White House china
The White House china refers to the various patterns of china (porcelain) used for serving and eating food in the White House, home of the president of the United States. Different china services have been ordered and used by different presidential administrations. The White House collection of china is housed in the White House China Room. Not every administration created its own service, but portions of all china services created for the White House are now in the China Room collection. Some of the older china services are used for small private dinners in the President's Dining Room on the Second Floor.
White House china services
Monroe service
In 1817 in
Polk service
The White House needed a new china service when the Polks took up residence in 1845. The same company which produced the Monroe china service, Dagoty-Honoré of Paris, made their state dinner service. The dinner and dessert services were ordered in 1846; 400 pieces cost US$979.40. The service included a plain white design and gold trim, making it popular with later administrations. The simplicity of the china made it well-suited to mix with other depleted services when the occasion arose.[1] The dessert service, rather than being plain, features a soft green border and polychrome flowers.
Lincoln service
The Lincoln china is the first service chosen entirely by a First Lady. Mary Todd Lincoln felt that it was important to maintain a proper appearance in the White House so that foreigners would perceive America as strong and her husband's administration as in control. As a result, the Lincoln administration (1861–1865) was socially active amid the Civil War. Mrs. Lincoln personally selected china with a purple-red border called "Solferino", later known as the "Royal Purple" set, in 1861 from E. V. Haughwout and Company in New York City. Haviland and Company had produced the service in Limoges, France. The American bald eagle is above a shield with the national motto spread throughout clouds. The Coat of Arms of the United States is centered in the service.[1]
Hayes service
The order of the Hayes china service came about by chance. First Lady Lucy Hayes met with artist Theodore R. Davis. While in the White House conservatory with Mrs. Hayes, Davis suggested that the china include the flora and fauna of North America as decoration. Davis produced 130 designs for Mrs. Hayes, many unique. The order cost $3,120. It was first used during a dinner for incoming President James A. Garfield and his family. The service design was well-liked by the public and reproduced, though critics were less than satisfied.[1]
Harrison service
First Lady
Theodore Roosevelt service
An extensive White House renovation was conducted in the early 1900s, during which the State Dining Room was enlarged to seat over 100 guests. A new set of china was needed due to the expanded size of the room. First Lady Edith Roosevelt ordered 1,320 pieces of Wedgwood china. The china was white and highlighted the Great Seal of the United States. Mrs. Roosevelt expanded upon Mrs. Harrison's efforts to gather china from previous administrations and displayed them in a specially made cabinet on the White House ground floor.[1]
Wilson service
The Wilsons entered the White House in 1913, and at the time, the most recently ordered china was from the Theodore Roosevelt presidency, over ten years before.
Franklin Roosevelt service
By 1933, the Wilson service had become largely depleted. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt promoted new china during difficult economic times to keep American workers employed. The Roosevelts ordered Lenox china through a New York store in October 1934. The pattern included a border of 48 gold stars – one for every state – and the presidential seal in enamel colors on an ivory body. The stars were set against a band of marine blue, personal to the Roosevelts because of the president's interest in nautical subjects, and complemented by an inner band of golden roses and feathers. This was reminiscent of the Roosevelt family crest. Lenox worked overtime so that the 1,722 pieces of china would be completed in time for an important state dinner in January 1935. For the first time in White House history, every guest dined from a single service.[2]
Truman service
As a result of the 1948–1952 White House renovation, the
Eisenhower service
By the Eisenhower years, the Truman china was still in good supply. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower ordered 120 service plates to complement the Truman service dinner plates. The plates were ordered from Castleton China, Inc. of New Castle, Pennsylvania, at a cost of $3,606.40. The plates were white, though the rims were covered with pure gold medallions, requiring eight separate kiln firings.[1]
Johnson service
By 1966, three years into the Johnson presidency, it was determined that new china was needed to replace older services. On November 8, 1967, the new china order was announced; the service would serve 140 guests at a cost of $80,028.24. The Johnson service was the first not purchased with appropriated government funds; an anonymous donor through the
Reagan service
The Reagan state china service was modeled on Woodrow Wilson's china and features the
State dinners had become so large by the Reagan presidency that none of the china could accommodate the number of guests. First Lady Nancy Reagan ordered 4,370 pieces of Lenox china, enough place settings of 19 pieces for 220 people. This was nearly twice as many placesettings as other recent services. The Reagans wanted a design that would display a strong presence for the subtly colored State Dining Room, now painted white. Nancy Reagan worked closely with Lenox designers to create a pattern with bands in a striking scarlet red, which was her favorite color. The pattern was bordered on each side with etched gold, which created a sparkling contrast with the soft ivory china. The presidential seal was in raised gold in the center, partially overlaying the red border. Fine gold crosshatching overlays the red on pieces such as the service and dessert plates.[2]
The Reagans were often criticized for the $209,508 cost. The china was not funded by taxpayers and was paid for by a J.P. Knapp Foundation donation.
