Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-07-19
White HOUSE China
Dishes Used by all Presidents are
Now on Exhibition.
PIECES ARE CAREFULLY GUARDED
Second Hand Dealers Have from Time
to Time Done Big Business in Fake
White House China.
BY Frederick. J. Hasliin.

BY Frederick. j. Haskin.
Washington. d. C.-China used by
the presidcnts-from a Canton porce-
lain plate belonging to George Wash
ngton down to pieces Of the Wilson
state dining SETS now on exhibition
in the White House.
A. room in the executive mansion off
the ground floor corridor has been set
aside as collection room and fitted
with colonial cabinets. Here, on
shelves lined with ivory colorcd velvet,
arc 23G pieces Of historic glass, silver
ware. and china-souvenirs Of every
president up to Mr.. Harding, with the
one exception Of Andrew Johnson. AS
President Johnson is known to have
duplicated the Lincoln china for his
use, he may be said in way to be
represented by some Of the Lincoln
souvenirs.
1t is too soon for the present cXecu-
tive and his wife to add their contri-
button TO the porcelain hall of fame.
Mrs. Hardingt has not yet selected any
china for the White House. Every
presidents wife buys small sets oi
china or odd pieces for family use,
hut it is not likely that a Etate
set will be needed for sevc Fears
anyway, as the Wilson state set was
bought only In 1915. The set used be-
fore that was bought in 1903 by Mrs
Roosevelt and contained about 1900
pieces. 1t stood fifteen years hard
service, but White House china, like
any other, gets Clipped and sets arc
broken.
Mrs. Wilson hnd seen an exhibit oil
American made china and determined
to order from a New Jersey pottery
Several presidents wives before this
had thought it. would be democratic
thing to buy homemade china, but
nothing comparable. to the wcll-knovr
foreign makes could be found. Thai
America has finally been able to pro-
duce china that is at no disadvantage
beside Haviland, WedSewood, Sevres
and Canton is shown by the Wilson
set which was made by Lenox a
Trenton N. j., a number Of sample:
| Of which stand near the foreign makes
in the White House collection room.
The Wilson set replaced the Roose
velt china in wartime, when little for
nal entertaining was being done
Later, Mr.. Wilson's illness made bi!
White House dinners IMPOSSIBLE; 81
that the set IS still practically new.
Collecting the Old China.
Finding authentic souvenirs from
the table of every president has beer
no easy task. 1t was not even easy II
identify the china in the White House
kThe work was begun in 1908, wine
Mrs. Abby Gum Baker, who has 70
some years been interested in historl
Washington. began to catalogue tn
White House ware.
Up to that time. the old pune
bowls, plattcrs, and other antiques i
kthe White House closets were bu
vaguely asspcialcd with the past pres
idents. In some instances, the histor
of valuable piece was not remem
hered or recorded at all. When stoc
vas taken, it was found that a mum
fher Of the administrations had left n
souvenirs Of their tableware. Mr.:
Raker found china Of only seven din
ing sets-those Of Lincoln and late
presidents. Apparently old Whit
House china had not been regarde
with any eye to its historic impoi
President Washington set a prt
ccdcnt in It's connection when he hel
Il sale on wing from the executl,
mansion in New York TO Philadelphi
All the furniture and china that in h
estimation were "decayed' were sol
ut auction. After that. White Hou!
sales Of broken lots Of china and
: damaged ware were customary Sci
ond-hand dealers were the chief a
tendants at these sales. That thini
: sold cheap is attcsted to ny sut
stories as the one that n cracked Lii
coin pitcher sold for $3.50.
, Gradually. antique dealers saw po
sihilites in White House china. N
in tho copying of it. SO many stores
Washington were selling "authenti