page_title: China service of the Lincoln administration
section_title: The second (buff) Lincoln china set
hierarchical_section_title: China service of the Lincoln administration / The second (buff) Lincoln china set
caption_attribution_description: English: Sugar bowl and dinner plate purchased as part of a porcelain china dining set by First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln in 1864 and used in the White House in Washington, D.C., in the United States. By the fall of 1864, the "Solferino" (purple)-bordered china service ordered by the Lincolns in April 1861 was severely depleted. Most of the china had been broken or stolen, and only a few chipped and repaired pieces were left. In late 1864, Mrs. Lincoln ordered a new set of china for the White House. The importer was China Hall, a company owned by James K. Kerr of Philadelphia. Unlike the very expensive, exquisitely decorated 1861 service, the design this time was extremely simple: A white plate, with a buff border edged in gilt lines. This 511-piece set consisted of dining plates, soup plates, dessert plates, ice cream plates, a wide variety of dishes (large and small fish platters, vegetable platters, side dish platters), tureens, sauce boats, pickle dishes, salad bowls, custard cups, fruit baskets (round and oval), fruit platters, sugar bowls, coffee cups and saucers, and other items. This set cost $1,700, and was billed on January 30, 1865. It's not clear which firm manufactured the china, but it is clearly of French make. On February 20, Mrs. Lincoln made an addition order of coffee cups and saucers, water pitchers, and bowls. These 24 items were in the same style, and cost $173.50. The main set of china arrived in the United States via express shipment on February 13, 1865. The remaining 46 pieces arrived a few weeks later, and was probably delivered just days before Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865.
context_page_description: The china service of the Lincoln administration generally refers to a set of purple-banded china dishes used for serving and eating food at the White House, home of the President of the United States. Also known as the Lincoln solferino china service, it was purchased in April 1861 by First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. The porcelain was manufactured by Haviland & Co. in France, and some of the decoration of the china was made overseas. Additional decoration was made by the American firm of E. V. Haughwout & Co., which sold the china to Mrs. Lincoln.
  Much of the china was broken or too chipped to be used by the end of the first Lincoln administration in 1864. A second set of much plainer buff china was used in the second Lincoln administration. Mrs. Lincoln ordered or was given a third set of china with a pink border shortly before leaving the White House, and it was delivered to her private home.
  The administration of Andrew Johnson ordered a second set of "Lincoln solferino china" in 1865, but some of this set did not survive Johnson's term in office. The administrations of Ulysses S. Grant, Chester Arthur, and Grover Cleveland also purchased replacement pieces.
context_section_description: In late 1864, Mrs. Lincoln ordered a new set of china for the White House.  This time, the importer was China Hall, a company owned by James K. Kerr of Philadelphia. The design this time was extremely simple:  A white plate, with a buff border edged in gilt lines. This 511-piece set consisted of dining plates, soup plates, dessert plates, ice cream plates, a wide variety of dishes (large and small fish platters, vegetable platters, side dish platters), tureens, sauce boats, pickle dishes, salad bowls, custard cups, fruit baskets (round and oval), fruit platters, sugar bowls, coffee cups and saucers, and other items.  This 181-piece set cost $1,700, and was billed on January 30, 1865. It's not clear which firm manufactured the china, but it is clearly of French make.
  Glassware was also replenished at this time. Mrs. Lincoln ordered 24 plain cut goblets (probably for family dining) in November 1864 and January 1865 from the D.C. firm of Webb & Beveridge. The cost was just $30. On January 30, 1865, she also ordered glassware to replace broken and stolen glassware for public events from John Kerr's China Hall, at a cost of $612.50. This service included four dozen each of goblets, champagne glasses, claret glasses, burgundy glasses, madeira glasses, sherry glasses, hock glasses, and cordial glasses. The bases appear to have been plain (unlike the 1861 order), except for the madeira glasses—which were more richly carved and featured the rays on the foot. The hock glasses were ruby (not green) in color, and the madeira glasses may also have been red colored. She ordered another four decanters on March 25.
  On February 20, Mrs. Lincoln made an addition order of coffee cups and saucers, water pitchers, and bowls.  These 24 items were in the same style, and cost $173.50.
  The main set of china arrived in the United States via express shipment on February 13, 1865. The remaining 46 pieces arrived a few weeks later.  But it was probably delivered just days before Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865.
  The receipt for the "Second Administration" buff china was delivered shortly after Andrew Johnson became President.  The bill for the main china order and glassware was paid on August 29, 1865, and the bill for the additional china paid on February 10, 1866.
caption: Sugar bowl and dinner plate which formed part of the "Lincoln buff" china service ordered in late 1864
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