Bookcase composed of two sections. Cabinet with glass doors at top and cabinet with wooden doors at bottom. Two glass doors have square mullions holding the panes. Doors give access to moveable shelves inside. Two doors at bottom of each have simple rectangular recessed panels.
Thomas Potter - 2nd owner of Wheatland
Sold to William Morris Meredith 3rd owner of Wheatland
Sold to James Buchanan 4th owner of Wheatland
Inherited by Harriet Lane Johnston 5th owner of Wheatland
Bequeathed to John Newton Lane, Harriet Lane Johnston's nephew
Bequeathed to Mrs. Patty Lane Fay daughter of John N. Lane
Bookcases sold to Meredith in 1845 by Potter then Meredith sold them to James Buchanan in 1848. Letter dated 9/27/1848 to Buchanan from Meredith: 'In addition to the $6750 which you mention, I paid Mr. Potter for the bookcases in the library, I think $75.00.'
Oval top empire-style table with side skirt. Skirt has beaded top and bottom. Table divides to accomodate four leaves. Four-sided reeded central pillar with two turned feet underneath and four c-scrolled supports. Solid base with four radial, long legs w
Undocumented stories claim that this table was ordered by William Jenkins in 1828, the year he had the Wheatland mansion built, and that it has conveyed to each subsequent owner with the deed. The table dates from the first quarter of the nineteenth century and might attributed to the Bachman cabinetmakers.
Sideboard. Heavy, lion-paw feet at front. Free pillars at side with ionic capitals. Bottom 2/3 rounded at front sides with two drawers each side, top one shallower than other with keyhole surround and cut-glass knobs. Two central doors with central panel
Purchased by Frederick Wolf at public sale at Wheatland at time of James Buchanan's death (exact date unknown). Passed to step-grandchild, Mabel Bair, on his death. Purchased by Rorhbaughs in 1974 from estate of Mabel Bair.
American Empire chair; back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
American Empire chair; back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
American Empire chair; the back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
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.
Sheraton/Empire Tabernacle style mirror. Gilt mirror with a flat molded cornice with projecting breaks at the corners and fourteen pendent sphere. Double pilasters have decorative captials, beaded reeds and a rope motif terminating with urn-shaped bases. Frieze has foliate carvings.
Bottom mirror's silvering is delaminating from exposure to moisture; some chipping on the gilt frame.
Object ID
W.1935.042.001
Notes
Mr. Robert K. Cassatt's (donor) aunt was Miss Annie Buchanan. Annie was Robert's mother's sister and niece to James Buchanan. This mirror formerly hung at Wheatland.
School Masters Desk. Turned legs, slantied hinged desk top, panel in center of interior, three drawers, three open pigeon holes, pigeon holes are topped by two small drawers on either side.
James Buchanan was the second owner of this desk; he gifted the desk to a domestic servant (name unknown) who was the third of eight owners not counting the museum.
Dressing table w/ mirror has Sheraton and Empire features, is made of solid mahogany and veneers with secondary woods of poplar and pine. This is a rare form.
Top has veneered half-column mirror frame supported by turned stiles which are set into top with a double tenon set at a backward cant. Mirror corners are blocks with turned bulls-eyes. Inner cove-molded fillet has vestiges of gilding.
Oblong table top comprised of solid 3/8" thick mahogany laminated onto 1/2" thick poplar, and secured to carcase with screws. A rounded molding is applied to front and ends.
Veneered carcase contains five dovetailed drawers faced with mahogany veneers: one long flanked by two short, over two long. The top drawers have a rounded profile while the two bottom drawers are cockbeaded. All drawers have replacement pulls of hollow, rounded brass knobs with a pierced floliate design. The two bottom drawers are fitted with locks; keyholes have brass insets but dark ghosting indicates missing escutcheons.
Baluster-turned legs extend from table top to floor. They support a low shelf 11 1/2" from floor. Shelf is shaped with recessed cutouts at front and ends.
Inscription: Interior of top central drawer has "J.F. MARKLEY/ CABINET MAKER/ Locust St./ COLUMBIA." stamped within an oval laurel wreath.
Also in collections is a J. F. Markley Empire chest of drawers (P77.02).
Provenance
Provenance: This dressing table was previously owned by an acquaintance of John J. Snyder, Michael Stinchcomb of ???, who recently changed his mind about using this piece in his bathroom when he realized the veneers would suffer. He consequently consigned it to sale at Pook and Pook.
Cracking in veneer on mirror. Numerous spots of corrosion on mirror. Moderate cracking in veneer on front and sides. Minor chips and scratches overall. Top has two cracks, one is 2" long at left and one is 6 1/2" long at right side. Bottom shelf has 6 1/2" crack at right side. Nails have been added to secure top to carcase; back of top is not secure due to stripped screws. Top left drawer has significant wood removed with rasp at front of sides.
American Empire card table has a two-leaf fold-over top with round corners that pivots on and is supported by the skirt when unfolded. Skirt is crotch-grained veneered with acanthus carvings at the center and corners. The center of the turned pedestal has four carved acanthus leaves surmounting a shaped plinth supported by four carved paws topped with with acanthus leaves terminating on casters.
Open top has fair amount of discoloration, possible from water damage. Base has chipped veneer.
Object ID
W.1938.007.001
Notes
Purchased at Janet Coyle (Mrs. John) public sale; original owner, Robert E. Pattison, Governor of PA (January 1891 - January 1895), Mrs. Coyle's great grandfather.
Place of Origin
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
