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.
Urn-shaped wood candlestick cup and stem screws onto shallow bowl base. Incised line around outside lip. Outside bottom is flat, slightly concave. On the base is a circular image of a man and woman on a donkey comprised of varied colors of inlaid wood. Background of the image is dark brown.
Cotton bedspread. White on white quilting, square with fringed edging on three sides. Motifs of sunflowers, strawberries and grape vines. Continuous serpentine foliate vine around border. Signed in ink at bottom left corner: 'Mary E Lane; signed in cross-stitch, HRL at top right corner with additional note in ink: "for MS Kennedy 1899."
Mary E. Lane No 2 written in ink in bottom left corner. HRL cross-stitched with "for MS Kennedy 1899'" written in ink at top right corner.
Length (cm)
254
Length (ft)
8.3333333333
Length (in)
100
Width (in)
100
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2022-11-09
Condition Notes
Some staining.
Object ID
W.1992.015.001
Notes
Since the quilting on this bedspread is too sophisticated for a young girl, it is probable that Jane Buchanan Lane, Mary and Harriet's mother, was the person who made the bedspread. The signatures in ink and cross stitch inform us that sisters, Mary E. and Harriet R. Lane owned the coverlet at different times in their lives. In or before 1899, Harriet added the message that the textile was to be next owned by her maternal cousin, May Selden Kennedy.
Fashion plate print. Black line drawing of three women. 'Fashions for September 1831' at bottom. Picture is hand-watercolored. First woman wears a peach and white dress, off the shoulder, and a white and green hat with plumes. Second woman wears a green
Silver dome shaped cover. Silver surface decorated with inscribed floral patterns on both sides of the dome. One one side the floral decor also features the inscribed letters JB.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To Johnston, Harriet Lane
To Lane, John Newton (nephew)
To Fay, Patty Lane Fay (daughter)
To Sebrell, Patty Lane Fay (PL Fay daughter) To James Buchanan Foundation
One pair of Chippendale brass and iron andirons. Contains large reeded ball at top, three graduated small balls center and large ball at base. Snake turned base with two small balls each side of snake turning. Rear of base small turned ball with double column base.
One of 6 sterling silver teaspoons featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 6 sterling silver teaspoons featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 6 sterling silver teaspoons featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 6 sterling silver teaspoons featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 6 sterling silver teaspoons featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 6 sterling silver teaspoons featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 12 sterling silver dinner forks featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 12 sterling silver dinner forks featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 12 sterling silver dinner forks featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 12 sterling silver dinner forks featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.
One of 12 sterling silver dinner forks featuring the standard shell pattern on the handle's end both front and back, as well as on the back of the bowl's head. Front of handle also features scrollwork with a palm leaf and fleur de lis. Centered below the front shell pattern is the Johnston family's coat of arms symbol; a bent armored arm holding a dagger.