Gold pocketwatch belonging to James Buchanan. Simply designed, largely unadorned pocketwatch -- with only worn initials of three letters, only the third, "B," is legible on one side. Watch face is white with black Roman numerals . Small inset with seconds. Other side of watch opens to reveal two openings to wind watch. Engraved around openings "No. 16943/ Time Keeper/ Lewis Ladomus & Co/ Philadelphia Pa." On inside of cover "From/ James Buchanan/ May 9th 1865" Stamped E. T. & Co./ 18K/16943." Golden chain clipped to bow at top of stem with Albert or t-bar at other end, to attach to button hole on vest. Chain links are short and thick, giving the appearance of thick golden cord . Lighter, cooler toned gold than the watch.
Provenance
The gold watch was left by James Buchanan to his brother Edward Y. Buchanan through his last will and testament. Edward youngest daughter, Alice Cunningham Buchanan inherited from her father. Alice married Maskell Ewing and they had a total of 6 children; the youngest son, Buchanan Ewing, inherited the gold watch. Buchanan Ewing’s grandson, Edward “Ted” Ewing inherited the watch. Ted visited Wheatland two years ago in late spring. Upon meeting him, Ted was impressed by the high percentage of family artifacts on display. He mentioned that he owned a gold watch that had been handed down through the family from the Reverend Edward Buchanan and he wondered if we would want it. Pat gave him an enthusiastic yes as his answer. Ted called Pat in April 2016 and asked if he was remembered; Pat said “of course.” Ted added that he had found the watch and that he and his siblings were in agreement to donate it to LancasterHistory.org. The youngest sibling in the family would donate it because she lives in Allentown, PA. Jessie Ewing Snyder visited Wheatland on October 1, 2016 and donated the gold watch to the museum.
White homespun (?) linen hand towel. Macremaed fringe. Three drawnwork bands from 3.5in to 9.5in from bottom of towel. Red thread wraps wefts in narrow drawnwork. on other bands straight stitch chicken tracks in red separate groups of threads. Decorated with red cotton thread feather stitching. Narrow hems on length. Tangled fringe, feather stitches fraying.
02/22: White (ecru) cotton length: top is selvedge; 2 sides finished with hand-stitched rolled 1/8" hem. Bottom finished with 5-inch knotted fringe. 3 bands of drawn work cross the towel. Red threads wrap bundles on narrow band. On 2 wider bands, red weave over and under bundles of 20 threads. Straight stitch chicken tracks separate bundles on both sides.
White homespun (?) linen hand towel. Macremaed fringe. Three drawnwork bands from 3.5in to 9.5in from bottom of towel. Red thread wraps wefts in narrow drawnwork. on other bands straight stitch chicken tracks in red separate groups of threads. Decorated with red cotton thread feather stitching. Narrow hems on length. Tangled fringe, feather stitches fraying.
Jacquard coverlet. Cotton warp, dyed blue weft. Dyed wools are two tones of blue and two tones of red. Center seam. Head binding, madder brown print cotton. Center field- fronds in pinwheel cofiguration. Outer border- 2 alternating 2-storied bldgs. with windows. Corner blocks have
"Made by J. Witmer Manor Township for Catherine Sauder 1850"
Black satin skirt with woven design. Fully lined with plain black satin. Seven vertical seams -- four gores in back with large scalloped hems. Front has four panels with straight hem. Pocket in back left.
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.
Shiny black paint all over. Interior of both lid and base are lined with paper: red background with white leaves, branches and flowers.
Outside of lid is decorated with gold paint. 3clusters of 6-sided figures with flowers inside alternate with branch- and- flower designs-- 2 solid and one with flowers and leaves outlined. The two long sides of the lid have a section in the center carved in the shape of an arc along the bottom edge, to aid in opening the box.
Object Name
Box, Household
Height (cm)
6.35
Height (ft)
0.2083333333
Height (in)
2.5
Length (cm)
25.4
Length (ft)
0.8333333333
Length (in)
10
Width (cm)
36.195
Width (ft)
1.1875
Width (in)
14.25
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2018-01-22
Condition Notes
Paper inside lid is cracked around seams and some pieces on one edge have fallen off. Some wear along outside edges where paint has cracked or fallen off.