Clinton service
To commemorate the bicentennial of the White House, the Clintons ordered 300 12-piece place settings in 2000. Unlike previous White House china services, the Clinton china included a border of pale, creamy yellow, rather than a brighter primary color, and images of the White House, instead of the customary presidential seal, in the center. Each piece in each place setting included a different pattern showing outstanding architectural elements found in the East Room, State Dining Room, and Diplomatic Reception Room. It was first used at a dinner function attended by Gerald Ford and Mrs. Ford, Jimmy Carter and Mrs. Carter, George H. W. Bush and Mrs. Bush, and Lady Bird Johnson.[2]
Bush service
The George W. Bush White House state china has a gold rim with a green basket-weave pattern and a historically-inspired gold eagle. Lenox manufactured it.
The Bush china was introduced on January 7, 2009, two weeks before President George W. Bush left office. Two service sets were introduced. The larger service set was the first full set since that of the Reagan china in 1982. The larger set, made by Lenox, is composed of roughly 4500 pieces to fill 320 14-piece place settings. First Lady Laura Bush chose a soft green pattern due to its versatility and ability to coordinate with flowers. The pattern was inspired by a coffee service belonging to President James and Dolley Madison.
The smaller White House Magnolia Pattern service set, made by Pickard China in Illinois and designed by Anna Weatherley, is composed of 75 place settings and was purchased for use in the private quarters of the White House.[4]
Obama service
The 3,520-piece
The service contains 320 settings,[8] and each setting has 11 pieces.[5] Each setting also contains (for the first time in the history of White House china services) an individual tureen.[5][6] The tureen can be used for soups, small entrees, or desserts, and reflects a more modern dining style.[8] Pickard workers spent more than a year, experimenting with numerous trial pieces, to produce the tureen.[10]
In addition to the service plate, the teacup, and the dessert plate all feature the presidential coat of arms.[5]
First Lady Michelle Obama was assisted in composing the china service pattern by designer Michael S. Smith.[8] Planning began in the fall of 2011, and White House chefs, White House staff, and Pickard China of Illinois were consulted on the design.[5][9] The set was manufactured by Pickard China[8] at a cost of about $367,258.[5][8] The White House Historical Association, a private foundation established by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to purchase furniture and decorative and fine arts for the Executive Residence, provided the funds for the purchase.[9]
Trump service
Melania Trump worked on a china design, but the project was sidelined due to cost and time constraints.[11][12]
See also
- List of U.S. State Dinners
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Party Politics" Entertaining at the White House" (PDF). National First Ladies Library. 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "White House China". Lenox. 2008. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
- ^ a b "Picturing the President's House: Woodrow Wilson". White House Historical Association. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
- ^ Koncius, Jura (January 8, 2009). "Laura Bush Unveils 2 White House China Patterns". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Koncius, Jura (April 27, 2015). "Obamas' $367,258 state china draws inspiration from Hawaii and history". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Superville, Darlene (April 28, 2015). "Barack Obama state china sports Hawaii blue". Telegram.com. Associated Press.
- ^ Laban, Jane (April 27, 2015). "First Look: Obama "Kailua Blue" State China". Apartment Therapy. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Davis, Julie Hirschfeld (April 27, 2015). "Inspiration From Hawaii in the Obamas' White House China". The New York Times. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Barack Obama State China Sports Hawaii Blue". Associated Press. April 27, 2015. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
- ^ Zisko, Allison (April 28, 2015). "Pickard Produces New White House Dinnerware". HFN Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- ^ Bennett, Kate (January 21, 2021). "There will be no Trump china collection due to cost and time, source says". CNN.
- ^ Corbett, Kelly (January 22, 2021). "The Trump Administration Will Not Have a Signature China Collection Featured in the White House". House Beautiful. Hearst Magazine Media.
General references
- Abbott James A., and Elaine M. Rice. Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration. Van Nostrand Reinhold: 1998. ISBN 0-442-02532-7.
- Garrett, Wendell. Our Changing White House. Northeastern University Press: 1995. ISBN 1-55553-222-5.
- Klapthor, Margaret Bown. White House China: 1789 to the Present. The Barra Foundation and Harry N. Abrams: 1999. ISBN 0-8109-3993-2.
- Leish, Kenneth. The White House. Newsweek Book Division: 1972. ISBN 0-88225-020-5.
- McKellar, Kenneth, Douglas W. Orr, Edward Martin, et al. Report of the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion. Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion, Government Printing Office: 1952.
- Monkman, Betty C. The White House: The Historic Furnishing & First Families. Abbeville Press: 2000. ISBN 0-7892-0624-2.
- Seale, William. The President's House. White House Historical Association and the National Geographic Society: 1986. ISBN 0-912308-28-1.
- Seale, William, The White House: The History of an American Idea. White House Historical Association: 1992, 2001. ISBN 0-912308-85-0.
- The White House: An Historic Guide. White House Historical Association and the National Geographic Society: 2001. ISBN 0-912308-79-6.
- The White House. The First Two Hundred Years, ed. by Frank Freidel/William Pencak, Boston 1994.