Four post mahogany veneer bed owned by James Buchanan. Includes two sets of rails. Originals have carvings on top edge and hold multiple slats. Modern set accommodates modern box spring and mattress with iron supports.
One of eleven pieces from James Buchanan's French Parisian Pink dinner service. Designed and decorated by Jean-Pierre Feuillet in Paris at his studio on rue de la Paix no. 20. This service bowl has a floral center painted in a naturalistic palette in shades of yellow, green, blue and tan within a gilt cavetto below a wide pink band within a gilt edge.
Nast or Darte Freres factory. Jean-Pierre Feuillet, designer.
Provenance
French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt
One of eleven pieces from James Buchanan's French Parisian Pink dinner service. Designed and decorated by Jean-Pierre Feuillet in Paris at his studio on rue de la Paix no. 20. This service bowl has a landscape scene with a castle, a waterfall and two people fishing in shades of green, blue and tan within a gilt cavetto below a wide pink band within a gilt edge.
Made by Nast or Darte Freres factory. Jean-Pierre Feuillet, designer.
Provenance
French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt
One of eleven pieces from James Buchanan's French Parisian Pink dinner service. Designed and decorated by Jean-Pierre Feuillet in Paris at his studio on rue de la Paix no. 20. This soup bowl has a central gold medallion and gilt cavetto below a wide pink band with a gilt edge.
Made by Nast or Darte Freres factory. Jean-Pierre Feuillet, designer.
Provenance
French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt
One of eleven pieces from James Buchanan's French Parisian Pink dinner service. Designed and decorated by Jean-Pierre Feuillet in Paris at his studio on rue de la Paix no. 20. This soup bowl has a central gold medallion and gilt cavetto below a wide pink band with a gilt edge.
Made by Nast or Darte Freres factory. Jean-Pierre Feuillet, designer.
Provenance
French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt
One of eleven pieces from James Buchanan's French Parisian Pink dinner service. Designed and decorated by Jean-Pierre Feuillet in Paris at his studio on rue de la Paix no. 20. This soup bowl has a central gold medallion and gilt cavetto below a wide pink band with a gilt edge.
Made by Nast or Darte Freres factory. Jean-Pierre Feuillet, designer.
Provenance
French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt
A soup bowl that is part of the Parisian Pink china purchased by James Buchanan while serving as the U.S. Secretary of State from the French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt.
Nast or Darte Freres factory. Jean-Pierre Feuillet, designer.
Provenance
French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt
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.
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.
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.
Empire era maple side chair; scroll cut and carved crest with pierced hand-hold at crest. Rail with horizontal splat, upholstered seat terminating with cabriole 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.
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.
One of eleven pieces from James Buchanan's French Parisian Pink dinner service. Designed and decorated by Jean-Pierre Feuillet in Paris at his studio on rue de la Paix no. 20.
The cup has a painted winter scene of a man and dog with a bridge and house in background. The sides and back are pink with a gilt rim, cup interior, handle and foot trim. Bottom has designer's signature.
Made by the Nast or Darte Freres factory. Jean-Pierre Feuillet, designer.
Provenance
French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt
One of four demitasse cups. Inside of cup is lined with gilt decor that extends over the cup's rim. The rim gilding connects to two vertical gilt bands and a band around the base forming a frame around varied handpainted landscape scenes; the cup handle is also gilded. The remainder of the outer body has a solid pink hue.
Nast or Darte Freres factory. Jean-Pierre Feuillet, designer.
Provenance
French Ambassador to the U.S., Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt
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)
