Evening star., 1954-12-06

bIlC C1114UlloOA1AdA4 . 4lIU S1l ddOp
the National Museums Collec-
ton Of Dresses Of the First
Ladies Is due to attract even
greater interest in the near
future.
Now in glass cases, the cos
tune exhibit (rivaled in pop
ularity only by the Spirit of
st. Louis) will be transferred
to the new First Ladies Hall
on it's completion early next
year.
The new setting will portray
rooms of the Executive Man.
sion as they might have ap-
peared in 20 to 25 years peri
ods from Martha Washington's
day to the present.
Eight Rooms Altogether
There will be eight in all
the largest representing a cor
ner Of the East Room. Anthem
ITCHY will be provided by such
features as mantel, paneling.
pilasters, and mirror taken
from the East Room during
the recent White House recon-
struction.
Sure to be a special attrac-
ton Is the famous gold piano.
given to the White House dur
ing the Theodore Roosevelt ad-
ministration and an East Room
fixture through much of the
Franklin D. Roosevelt admin
istration.
The East Room, represent
ing the latest of the periods
depicted. will provide the set
ting for the figures of the last
three White House hostesses-
Mrs. Roosevelt, Mrs. Truman
and Mrs. Eisenhower.
Smaller Room Adloins
Large enough to include fu-
ture additions to the collec-
ton, it is adjoined by a much
smaller room decorated to give
the effect of the White House
Red Room. Here, the red
gown donated by Mrs. Coolidge
for the First Ladies collection
will be displayed along with
the mannequins portraying
Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Hoover.
The new hall will include
two versions of the Blue Room
one as it appeared during
the Grant administration and
the other distinguished by
changes made during the Nc
Kinley administration.
Like any other home which
has been lived in over a pc
riod of years, the White
House has undergone periodic
changes in style of interior
decoration" it was pointed
out by Miss Margaret w.
Brown, associate curator of
the National Museum, who is
in charge of the First Ladies
costume exhibit.
Changes Reflected Trend
There is not much infor-
nation on the changes made
during the first half century
of it's existence. But we know
that it reflected the trends
found in other fashionable
homes of the Eastern sea-
board" she said.
Miss Brown also pointed out
the first photographs of White
House rooms were made around
1860. One taken during the
Grant administration will be
the basis for the room por-
traying that period. The de-
cor Of the draperies, uphol-
stery and wall paper are Of
slate blue, with a faint gold
medallion-a pattern created
from records of that day.
Robin egg blue is the shade
copied for the Blue Room of
1898.
Both are furnished with
pieces purchased during the
Buchanan administration and
actually used in the White
House blue room up to the
Theodore Roosevelt admins
tration.
Gront Period MonteI
The first Blue Room also will
include a mantel installed in
the White House during the
residence of President Grant.
THE reconstruction of the
White House made it possible
for us to obtain many historic
pieces for the First Ladies
Hail." Miss Brown pointed
out. However, many of the
articles to be placed in the
new setting have been in the
National Museum for years.
This latter group includes
several pieces of furniture
which belonged to George ano
Martha Washington. such az
a wing chair, marble tor
table, Sheraton side chairs
and Martha Washington.
own tea table.
"We can't say for sure they
actually were used in the Ex'
ecutive Mansion, but they
very probably were," Mis-
Brown said.
Washington Era Pieces
The Washington pieces will
form the setting for the frs
period room of the new hall
which is being furnished as ;
room in the Executive Man
sion in Philadelphia durin,
the second administration O
the first President.
One of the most charmin
groups will be exhibited in tn