America's Second largest Collection of Official White House China has been, at last, located. It consists of well over 100 Official White House State Dinner China pieces. At this moment, we will cover one of the most desired, as well as Rare pieces. Specifically, let us take a close look at the Magnificent State Dinner Dessert Plate, as chosen for The White House, by U.S. Grant and First Lady Julia Dent Grant.
STUNNING GLIMPSE OF THE OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE CHINA 9.25" DESSERT PLATE OF PRESIDENT U.S. GRANT
Featured above and below is a 9 1/4 inch Official State Dinner, Dessert Plate – by a French manufacturer; but made by Haviland and Company. This Limoges hand-painted rendering, by a Gifted Artist, features a beautiful blooming Hosta. There were a total of 24 different American flowers authorized for use on the elegant service of U.S. Grant.
A VIVID LOOK AT THE "COAT OF ARMS" AS SELECTED FOR USE BY THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY - JULIA DENT GRANT
When President and Mrs. Grant moved into the Executive Mansion in March 1869, Mrs. Grant began, at once, to renovate to her own taste. The First Lady's very first purchases, for The White House, commenced almost immediately and she continued to buy numerous historical items over the next six months.
A BREATH-TAKING CLOSE-UP OF THE BLOOMING HOSTA ON THIS U.S. GRANT DESSERT PLATE
In June 1869, Julia Dent Grant was on full steam ahead to order Official White House China – her very own State Dinner service. She does so through a Washington DC dealer, J.W. Butler and Brothers, located just 12 blocks down the same street - right on Pennsylvania Avenue. They had been supplying miscellaneous China to The Executive Mansion for several years and they ordered the Grant China from Haviland and Company. Perhaps they did so because Haviland had been winning prizes in World Exhibitions; especially the Great Exhibition, held in London, England in 1851.
PRESIDENT U.S. GRANT & JULIA DENT GRANT RELAXING TOGETHER
When the State Dinner China finally arrived, it consisted of only 587 total pieces - with Flowers and a top center Logo – known then as the Official "Coat of Arms". According to The White House Curator, William Allman, the above piece, now in the Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection (also known as The American Heritage Collection), is as fine as any example of Ulysses S. Grant's Official White House China that he had ever seen. This procurement, according to Mr. Amyx, involved major assistance on the part of Historian and Author, Bob Doares. Dr. Doares played a significant role in the acquisition of this Rare Example, which he shared with Raleigh DeGeer Amyx. Although over 100 other Official White House China pieces encompass The Collection of Mr. Amyx, the Grant selection is one of his very favorites.
HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX - 2010
Shown below is the Elegant Silverware/Flatware of President U.S. Grant and First Lady Julia Dent Grant. Note the Eagle Seal to the left embossed "U.S. Grant: President of the United States", as well as an exquisite handle which graced The Formal Table of The Grants.
ELEGANT MONOGRAMMED SILVERWARE OF PRESIDENT GRANT
For additional historical facts that may be of interest see: www.AmericanHeritage1.com
Raleigh DeGeer Amyx is an American historian and collector. His full biography can be read on his Wikipedia page.
One of the world's finest collections of Official White House China, that graces the Formal State Dinners of our American First Families has finally been located. The Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection, also known as The American Heritage Collection, has one of the Top-Two quality collections of Official White House State Dinner China outside the White House. Included in the collection are well over 100 Official pieces from the Administration's of many of our American Presidents, although the majority did not order any in the first place.
A SELECTION OF OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE CHINA AS DISPLAYED IN THE COLLECTION OF RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX
These Presidents include, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Benjamin Harrison, Harry S Truman, Ronald Reagan, Dwight D Eisenhower, Ulysses S Grant, James K Polk, Andrew Jackson, Rutherford B Hayes, Woodrow Wilson, James Buchanan, Franklin Pierce, Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, James Monroe, U.S.S. Williamsburg Service Plates and Air Force One Official Presidential (forward-cabin) China.
ADDITIONAL WHITE HOUSE CHINA SELECTIONS FROM THE COLLECTION OF RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX
Official White House State Dinner China is considered to be a Rare collectible, as it is nearly impossible to obtain in authentic format. However, in earlier White House days, Presidents such as Chester Arthur, would hold an auction on the White House lawn (hard for us to comprehend such an over the top act today) for items that were no longer in use, or met with President Chester Arthur's standards. Today, public auctions for White House furnishings? No way! In the early 1890's, First Lady Caroline Scott Harrison, an accomplished painter of China herself, started preserving and inventorying the present Collection of White House China, which is now in use or on display at The White House.
ANOTHER CASE OF OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE CHINA FOR YOU TO PERUSE - FROM THE COLLECTION OF RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX
Occasionally, Raleigh DeGeer Amyx sells a select few pieces of extra Official White House China -- Or perhaps a trade might ensue. However, he is always in a serious mind frame, as he searches intensely for new historic additions to add to his prominent collection.
RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX - HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR - TO INCLUDE OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE CHINA THAT CAN BE VIEWED ABOVE AS WELL BELOW THIS IMAGE
THE ELEGANT WHITE HOUSE CHINA OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN - THIS DINNER PLATE IS IN THE RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX COLLECTION.
THE MAJESTY OF THE WHITE HOUSE CHINA OF JAMES MONROE - HIS DESSERT PLATE - FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL CHINA COLLECTION OF RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX
THE SUPREME ELEGANCE OF THE RONALD REAGAN SERVICE PLATE - AN EXAMPLE FROM THE OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE CHINA COLLECTION OF RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX
FOR FURTHER EXAMPLES SEE THE RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX COLLECTION AND ALSO BE CERTAIN TO PERUSE THIS MARVELOUS BOOK OF THE COLLECTION OF A GENTLEMAN, BUT RECENTLY DECEASED, ROBERT L. McNEIL
For additional historical facts that may be of interest see: www.AmericanHeritage1.com
Raleigh DeGeer Amyx is an American historian and collector. His full biography can be read on his Wikipedia page.