two doors at bottom of each have simple rectangular recessed panels.
Thomas Potter - 2nd owner of Wheatland
Sold to William Morris Meredith 3rd owner of Wheatland
Sold to James Buchanan 4th owner of Wheatland
Inherited by Harriet Lane Johnston 5th owner of Wheatland
Bequeathed to John Newton Lane, Harriet Lane Johnston's nephew
Bequeathed to Mrs. Patty Lane Fay daughter of John N. Lane
Bookcases sold to Meredith in 1845 by Potter then Meredith sold them to James Buchanan in 1848. Letter dated 9/27/1848 to Buchanan from Meredith: 'In addition to the $6750 which you mention, I paid Mr. Potter for the bookcases in the library, I think $75.00.'
Wine bottle. Brown glass, shallow pontil, seamed shoulder and neck. Cork with red wax to seal mouth. Wine inside almost to shoulder level. Found by volunteers sometime during the early years of the James Buchanan Foundation. Bottle was found in the east end of the basement level in the Wheatland mansion.
Greenish-brown glass with kick in bottom. Cork sealed in mouth of bottle with pinkish wax ('Red Seal') and copper wire. Old torn tag around neck 'Dennison Mfg. Co. Tag Mfrs. 25 & 28 Franklin St. Boston'. Label on bottle printed with '1827 Red Seal Madeira'
One of 22 Sevres bouillon bowls. A hard-paste porcelain that originated at the Sèvres factory in France. Decorated and sold by Haviland's. Decor consists of maroon boarders on a white background, gilded edges and a centered gold ring with gilt highlights.
Provenance
Johnston, Harriet Lane
To - cousin, Riddle, Katherine W.
To - sister, Riddle, Anna S.
To - cousins, Coe, Sara W. & Coe, W. Travers To - Murphy, Elsie B. of Charles Town, W. VA. To - Governor's Mansion Virginia by Ms. Murphy's sister, Fletcher, Mrs. Robert.
