Cylindrical, Chinese export porcelain vase with handpainted decoration. There are two sections with detailed images of vignettes of people. May illustrate a story. separated by two brightly colored bands with foliate and curvilinear motifs. Upper and lower borders include similar designs.
Provenance
Vase owned by Harriet Lane Johnston, then descent within family to donor.
Long sleeved floor length dress with stand up collar made by House of Worth Paris. Probable match to jacket W.40.17.2. Dress opens at front front collar to 27in below collar. 13 fabric covered buttons on left with matching bound 1in buttonholes. Seven 2.5in wide ribbon bows sewn down front to cover buttonholes. Neckline 2 bands of 2.5in wide black lace gathered and stitched around outside of collar with 9in tails at center front. Hook and eye at top front. Sleeves set in v opening at back bottom edge. Entire edge bordered with 2in wide band off black lace. Similar lace is gathered at the hem and extends 2in below the hem. Lace is missing from a portion of the back hem. Bodice is lined; skirt is unlined. a 2in wide belt with 4 pleats is slid into slits in side seams and fits against wearer's back but hooks on front outside. Excluding trimmings, entire dress is heavily beaded in several sizes of black beads in swirling floral and foliate designs. Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston.
Fine linen white sheet. HLJ monogram is 5 inches from the top center. top hem is 2 inches; bottom hem is 3/4-inch, both machine-stitched. "ERT-C" stamped twice on inside lower hem.
Provenance
Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston, passed to May Kennedy (Harriet's cousin), passed to Julia Kennedy (Taylor) (sister), passed to Taylor daughters, passed to donor (Edmund R. Taylor III).
White linen bed sheet with hand-stitched (2.25-inch high) white monogram (HLJ) at center front 4.75 inches from top edge. Top hem is 2.25 inches; bottom hem is .75 inch. Machine-stitched.
"E.R.Taylor" label stitches on bottom hem and stamped on one corner.
Provenance
Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston, passed to May Kennedy (Harriet's cousin), passed to Julia Kennedy (Taylor) (sister), passed to Taylor daughters, passed to donor (Edmund R. Taylor III).
Fine linen white bed sheet. White monogram (HLJ) ceter top about 5 inches from top edge. Machine-stitched hems: 2.25 inches top; .75 inch bottom.
Label "E.R. Taylor" sewn on inside lower hem near corner. Stamped "ERT-C" beside it.
Provenance
Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston, passed to May Kennedy (Harriet's cousin), passed to Julia Kennedy (Taylor) (sister), passed to Taylor daughters, passed to donor (Edmund R. Taylor III).
White linen bedsheet with hand-stitched white monogram (HLJ) about 5 inches from center top edge. 2.25-inch top hem. .75-inch bottom hem.
"ERT-C" stamped twice on bottom inside hem; once on upper hem.
Provenance
Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston, passed to May Kennedy (Harriet's cousin), passed to Julia Kennedy (Taylor) (sister), passed to Taylor daughters, passed to donor (Edmund R. Taylor III).
White linen bed sheet with a hand-stitched white thread monogram (HLJ) 5 inches from center top edge. 2.25 inch top hem and .5 inch bottom hem. "ERT-C" stamped on lower corner.
Provenance
Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston, passed to May Kennedy (Harriet's cousin), passed to Julia Kennedy (Taylor) (sister), passed to Taylor daughters, passed to donor (Edmund R. Taylor III).
White linen bed sheet with hand-stitched white thread monogram (HLJ) in center about 5 inches from the top edge. 2.25-inch hem across top. .5-inch hem on bottom.
"E.R. Taylor" label sewn on. Also "ERT-C" stamped on bottom inside hem: twice in one corner; once on opposite corner.
Provenance
Belonged to Harriet Lane Johnston, passed to May Kennedy (Harriet's cousin), passed to Julia Kennedy (Taylor) (sister), passed to Taylor daughters, passed to donor (Edmund R. Taylor III).
Some dirt on exposed folded areas. Some yellowed stains.Frayed on top hem edges. Fibers worn on a fold line. 2 small tears; more than 4 tiny holes; and 3 mended tears on the lower hem.
Lithograph signed Print of Queen Victoria from painting by F. Winterhalter. Black ink, oval background. Victoria-body is 1/4 to her left, head front. Wearing crown, drop jewel earring, large stone necklace. Shoulder gown in trimmed with fur. Mounted in a The frame is a gilt decorated wood frame. Signed "Victoria R."
F. Winterhalter painted the original. J. A. Vinter, engraver. Day & Son, lithographer.
A sauce serving dish with leaf-shaped handles. Made from a hard-paste porcelain china manufactured at the Sèvres factory in France. Decorated and sold by Haviland, the decor consists of maroon and gilt boarders on a white background, gilt rings and highlights.
Provenance
Johnston, Harriet Lane
To - cousin, Riddle, Katherine W.
To - sister, Riddle, Anna S.
To - cousins, Coe, Sara W. & Coe, W. Travers To - Murphy, Elsie B. of Charles Town, W. VA. To - Governor's Mansion Virginia by Ms. Murphy's sister, Fletcher, Mrs. Robert.
On loan to White House 1974-2007. Sauceboat on exhibit in White House 1974-2005, then in storage. China purchased from the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1997 by The James Buchanan Foundation (see 98.2 and 98.3 accession files).
3 lengths of velvet ribbon, unfinished edges. Each length is made up of smaller pieces sewn together. Predominant color is red with green, white, purple, yellow, and black in decreasing widths of bands in plaid design.
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.
Color lithograph of Empress Eugenie. The lithograph was created from an original painting by F. Winterhalter. The Empress is standing on a platform, her body facing left, head turned front, her right hand raised over a jewelled crown that sits atop of a gold trimmed brown pillow on a red and gold trimmed table; a gold embroidered arm chair is behind her. The Empress is wearing a a long pearl necklace over her white double flounced evening gown trimmed in lace and enhanced by a green bustle as well as a blue and white sash. She wears a jeweled bracelet on both arms, a pearl tiara with a small pearl crown atop her chignon veil.
Large trunk (a) with two large shelves (b, c) that lift out, and one smaller shelf (d). Exterior of the trunk has brown-striped canvas with three horizontal wood straps on the front, back, and hinged lid. There are wrought iron straps riveted at the corners of the trunk to reinforce the construction. Iron handles, one each side. Two sides covered with shipping labels.
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 two clear leaded glass nut dishes. Octagonal and oblong clear glass dishes with flared sides. Laurel wreath border etched 0.50" below the lip around all eight sides. Monogram 'HE' (for Henry Elliott Johnston) etched at the center base.
Glass is 0.125" thick. All 8 sides angle inward to the base at approximately a 45 degree angle. The base measures 4.125" long by 2.50" wide.
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2022-11-09
Condition Notes
A small chip is missing from the lip one of the short octagonal corners. Some light scatches are visible on the base around the monogram initials 'HE.'
Square, sheer handkerchief with scalloped edge embroidered in dark blue. 'HL' embroidered in dark blue on one corner. Four woven dark blue lines near each side, crossing at each corner.