Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-20
WHITE HOUSE RICHES
VALUABLE ART TREASURES NOW
TO BE FOUND THERE.
COLLECTION OF CHINA
Accumulated by Various Presi-
dents-InterestingH Hobbies of Many
of the Occupants of the Historic
Mansion.

The Art Treasures of the White
Woman's Home Companion dealing
with the bric-a-brac that has been &C.
cumulated in the executive mansion
by the presidents. In the beginning
Of his article Mr. Fawcett says:
There are doubtless in every large
city in the country larger and more
valuable collections of bric-a-brac and
art furniture than that to be found in
the private apartments of the execu.
tive mansion, but it is a question
whether there is in the length and
breadth of the land any other half so
interesting. Rarity is, of course, a
universal characteristic of the artistic
gems scattered through the home Of
the presidents, but better than that is
the fact that almost every piece is
fraught with memories and associa-
lions that make it priced possession.
OF the whole number probably half
are the gifts of kings and rulers
tokens of appreciation from friendly
natiOns-and the remainder, having
been fashioned especially for the
white house, have no duplicates any
where else in the world
This accumulation is not the prod
uct of any particular administration.
President Arthur had, perhaps, more
Of the collectors spirit than has been
inherent in any other man who has
been master of the white house, and
certainly he made more additions to
it's furnishings than any other of it's
occupants.
Amy expenditure which the presi-
dent himself makes for pictures or
statuary or bric-abrac or furniture,
unless specially provided for, must
come out of the fixed appropriation
which congress makes each year for
the maintenance of the white house.
Mr.. Arthur chose to spend the major
part of his allowance in the manner
which has been outlined Mrs Nc
kinley, On the other hand, has pre-
ferred to devote the rather modest
sum to identifying her temporary
home in other ways, and thus we find
all about the house new mirrors,
freshened decorations and other evil
dences of refurnishing. Mrs. CIeve-
land added more new flowers than
bric-a-brac and Mrs. Hayes found her
hobby in pretty table china rather
than in the treasures that are purely
ornamental"
In way the china III use at the
state banquets at the white house is
we'll worthy of rank among it's art
treasures. Congress has from time to
time made various appropriations
ranging in amount as high as $4,000
for state dinner services, and these
various services are stored away in
the big china closets, for no ware
bearing the special copyrighted white
house mark is permitted to leave the
executive mansion, save 1t be broken.
AS a rule each new administration Sc
cures a new set Of china and the old
sets are kept for show purposes orlivr
The Lincoln, Grant, Hayes and Cleve-
land sets are thus preserved. The
Hayes set is the handsomest of the
entire lot and cost about $4,000 Each
of the 1900 pieces is hand painted
and each of the 500 pieces of cut
glass is engraved with the arms of
the United States. There has always
been much admiration expressed for
the Lincoln set.