American Empire style stool has an upholstered adjustable seat finished with green silk velvet. The serpentine apron and urn shaped pedestal surmounts a plinth base with four square legs each terminating on casters. The primary wood, pine, is veneered in walnut.
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.)
Covered originally in red velvet with woven gold thread tape at edges. Four plain bracket feet. Flared cushion at bottom. Top of cushion worked in needlepoint- red and white trumpet flowers, leaves forming wreath around white cloth draped cross. Possibly Italian.
Large rectangualr rosewood veneer box with hinged lid and pressed metal oval-shaped handle centered on lid. The underside of the lid has a mirror that is hinged with a top swinging catch that comes down to convert it to a writing surface. Several separate velvet-lined compartments of varying size comprise the inside of the box. There is cock-bead molding around lower edge of lid and the keyhole is centered just below the front lip of the lid; on the short end of the oblong chest is a 2 inch high wide drawer with a keyhole and lined with velvet.
Lithograph- Print of Prince Albert from Painting by F. Winterhalter; black ink, oval background. Prince Albert- body is 1/2 to his right, head is 1/4 to the right, looking forward. Wearing military dress with medals. Signed 'Albert'
F. Winterhalter painted the original. J. A. Vinter, engraver. Day & Son, lithographer.
Molded wax head, neck, shoulders, legs, feet. Hard resin arms-hands that are painted greyish-beige. Brown rooted hair, center part pinned into rolled style with faux flowers tucked in the hair by ears. Hair brows, brown glass eyes. Painted lips, small teeth showing. Seed pearl choker. Cream silk gown adorned with lace bertha across chest and lace gathers about hip area. Faux flowers adorn left chest, and throughout lace across hips.
Left earlobe has broken off. Base is chipped. Various smudge marks all over.
Object ID
W.1960.006.001
Notes
James Buchanan Henry inherited this bust when his Uncle James Buchanan died; his cousin, Harriet Lane Johnston inherited the matching bust, which she later donated to the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
James Buchanan Henry bequeathed this bust to his son, Frank Anderson Henry, who donated it to the James Buchanan Foundation in 1960.
Sheer lace overdress. Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston. White lace with white embroidered flowers. Bodice has sort cap sleeps. Aroundneckline is a slightly gathered 5in wide band of ecru or light tan lace. A .5in wide white lace band stands up from neck. Pink ribbon flowers and green ebroidered leaves are stitched around neckline. Back closure with hooks and eyes at neckline and waist. Open placket from waist is 15.5in long.
Provenance
Harriet Lane- Donor [Mrs. Patty Lane Eldridge Sebrell]
Set contains earrings and 2 pins. Earrings are salmon coral color, cut in the shape of roses. Set in gold filigree-leaves & flowers. Screw-on rounded back. Pins (2) are same salmon coral color, same filigree setting, tear-drop shape. Criss-cross, feather
Provenance
Harriet Lane- Sara W. Ford- Hannah D. Wiley [donor & Sara Ford's great-niece]
Porcelain tea service set. White background with gold paint design. Design in on the inside of plates and saucers and on outside of cups and bowls. Band with gold line top and bottom. Between these lines, repeated four times each: laurel wreath with flow
Remains of green silk at both ends over linen. Backing appears to be natural color linen with an open weave wool decorated with needlepoint floral-design repeated about ten times down length. Red rose/lavender rose/blue violets, with green leaves also shadings of brown.
Sepia-tinted photo of Harriet Lane. Oval. Harriet facing 3/4 front, to her right. Hair rolled under with flowers. Decolletage dress with flowers at center and at shoulders. Light-colored dress, no jewelry. Shown from hips up. Frame: rounded front, plain,
Three-mold colorless glass pint decanter etched on one side with initials 'JB' and the other with a sheaf of wheat above the word 'Wheatland'. Elongated chamfered neck with applied handle and bullseye stopper. Teardrop-shaped body with flat front and back.
Gold bracelet with silver (?) soldering. Oval band, rounded, safety chain and clasp. Entwined sculpture cluster, with engraved foliate motif. Central sculpture is serpentine, entwined around plain bar at one end of bracelet engraved inside band: 'Harriet
Originally owned by Harriet Lane, passed to James B. Lane (her nephew) who then passed it to his son (?), then passed to Victor Cowan Lane (great-grand nephew of Harriet Lane), then passed to Mrs. Howard S. Roberts (wife of V.C. Lane, remarried). Harriet
Photograph of Harriet Lane. Harriet Lane in studio photo facing 3/4 front to her right. Head turned front. Hands clasped at front, holding white handkerchief. Hair braided at sides, wrapped at back. Wearing silk gown, medium colored, with white collar. Mounted in an American 1850 scoop picture frame with a rustic tree branch motif.
Photograph on display in Wheatland is a digital reproduction. Original photgraph moved to archives for conservation purposes.
To be removed from frame and stored in archival safe folder.
Object ID
W.1989.082.001
Notes
Original photograph removed from frame on 27 July 2009 - placed in archival storage for conservation purposes. (East Attic, flat files). Photograph and frame both bear the number 89.82.
White linen damask tablecloth. Lengthwise edges are selvedges; widths finished with a 1/8-inch handsitiched hem. Two large medallions with urns on top. Large oval angled on each corner with a flower-filled urn. Wide border of ovals with alternate unrs and flower displays. Embroidered on one corner of cloth is 'HLJ' monogram with Johnston crest of arm and fist with dagger.
One of twelve linen napkins. White damask with hunting scenes on outside. Stag hunting with horses and dogs. Scene on inner side of napkin is duck hunting. At one corner, embroidered in white is 'HLJ' with the Johnston crest of an arm and dagger.
One of twelve linen napkins. White damask with hunting scenes on outside. Stag hunting with horses and dogs. Scene on inner side of napkin is duck hunting. At one corner, embroidered in white is 'HLJ' with the Johnston crest of an arm and dagger.
