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)
Serpentine-back, enclosed arm sofa, Louis XV (Rococo Revival), has yellow upholstery, finger-molded exposed frame of rosewood or mahogany and a rounded back crested with central cartouche of high relief carved fruit and leafage. Outline of rounded back slopes down to rounded shoulders that descend and curve back in to arms that enclose the sitter. Low arm rests have upholstered arm pads. Cyma-curved arm supports extend to short cabriole legs at front. Square, curving legs at back. Serpentine seat front and serpentine lower outline of seat frame.
Serpentine-back, enclosed-arm sofa, Louis XV style (Rococo Revival), has yellow upholstery and a finger-molded exposed frame of rosewood. At top of central arch is a raised crest with high relief carved fruit and leafage, flanked by a volute on each side. Frame flows in a continuous line into arched shoulders that dramatically curve and drop to a low arm rest wrapped with upholstery, exposing a hand grip. The front arm support leads to the short cabriole leg; knee with carved shell. Seat front is serpentine and the exposed frame below has a swell at the bottom and is decorated with a thin raised carved strip. Was likely part of the new suite of furniture ordered by Sophie Plitt for retiring President James Buchanan and his niece, Harriet Lane, in 1861.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Butler's desk with bookcase, cherry, Federal style. Secondary wood is poplar. Bookcase section is 54.5" high, has restrained cornice over frieze over two large double-panelled doors. Doors rails are through-tendoned into stiles. Interior bolt at bottom of left drawer missing. Stamped eagle lock escutcheon likely a replacement. Interior side dadoes support four original shelves w/ molded front edge; A fifth shallower shelf is a later addition.
Desk section is 43 1/2" high. Butler-type top drawer over three lower graduated drawers w/ diagonally striped veneer facings and cockbeaded edges that have been planed flat. Stamped oval brasses replace original round pulls (marks visible underneath). Lock escutcheons are brass insets. Large butler's desk drawer hinges down to reveal interior w/ center bank of pigeon holes under a single long center drawer, all flanked by vertical manuscript drawers which are in turn flanked by four stacked, graduated drawers at each side. Most drawers are numbered on bottom and most fitted with tiny brass pulls. Reeded quarter columns at front and back corners. Applied strips of reeding at front and side edges of top. Four turned feet with reeded cuffs.
Inscriptions: inside central drawer above cubby holes are pencilled names in modern cursive: Barbara Fisher/ Ellie McMellen, Sadie McMellen/ ( ? ) McMellen."
Maker unknown.
Provenance
According to John J. Snyder, Jr., secretary was owned by James Buchanan's physician, Dr. Henry Carpenter. Original owner was likely either father-in-law John Mathiot (elected sheriff of Lancaster Co. in 1818 and Mayor of Lancaster City in 1831) or his father Henry Carpenter (1773-1835), a surveyor and merchant. Passed down within Carpenter family until 1977 when Snyder, Jr. purchased it at public auction. Donated to Buchanan Foundation May 6, 1988 in memory of Snyder's spaniel Sukey. Transferred to HCLC due to lack of space at Wheatland.
Carpenter, born in 1819, was one of the community's leading physicians. He was founder of the Lancaster County Medical Society in 1844. Dr. Carpenter lived in a brick house on the west side of the first block of South Queen Street.
Sound;refinished. Several wide horizontal cracks at sides of desk. Scars overall; deep dent to top front edge of chest, just right of center; large burn mark at left as well as dark stains. Bottom of top drawer repaired and patched along lower edge, especially at left. Drawer hardware replaced, inside bolt on left door missing; several small interior drawer pulls missing with some large holes.
Object ID
G.04.28.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Usage
Carpenter family
Credit
Gift of James Buchanan Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Miss Hetty's clear glass cordial with 2-inch deep cup, 2.625-inch stem and circular base. 10 vertical 1.125-inch ovals around the cup. Stem enlarges, bulb-like, near the base.
Note: See object file for additional information.
Provenance
Hetty Parker had them (from Wheatland) and gave them to donor's mother (whose aunt was friend of Hetty's)--originally were at least 1/2 dozen. Passed to donor (Nellie J. Montgomery).
