Green suede leather coin purse with machine-stitched seams on both sides. Flap folds down and closes with a silver snap and silver bead loops along edges.
Black knitted purse with vertical bands of clear beading, narrowing toward top where there are two horizontal strips of beading. Silver--colored metal frame with design of swirls. Bud-shaped clasps snap to open or close. Chain-link hand strap. Fabric lining is turquoise blue.
Blue suede leather coin purse with matching leather finger strap stitched at both ends on the back. Silver diamond-shapped snap on front in center of curved flap.
Knitted purse with vertical bands of gold beading, wide at bottom and narrowing toward top where beading is solid. Side loop gold bead fringes. Gold-colored metal frame with design of swirls. Bud-shaped clasps snap to open or close. Chain-link hand strap.
Some green corrosion on frame. Satin lining fragile with tears. Some missing beads on fringes. Some wear on bead on fringe and lower area of purse. Small envelope of detached beads.
Object ID
2012.008.4
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Black knitted beaded drawstring bag. Purse is a single fabric, seamed on both sides. Trapezoid-shaped bag with alternating columns of narrow and wider vertical columns of black beads. Fringe of beaded loops at bottom. Beaded drawstring drawn through 8 beaded loops and knotted on one side to from hand strap.
a: Fine mesh purse with painted floral pattern. 1/2-inch ruffle of delicate mesh along bottom edge. Pale green satin lining. Purse is attached to a decorated gold-colored metal frame. Ball clasp closure. Gold figure-8 chain link hand strap.
b: A round beveled mirror inside bag is backed with gold-colored metal.
Liberty Bell pendant medallion with Independence Hall on the back. Outline of bell has contoured image of Liberty Bell with inscription, crack and clapper. Inscription at top reads "OF LEV XXV&X PROCLAIM / IN PHILDA. BY ORDER OF TH--" and below this is "PASS AND STOW / PHILADA. / MDCCLIII."
Back is flat with a raised image of Independence Hall. Extended tab at top has hole with two linked wire rings for hanging.
Sketch box made of brown alligator skin / leather over wood. Flat rectangular base w/ raised section at right end has two sunken containers. Top one is oval with ornate raised decoration on hinged silver(?) lid; beaded oval trim at base marked "PAT. March. 25.90." Oval well lined with suede. Lower container has alligator-covered round hinged lid leading to another hinged metal lid leading to a small ink jar within.
Place of origin is unknown.
Large part is a padded alligator-covered lid hinged at top. Underside of lid has pouches of light brown leather. Writing/sketching surface has a blue paper blotter secured by leather corners. Leather loop at hinge holds a metal pen decorated with raised beaded rings.
Inscription on underside is pencil script: "From Charles / Xmas 1890". Alongside is a sticker with name and address of donor.
Provenance
Donor acquired this and many other Mifflin pieces from the Mifflin estate and, then donated it to the Heritage Center in 1995.
The alligator skin and leather are cracked, especially along the spine and bottom of the folder. The box with the two compartments is uneven on the top. The lid of the oval shaped compartment is tarnished, and the snap is broken. The ink jar is staine
Object ID
G.95.36.2
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lamar L. Libhart, Heritage Center Collection
Scissor-like, with box-like appendage near point into which fits flat blade to snuff wick. Pins at fingerholes and near point support piece. Large rivet holds object together.
Black stone representation of a Roman monument with multiple-tier square based with inscription mentioning Marcus Aurelius and Antoninus Pious (Roman Emperors). column itself has continuous spiraling carving telling story in picture form. Top has round pedestal with military figurine, cloaked left arm raised as if holding a lance, right hand leaning on oval shield.
Green, Peter. 'Rome: The Center of Power 500 B.C. to A.D. 200', New York.
Height (in)
17.25
Dimension Details
Base: 3.312 " square.
Object ID
W.1935.012.001
Notes
This column probably represents the column of M. Aurelius in Rome, finished. 193A.D. Very similar to Trajan's column. Base inscription is probably not an original and figure on top is inaccurate. Original had two figures (male and female) replaced in 16th century by figure of St. Paul, Simpler than actual column.
Chair's green paint was striped in 1976. Unknown if paint was original.
Object ID
W.1974.028.001
Notes
Original accession number W.35.28, would lead one to believe the James Buchanan Foundation obtained the chair in 1935; however, teh file holds letters written by the donor, Mr. Russel, that are dated 1974. The Accession Record is, therefore, inaccurate.
Research required to authenticate object connection with Elizabeth Speer Buchanan. The donor's 14 May 1974 letter states that the chair "came from the home of James Buchanan. When his Mother died at Cove Gap, PA." It should be noted that primary sources indicate that Elizabeth Speer Buchanan died on 14 May 1833 at 9:00 AM at the home of her daughter in Greensburg, PA.
Sheraton/Empire Tabernacle style mirror. Gilt mirror with a flat molded cornice with projecting breaks at the corners and fourteen pendent sphere. Double pilasters have decorative captials, beaded reeds and a rope motif terminating with urn-shaped bases. Frieze has foliate carvings.
Bottom mirror's silvering is delaminating from exposure to moisture; some chipping on the gilt frame.
Object ID
W.1935.042.001
Notes
Mr. Robert K. Cassatt's (donor) aunt was Miss Annie Buchanan. Annie was Robert's mother's sister and niece to James Buchanan. This mirror formerly hung at Wheatland.
Rectangular tray. White porcelain with gold trim, raised pink tray with support openings for a white ink well and a white pounce sander. Scalloped edges form handles on both ends of the raised tray and continues along the oblong tray that held pens. Scalloped edges feature gilded edges on white background bordered by a wide cobalt blue band gilt floral decor. The center of the pen tray is white with a pink, blue and white flower motif.
Provenance
James Buchanan
To Rev. Edward Y. Buchanan (brother)
To Lois Buchanan Cassatt (daughter/JB niece)
To Edward Buchanan Cassatt (son/JB great nephew)
To Lois Buchanan Cassatt Thayer (daughter/JB great, great niece)
Commonly known as a lamp stand due to its principle use; its four legs made it safer than the earlier candle stands. This mahogany table top is nearly square and of a plain design. The skirt is three inches deep and contains a single drawer that is almost the full width of the skirt. The extant pull is a reproduction; the original would have been plain with a small brass knob. The table is supported by four tapered legs with a ring turning at the top of each and a raised band six inches above the end of each leg.
This frog doorstop serves as an iconic symbol of James Buchanan's attachment to his favorite spring at his Wheatland farm, and was donated because it was an appropriate piece.
Brass candlesticks have flat, octagonal shaped bases. A cone shaped turning rises to the shaft, which is in the form of a series of brass turnings, with several cone shapes in the middle. The base of the candle cups have three ring turnings, a slight flare shape terminating with cock beading. These candlesticks were mass-produced and cast in two parts; stem with socket and the base. They are fitted with internal pushrod ejectors to facilitate the removal of candle stubs.