Gathered white cotton triangle with 2-inch printed border of pink and gray geometric designs. ¼ -inch machine-stitched hem on two edges. Fabric is gathered and finished with a plain fabric band, hand-stitched on the reverse. 2 shell buttons, 3 inches apart, are sewn on one edge with corresponding buttonholes (hand finished) on facing edge.
Gathered white cotton triangle with 2-inch printed border of pink and gray geometric designs. ¼ -inch machine-stitched hem on two edges. Fabric is gathered and finished with a plain fabric band, hand-stitched on the reverse. 2 shell buttons, 3 inches apart, are sewn on one edge with corresponding buttonholes (hand finished) on facing edge.
Metal dish with rectangular basin (6" x 4") and wide sides that slope up 2 inches and flare widely. The bottom is painted solid black. The top cream-colored background is painted with delicate and detailed flowers in white, blue and yellow; green leaves and stems around the sides. The basin is decorated with double lines around its edge. The same fine line(s) around the outer edge of the top of the dish.
Object Name
Tray, Household
Height (cm)
6.35
Height (ft)
0.2083333333
Height (in)
2.5
Length (cm)
24.13
Length (ft)
0.7916666667
Length (in)
9.5
Width (cm)
34.29
Width (ft)
1.125
Width (in)
13.5
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2018-01-24
Condition Notes
Stained brown in basin and on sides of painted top. Chips out of painted design in various places. Outer edge paint worn off.
Contoured back with 2 curved seams and set-in panels at shoulder seams. Double construction with outer black ribbed fabric and lining. At waist level on inside center back seam a woven tape (1 1/4 inches wide and 30 inches long) tacked at about mid-way in its length. The ends attach with 2 hooks and eyes. Cape buttons (12) in front. Buttons appear to have been covered- parts of black covers remain on some buttons. 3/4-inch buttonholes on right front. Two tapered front panels measure 27 inches long. Bottom and neck edges trimmed in fancy tape of black cording or 2 sizes. Trim is 2 inches wide.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 12
Storage Shelf
Shelf 2
Object Name
Cape
Length (cm)
55.88
Length (ft)
1.8333333333
Length (in)
22
Dimension Details
Back neck opening = 15.5 inches
Front neck opening= 27 incyhes
Condition Date
2018-01-29
Condition Notes
Some holes in right front; some wear in parts of lining
Vest front of satin-like black with green floral design woven in. Lapel collar; chest pocket on left (2 1/2-inch opening). Pocket on lower left (5-inch opening). 7 hand-stitched button holes on left(denter). 3 black fabric-covered shank buttons on right. Lined with ecru cotton. Back is dark brown cotton with 'v' at center back waist. Remains of one tab (stitching for missing one) perhaps to button or adjust fitting in back. Collar underside of a different fabric.
Appears to be hand-stitched throughout.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 12
Storage Shelf
Shelf 2
Object Name
Vest
Length (cm)
59.69
Length (ft)
1.9583333333
Length (in)
23.5
Width (cm)
46.99
Width (ft)
1.5416666667
Width (in)
18.5
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2018-01-29
Condition Notes
Some seams separating. Back fabric falling apart at neck and shoulders. Stains on lining.
Woman's long-sleeved heavy whit cotton nightgown with yoke of decorative stitching (may have been light blue) and eyelet.
Sleeves: set-in and gathered with tine corded edge. 20-inch lonf from shoulder to cuff. Top cuff stitched with floral design, scalloped edge. Cuff opening is tiny (6 inches). Raw edge of sleeve seam is hand overcast.
Front opening is a 17-inch long placket with 4 white 4-holed round shell buttons.
Round neck opening with stitched designs on a yoke that tapers in the center front (10 inches long). 9 one-quarter inch pintuck seams on both sides run to the hem of the skirt.
Back decoratively-stitched yoke tapers to a point on center back 8 inches from the neck edge with a band of decorative stitching. A band of tiny eyelet flowers with a scalloped edge is sewn around the inside edge of the neck opening.
Square white ceramic jar with 1/2-inch beveled corners. Base narrows to a neck with a circular opening at the top. Hand-painted flowers decorate all 4 sides--all different--as well as the shoulder below the neck. 1/4" gold band painted around flat surface at top of neck. Top opening diameter is 1.25 inches.
