A SPECIAL GIFT FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
This striking Gold Leaf Framed Relic was presented to some of the Official White House Staffers that served President William Clinton from 1993 to 2001. The beautiful fabric shown above is a Swatch of the Presidents Oval Office Sofa Upholstery Fabric shown below. President Clinton has also personally Signed the accompanying Cut Signature, which is framed with the Oval Office Fabric. All framing is believed to have been done by internal framers at The White House. The actual swatch measures approximately 2"x 4". It is set off with matching burgundy archival matte, enclosed within an 8.5"x 8" frame. From the point of view of Presidential Gifts, this was obviously from The heart of President Clinton - straight to the hearts of those selected White House staffers that served him so tirelessly.
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON - AT WORK IN THE OVAL OFFICE WITH THE ACTUAL SOFA FABRIC IN CLEAR VIEW BEHIND
Currently this historic piece is displayed in The Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection (a.k.a.) The American Heritage Collection. In the near future it will be shared with another collector of note.
HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX - THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 2010
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.
GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT'S HANDSOME MAHOGANY CIGAR HOLDER POCKET CASE
Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) – The above Cigar Pocketholder Case is of handsome mahogany structure. It was owned and often used by U.S. Grant. Over 100 Years Ago, the official method of inventory in The White House was unstructured to say the least. This Cigar Case was one of those improperly inventoried items; and was located in The White House Attic, about 25 years after U.S. Grant Passed Away in 1885, from throat Cancer. About 100 years ago, General Grant’s Cigar Case, with a Brass Shield Monogrammed "USG-1862" insert above, made its way into the hands of a family that had served, on the permanent staff, in the upstairs White House living quarters for a Half-Century or more.
GENERAL & PRESIDENT U.S. GRANT CIRCA 1865
This important piece of history was presented to Raleigh DeGeer Amyx over a Quarter-Century ago by a servant that served in The White House for over 25 years. Since then it has been displayed and shared with many oithers during scheduled tours. In the near future this important piece will be shared with an Institution or another collector of note. In the meantime it will remain in The Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection (a.k.a.) The American Heritage Collection.
HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX - THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 2010
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.
FROM THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF RICHARD MILHOUS NIXON (1969-1974) - COMES THIS HANDSOME ARTISTIC CREATION
RICHARD MILHOUS NIXON - PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Sometime at the end of July 1974, or the beginning of August, Viola “Big Momma” Wise (Pictured below, at work in The White House) – a White House Maid (1939-1981), was motioned to the side of First Lady Patricia Ryan Nixon. The President was to Resign on August 9, 1974. Just prior to this date, Mrs. Nixon simply said...
"Viola, you have Served in The White House a Long Time. I Thought you Might Like to Have This."
"BIG MOMMA" VIOLA WISE - AT WORK
UPSTAIRS IN THE WHITE HOUSE
Viola Wise shared this memory with her long-time friend, Raleigh DeGeer Amyx, and she stated it was an honor and that she...
"Accepted the Elephant from President Nixon’s Collection with Humility".
President Nixon’s Elephant is silver in color (one of Nixon’s Elephants can be seen from his Collection, on his desk below). It measures nearly 8 inches from the tip of the nose to the bottom. There is a silver colored inscription plaque reading...
"Richard M. Nixon – President of The
United States – January 20, 1969 to January 20, 1977".
RICHARD M. NIXON WITH ONE OF HIS ELEPHANTS FROM HIS COLLECTION
Appropriate Provenance from the above Viola Wise accompanies this splendid relic. The black base is 8 inches in length and 4 inches in width. This is one of the finest personal Possessions of Richard M. Nixon’s to ever reach any personal collection - The Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection (a.k.a) The American Heritage Collection. This is it where is has been displayed for over 25 years. In the near future the President's elephant will be shared with an Institution or another collector of note.
HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX 2010
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.
FDR'S WHITE DEMOCRATIC DONKEY FROM THE PRESIDENT'S OVAL OFFICE DESK - A RELIC OF SUPREME HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
This important Historical relic was presented to Toi Marya Bachelder (Pictured Waving below), who served FDR as one of his primary Secretaries from 1933 to 1945. Toi, a Polio Victim, first met the future President at Warm Springs, Georgia when she was only 14. Over the years FDR and Toi became trusted friends.
TOI BACHELDER WITH HER FRIEND AND BOSS - F.D.R.
Young Toi had been selected as one of the First 25 Test Patients at the newly designated Warm Springs Polio Foundation. All of the first 25 Children that were Polio Victims, mixed socially with the future President many times before he became President of the United States. FDR was particularly fond of Toi and she was the only one of 25 youthful Polio victims who was later invited to work alongside President Roosevelt, at The White House. These important Historical items were presented to Toi Marya Bachelder, who Served FDR as one of his primary Secretaries from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the President's death on April 12, 1945, the First lady, Eleanor Roosevelt thoughtfully presented several important pieces of personal property of the President's to favored FDR personages. And there were few so favorably chosen.
