American Rococo Revival Walnut Sofa. The serpentine back centered by a rose and shell scrolled carved crest, the back joined to closed arms, with a serpentine apron and raised on cabriole legs terminating in casters, silk velvet upholstery.
Carved teak(?) 2-pedestal desk of three parts. The two pedestal bases have 3 drawers on one side only & false drawers on the other. Desk section rests on top of bases. Extensive carving over most surfaces: variations of grapes, vines & leaves. Desk section has long center drawer w/ 2 short side drawers; opposing side has matching "dummy" drawers. All functioning drawers are one side only. All drawers have wood pulls. Flanking drawers in bases are tapering pilasters (split columns) with vine and grape leaf carving. Bottom of bases has gadrooned edge with egg-and-dart carving. Both bases sit on 4 bun feet w/ some carving.
Worn finish, with some areas very "weathered/sunbleached", especially lower sections of bases below dummy drawers. Some areas of liquid staining. Desk top also has wear and marring with one chipped corner and a long crack extending in from right end. One drawer pull missing. Drawer slides resurfaced
Object ID
2013.008.017
Notes
A private gift from an acquaintance in India to President-elect James Buchanan. Buchanan used it in the White House.
Place of Origin
India
Credit
Gift of the Family of Eleanor N. Henry (John D. McNeill Jr., Mary Catherine Henry West, James Buchanan Henry IV, and Elizabeth Henry Richardson)
Serpentine-back, enclosed arm sofa, Louis XV (Rococo Revival), has yellow upholstery, finger-molded exposed frame of rosewood or mahogany and a rounded back crested with central cartouche of high relief carved fruit and leafage. Outline of rounded back slopes down to rounded shoulders that descend and curve back in to arms that enclose the sitter. Low arm rests have upholstered arm pads. Cyma-curved arm supports extend to short cabriole legs at front. Square, curving legs at back. Serpentine seat front and serpentine lower outline of seat frame.
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.
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.
Empire side chair of walnut with yellow upholstered trapezoid seat. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Both front legs and back uprights have slight cyma curve. Scroll-cut and carved wide crest rail with concave shape. It is faced with bookmatched crotch veneer, with kidney-shaped handhold at top center. Outline of two C-scrolls flank hole along top. Paired cyma curves form outline of bottom edge. Rounded ends. Scroll-cut horizontal splat is pierced with low-relief carved confronting C-scrolls at center and scrolling "legs" extending to chair posts. Bowed front seat rail and flattened cabriole front legs.
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.
Rectangular top, green baize-covered (thick, felt-like cloth) writing surface. Ogee-molded edge overhangs crotch-grain skirt with sectioned drawer opening on one long side with two wooden turned knobs. Brackets on top of two legs have rounded medallions,
Set of four Renaissance Revival style side chairs. Top rail scroll curved with tight C-scroll at ends. Finger hole is triangular with arrow point inside. Flat finial hangs from bottom of rail. Stretcher is also curved out with scroll work and bell flower. Front legs turned.
Rectangular top inset with brown/black leather. Molded edge, straight flat sides. Two longer sides have two drawers, each with two round concave areas with small knobs at center. Four legs with bun-and-cylinder turned feet. Legs taper down to feet with two buns terminating on the smaller bun foot.
American Sheraton Windsor Arrow Back Arm Chair. Made from pine, maple, poplar, and tulip woods. Chair has four vertical flattened spindles. Stretchers on sides are lower than stretchers in front and back.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan Edward Y. (Brother)
To - Ewing, Alice Conyngham Buchanan (EYB Daughter)
To - Brooke, Cornelia Lausdale Ewing (ABEwing Daughter)
American Empire walnut sofa, upholstered in brown leather; the back is button-tufted. The sofa has an oblong body and exposed frame. Top rail of back is straight with a slight backward roll with downward sloped ends. The lyre curved end/arms are upholstered and faced with balancing swan-neck uprights that are carved with foliate motif scrolls. The deep skirt is straight with a center carved foliate motif and scroll work. The sofa is supported by four legs that feature foliage-carved knees terminating with upward turned scrolls on wood casters.
Crest of top rail, finger-molded in scalloped shaped. Horizontal splat curved upward, terminating in scroll on each end, thicker at middle. Seat is shield shape, serpentine front. Legs plain cabriole, back legs square and canted. 36.14.3 differs from 36.
Re-upholstered -date unknown Two had been green velvet and one blue velvet Originally [when owned by Buchanan] chairs were covered in green morocco leather.
Balloon back walnut chairs with serpentine splat. Louis XV style back is rounded and finger molded with no additional carving. Flaring upholstered seat-black horsehair-with serpentine front with beaded molding at bottom of skirt. Cabriole front legs, rounded, with slightly curved square back legs terminating on flat feet.
Artifacts mentioned by Ara Hatch in New York Dalily Times 11/10/1856. Person had visited Wheatland.
Height (in)
34.312
Width (in)
18
Depth (in)
16.125
Condition
Excellent
Condition Date
2022-11-21
Condition Notes
Reupolstered; James Buchanan Foundation records indicate the seats were originally covered in green morrocan leather.
Object ID
W.1936.001.015.2
Notes
The chair was presumed to belong to James Buchanan by the James Buchanan Foundation representatives in 1936 when they bought certain furnishings that were still in the mansion during the Willson-Rettew Estate sale.
Mentioned by Ara Hatch in the N.Y. Daily Times (visited Wheatland 10 November 1856.)
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)
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.
American Empire wardrobe has a two sided case with an over hanging flared cornice supported by four capped, ring and urn-shaped feet. The two front doors have double panels, with a raised 'V' molding on the inside edge. The left side interior has a hook and bar at top back and a double hook lower on the side. The right side has shelves with the lower shelf surmounting two drawers.
