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)
Wardrobe with mirrored door. Overhanging cornice molded. Frieze has cock-bead molding, same molding on drawer front and down front sides. Rounded corners. Mirror in single door front is rounded at top corners with floral relief framing. Keyhole escutcheo
David A. Weaver, Cabinet Work, Quarryville, PA completed refinishing in 1993.
Object ID
W.1992.012.001
Notes
Accessioned twice - second accession number is 00.33.1. Removed folder 00.33.1 on 27 June 2011 and merged with file 92.12. All documentation is now in file 92.12.
Rosewood bed with walnut, poplar, and pine. Headboard higher than footboard, but identical in shape. Arched crest with c-curved finish. This is repeated with molding below and on footboard. Molding is cyma-curved and appears on the outside of footboard and inside of headboard. The top of each post is capped with a round finial that transitions to squat bun above a smooth cylinder above a ring and ball shape that transitions to ring and vase surmounting an octagonal post terminates on bun feet Scroll cut brackets connect the posts to the side rails that feature cyma-curved molding.
Bed is higher at headboard than at footboard. Footboard height is 42.625'.
Condition
Excellent
Condition Date
2022-11-10
Condition Notes
Restoration done in 1992-1993 by David Weaver, cabinetmaker, Quarryville, PA. Restoration of rosewood.
Object ID
W.1992.001.039
Notes
Harriet had this custom built with large dimensions to accomodate her Uncle James Buchanan's size. It was intended for his use whenever he would visit her at her Baltimore, Maryland home.
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.
Bookcase composed of two sections. The upper cabinet has two hinged doors that latch at center. The shelving is adjustable and both doors feature 12 oblong-shaped glass panes and mullions. The lower cabinet has two hinged wood doors that latch and lock at the center; each door features a square recessed panel.
Provenance
Thomas Potter
To - William Morris Meredith
To - James Buchanan
To - Harriet Lane Johnston
To - John Newton Lane
To - James Buchanan Lane II
To - Thomasina Thomas Lane
To - James Buchanan Foundation
Thomas Potter - 2nd owner of Wheatland
Sold to - William Morris Meredith for $75
Sold to - James Buchanan for $75
Bequeathed to - Harriet Lane Johnston
Bequeathed to - John Newton Lane, Harriet's nephew
Bequeathed to - James Buchanan Lane II, John N. Lane's son
Bequeathed to - Thomasina Thomas Lane, James B. Lane II's spouse
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.'
One of a pair of Empire side chairs (with 2013.008.22) with yellow upholstered seat and cherry wood frame. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Back uprights have slight cyma curve, surmounted by a long, wide concave tablet. Tablet has low relief foliate carved ends while most of face is covered with a panel of mahogany veneer. Tablet extends beyond back uprights. Horizontal splat at center of back is pierced carved with a central rectangle flanked by half-moon carved shells, and is then supported by paired, loosely scrolled lyre-like "legs" that attach to chair posts. Trapezoid slip seat upholstered in an ivory cotton brocade. Front legs have a slight cyma curve.
Victorian half-barrel back, button-tufted leather upholstered chair. Walnut frame is exposed along the skirt that has a slight outward curves at the front surmounting foliate carved legs terminating on brass casters.
4/4/1939 Loaned by Brooke-Memo Agreement 6/3/1955 Talbot Speer to Mr. Prentis-Offer of Donation. Letter said 'Buchanan's favorite [chair] that he sat upon to the time of his death. 6/28/1957 Claire Parker to Robert Finnegan-Chair 'had been in Library, considered Buchanan's favorite; used to sit in front of fireplace.
Walnut rocking chair has caned back and seat. Frame of oval back is finger-molded and is connected to seat frame by two curving legs. Cyma-curve short, low arms connect oval back to seat, with foliate carving at top end. Seat frame is a rounded "D" shape with round outside edge. Ring-turned legs are all connected by a baluster-turned stretcher and sit on rockers with front ends barely extending beyond the front legs.
One of a pair of Empire side chairs (with 2013.008.21) with yellow upholstered seat and cherry wood frame. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Back uprights have slight cyma curve, surmounted by a long, wide concave tablet. Tablet has low relief foliate carved ends while most of face is covered with a panel of mahogany veneer. Tablet extends beyond back uprights. Horizontal splat at center of back is pierced carved with a central rectangle flanked by half-moon carved shells, and is then supported by paired, loosely scrolled lyre-like "legs" that attach to chair posts. Trapezoid seat. Front legs have a slight cyma curve.
