Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-02-10
CHINA EXHIBIT.
White House Has
Rare Sets of Dishes

All but three of the Presidents Of
the United States are now represented
in the collection of Presidential china
and other relics on exhibition in the
corridors of the White House base
ment. Samples of china of the Tyler
and the Van Buren, Administrations
Were added last week, and now the
collectors are renewing their endeav-
ors to find something marking back to
the Administrations of Taylor and An
drew Johnson.
The third President who is unrep-
resented is Taft, but the understand
ing is that, at some convenient time,
Mr.. and Mrs. Taft will make an APP
propriate addition to the collection.
i The Tafts, it will be remembered,
| purchased no distinctive china, but
used that of Rooseyelt's. This is said
to have been the first time in the his
tory of the White House when one
President laid in enough china to last
through the administration of his sue
cessor.
Usually a President orders a certain
quantity, based on the judgment of
the White House experts, and it lasts
I
second term he generally renews the
order. The Roosevelts, however, at
the beginning of their White House
rule. laid in considerable quantities
of the very attractive design selected
by Mrs. Roosevelt, and, as stated.
there was enough of it to last through
the administration of President Taft.
AS a matter of fact, the Roosevelt
china is still in use on the table of
President Wilson, but the stock is be-
ginning to run low, due to the inevi-
| table heavy breakaGe, and it will
therefore fall to Mrs. Wilson, before
great many months, to select her
/ own design and refill the White House
china closets with what IN the future
will be known as the Wilson china.
The contribution of the Tafts to the
present collection will not he White
House china, but it will be something
appropriate for the china cabinets
which line the walls of the big base
ment corridor. 1t is whispered that
it may be some article associated with
the Philippine service of Mr.. Taft, but
nothing definite will be known until
Mr. and Mrs. Taft are ready to for
ward 1t to washington.
While all the Presidents but three are
represented in these china cabinets.
some of them are represented made
quately, and it is the purpose of the
persons in charge of the collection to
do what is possible to correct that
condition John Adams, for instance.
is represented by only one teacup and
saucer of the gold border set used at
Mt Vernon. and a plate and platter
of the set used in his Presidential
home in New York city, while he was
President.
Of both the Adams and the Wash
ington china considerable quantities
are in existence. the former largely
scattered throughout New England
and the latter throughout Virginia.
The largest single lot of Washington
china in the possession of one person
is that owned by Miss Mary Gusts
Lee OF Alexandria, Va, daughter of
Gen. Robert Lee. Miss Lee spends
nearly all Of her time in Europe, for
which reason it has not been conVcn-
lent for the ladies and gentlemen who
are responsible for the White House
collection to tell her why they believe
she would be performing a patriotic
duty as we'll as a gracious act If she
were to turn over to them few
pieces of the Washington china to be
placed on exhibition.
The curator of the White House China
exhibit is Mrs. Abby G.. Baker who has
had charge of it since the idea of max
ing the collection was first suggested
way back in the Mckinley administra-
ton. The original suggestion came
from Gen. Bingham of the Army, then
superintendent of public buildings and
grounds, and in later years connected
with the management of the Police De-
partment in New York city" said Mrs.
Baker HE said to President and Mrs.
Mckinley that he believed it would be
a good plan to place on permanent ex-
hibition in the White House samples of
the China used during the administration
of each of the Presidents. The sugges-