Blue transfer ceramic serving dish. From a circular base, the dish widens to become 4-sided with top-rounded edge that dips to a 'v' in all four corners. An Asian scene with water, pagodas, bridges and people spans 2 sides and is repeated on the remaining two sides. The blue scene covers the entire exterior. There's a 1/2'-wide blue band all around the top edge. On the inside there's a lacy blue design and a 1-inch wide border. Background inside has a blue tint and there's a house in the country on the bottom of the dish.
White woven lengthwise piece (both side edges are selvedges). Beautifully embroidered (6" long x 7" wide) white work monogram sewn in white cotton thread with satin, stem, buttonhole stitches and French knots. 2 inches below, trimmed with overcast. self-fringe. 1-inch wide drawnwork (bundles of 6 threads wrapped in center). 1/2" from edge is a 1/2-inch wide drawnwork stripe with single thread woven alternately by 2 central threads.
Center length (exposed) and another lengthwise fold are brown. Significant hole to one side of monogram. 2 other holes. Self-fringe edge is worn with fabric fraying in 2 places.
Cardboard box lined in blue paper, covered in shiny dark blue paper. In handwritten cursive in ink on the bottom: "Japan Dictionary - To/For? James Buchanan President of the United States"
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 3
Storage Cabinet
Unit 17
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Storage Container
Box W007
Object Name
Dictionary
Height (cm)
1.75
Height (ft)
0.0574146982
Height (in)
0.688976378
Length (cm)
4.145
Length (ft)
0.1359908136
Length (in)
1.6318897638
Width (cm)
6.25
Width (ft)
0.2050524934
Width (in)
2.4606299213
Dimension Details
Dimensions above are for the box/base, B03.13b with the lid (B03.13c)'
Dimension for lid alone: 4.25 in. long x 6 3/8 in. wide
"Japanese Dictionary" (written in pen along title on top cover). 2 blue paper-covered covers with rice paper pages in between; hand-bound on right side edge. On left, a label (5/8" x 2 1/4") with title in Japanese. "Japanese Dictionary" written in pen along vertical edge. Inside front cover, along edge: "To James Buchannon, President of the United States, from his humble servant, Edmund C. Bittinger." Each page has 7 columns.
Provenance
Edmund C. Bittinger (1817--1889) served as a chaplain in the US Navy (1850-1881)
Date Range
1860
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 3
Storage Cabinet
Unit 17
Storage Shelf
Shelf 4
Storage Container
Box W007
Object Name
Dictionary
Height (cm)
3.4925
Height (ft)
0.1145833333
Height (in)
1.375
Length (cm)
15.875
Length (ft)
0.5208333333
Length (in)
6.25
Width (cm)
6.985
Width (ft)
0.2291666667
Width (in)
2.75
Dimension Details
Height is 1.375 inches at bound end.
Condition Date
2018-02-14
Condition Notes
Some foxing on paper on edges. Both covers are bent in central area.
Box with 3 vials of face powder. Cardboard Sunnyfield Tapioca box cut to create small box, with cotton gauze in bottom for safe conpact storage of 3 corked vials of pale face powder. All three have "Wheatland 1880" lettered on them.
Vial a: "XMAS 1934" in green paint on vial. Green foil covers top. 1/4-inch wide red ribbon tied around neck.
Vial c: top covered with torn aluminum foil. Woven red band, 1/8-inch wide, tied around neck.
Box is 'd': "Sunnyfield" on both sides. "Sunnyfield Pearl Tapioca" on both ends. One bottom tab has a recipe for "Tapioca Pudding with Apples."
Single looped finger-hold handle. On exterior: gold band around base edge. Fine gold branch, 3/4" from top, alternating around the cup with 7 3-leaf clusters alternating above and below the branch.
Top scalloped rim painted gold. The 1-inch tan band circling the interio edge is embellished with gold flourishes on both upper and lower edges. Gold design in center bottom of cup bowl. Handle also is decorated in gold.
(6 of 8 cups in good condition) 89.102.15 is fair: visible crack from along handle to base of cup. Break on side of cup has been glued, but chip out of rim.
89.102.20 is fragile. Large crack with opening from rim running almost 3" to base of handle.
