Evening star., 1961-03-20

Gerandoles, Sconces,, Lamps,
Cabinet Work, Stoves"
Under Public Upholstry"
the Nations first President
turned over to his successor,
AdamS-one large and best
bed with bolster and pillows,
plus eight Others all with
diverse evaluations.
There were crimson satin
curtains from the large din
ing room, blue damaSk win
dow curtains for the small
dining room and yellow
damaSk window curtains
from the front drawing room,
all serving to present q rec
ord of the color scheme in
those areas.
Under Private Upholstry"
Washington listed crimson
damask to enlarge window
curtains at $18 and some
unknown blue (illegible) for
the front drawing room at
$3.50, damask for ditto at
20 dollars and an awning for
"the Presidents Study" with
no amount given.
Went To Virginia
Gen. Washington drew q
tiny hand with finger point
ing to one item-"1 large
mattress" and noted "this
went to Virginia" leading the
reader to speculate that the
other furnishings listed in
that category (private up
holstery) were left with the
official furnishings while
the Government paid Wash
ington for the estimated
values.
Public Cabinet Work"
opens still another window
into the early Presidents
House. The Government pos
sesSed three yellow silk
"sophas," yellow silk window
curtains, q Sett-la dining
table, two end tables for the
dining room, two mahogany
dining tables, one inlaid
breakfront, two plain break
fronts, an inlaid tea table,
two inlaid card tables, a pair
Of card tables, two circular
Sideboards, two toilet tables
Of pine and 10 chairs covered
with yellow damask.
Additionally, the Adams
official household inherited
"a mahogany chairs covered
with yellow damask, another
IL mahogany chairs and 10
mahogany carved chairs
sets upholstered in yellow
damask, two plain mahogany
chairs and six other plain
chairs all with yellow dam
ask and zone easy chair"
Since Washington had list
ed yellow damask curtains
for the sfront drawing room"
1t is safe to assume the many
yellow damask furnishings
were placed in that area.
Other furnishings recorded
were a mahogany cabinet
and bookcase, four large
mahogany wardrobes referred
to as a Clothes press" a
mahogany bureau and about
10 mahogany bedsteadS, one
listed as large and carved. 1"
President Washington fur
ther noted four more sofas,
knife boxes, night stool and
five mahogany wash stands.
All the stoves in the residence
he recorded under his "pri-
vate" account. They included
26 stoves, the prevalent
Franklin style for all fire
places and others for his
office.
Under his Private Cabinet
Work" category. Washington
appears to have purchased
intact the entire contents of
a large drawing room from
the Count de Moustier.
That nobleman and diplo-
mat was Frances Minister
to the United States in 1887
and returned to Europe to
serve his country's diplomatic
corps at Berlin in 1890.
Included in the green
drawing room accounts were
"flowered green dam a S k
chairs, sophas, branches and
oval mirrors ormolu, "a
chairs with gliding, carved
and gilt luStres, oval mirrors
highly ornamented," all most
probably in the French styles
Of the era.
Listed Separately
President Washington
listed the contents of this
room separately, specifying
ct the head of the note
Articles in the Green Draw.
ing Room which (illegibleI
be sold" The hard-to-reac
word could be "may be sold
as he adds later: Articles
in the above room which ma,
be purchased although tn,
sale Of them is not desired.
This could be a hint to tn
Government that they coul'
be purchased for the Presi
dents Home. but that Wash
ington desired t. keep then
for his own use.
Along with the inventory
which is preserved among hi
private papers in the Librar
of Congress, President Wash
ington wrote the following
Nothing here had been sal
relative (crossed out) rels
lively to the table linnei
sheeting, china and glays
ware which was furnished &
the expense Of the Unite