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT'S OVAL OFFICE DESK DEMOCRATIC DONKEY
In the early 1980's, Toi Bachelder invited her close friend, Raleigh DeGeer Amyx and his family to go with her, for what was to be her last visit to Warm Springs, Georgia. It was there that Ms. Bachelder introduced Mr. Amyx to several of those that had served The President while he was residing in Warm Springs at "The Little White House" - "FDR's Cottage". It was there that President Roosevelt spent many days passionately attempting to regain his health and vigor.
STRAIGHT FROM THE OVAL OFFICE DESK OF FDR - "HOI TOI" AS THE PRESIDENT WOULD SAY
Years later Toi Bachelder shared, with her friend Raleigh DeGeer Amyx, a number of personal Historical Relics that were owned and used by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And that included the President's three "Ho Toi" figurines, as well as FDR's White Democratic Donkey, which the President often kept right in front of him on his cluttered Oval Office desk.
F.D.R.'S WHITE DONKEY ON RIGHT FRONT OF DESK WITH HEAD OF "HO-TOI" VISIBLE, DIRECTLY BEHIND DONKEY (BOTH ARE PICTURED ON FDR'S DESK ABOVE)
Toi Bachelder and Raleigh DeGeer Amyx were fast friends and often together for luncheons or visits between Toi's Washington D.C. home and Mr. and Mrs. Amyx's nearby Virginia home. These Rare pieces are presently, as they have been for over a quarter of a century, in The American Heritage Collection (a.k.a.) The Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection. In the near future all will be shared with an Institution or another collector of note.
RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX - WITH HIS DEAR FRIEND TOI BACHELDER - ON THE WAY TO F.D.R.'S WARM SPRINGS, GEORGIA - 1984
HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX 2010
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.
Featured in this writing, from The Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection (a.k.a.) The American Heritage Collection, is the elegant White House China of America's 11th President - James K. Polk.
In particular, note below the recently located example, that until november 2011, had been kept through generations of one family - since a White House Dinner hosted by President Polk, circa 1847- 48 - over one-hundred years ago. It was at that White House State Dinner that either the First Lady or The President is said as to gift this never before identified example of one of the original 36 hand-painted Polk Dessert Plates. Each Polk Dessert Plate featured different examples of State flowers in The United States of America. To, over one-hundred years later, uncover one of the original 36 Polk plates is a fortunate historic find indeed.
THE BREATHTAKING 9" DESSERT PLATE FROM THE POLK PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE OF 1846 - WITH HAND-PAINTED STATE FLOWERS - REPRESENTING THE 36 AMERICAN STATES
A VIVID CLOSE-UP OF THE ORNATE SHIELD AND RIM OF THE 1846 PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE OF JAMES K. POLK
President Polk and his First Lady, Sarah Childress Polk, received at The White House this impressive 9.5" Official Presidential Dinner Plate, in 1846. There were ONLY 36 in this original Official White House China Order. This example is one of those 36. And although President Tyler or Fillmore did reorder a few pieces of The White House China Service of Polk, there were nuances of variation in the Dessert Plate reorder.
This elegant Presidential Service was manufactured by Edouard D. Honore' of Champroux, France. Take special note of the "American Shield" at the top center – the very first time Red, White & Blue colors were ever used on Official White House State Dinner China. Shortly after Polk's Inauguration on March 3,1845, President Polk asked his close friend, William Corcoran (1798 to 1888), to supervise the furnishings of The White House. Thus it was Mr. Corcoran that spearheaded the purchase of the President's new Official State Dinner Service in 1846.
THE ORNATELY ELEGANT WHITE HOUSE CHINA & 9.5" DINNER PLATE OF PRESIDENT JAMES K. POLK - IN 1846
OUR 11TH PRESIDENT - JAMES K. POLK OF TENNESSEE (1795 - 1949)
The Polk White House China Service decoration includes, on the border of each impressive porcelain piece, a "Polychrome Shield", of the United States, behind the National Motto, "E. Pluribis Unum", on the eye-catching floating Ribbon/Banner. The Polk Dessert Service displays a Green Border with the American Shield, within gold borders; each with a hand-painted botanically accurate State Flower - each representing the individual States of America and featured in the center of each elegant piece. It was in March of 1846, that the new Official Presidential Service arrived at The White House to begin its first Official State Dinner use in The East Room.
TENNESSEE'S FIRST LADY - SARAH CHILDRESS POLK (1803 -1891)
President James K. Polk served only One-Term as our President. But that Presidential Service is considered, by a host of American Historians, to be one of the most impressive of them all. This was a President that set firm goals and made concrete promises to the American people. Polk delivered on each and every one of them. That has not gone unnoticed by Historians. Today President Polk is ranked in the near-great category, along with Theodore Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and very few others.
Unfortunately, President James K. Polk lived only 103 days after his One-Term as our President, passing away at the age of only 53. Thus, he was not around nearly long enough to continue his legacy or highlight his own achievements. It was left to later Americans to offer up a Clarion Call, to set straight the momentous achievements of James K. Polk.
HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGEER AMYX - THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 2010
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.
Striking Gilt Plaque (82mm x 133mm) Awarded to an Official responsible for various Judges making selections of winning Olympians as well as other participants, during the 1900 World's Fair held in Paris, in conjunction with the II Olympiad. Note the Golden version is rectangular in overall appearance as compared to the Sterling Silver rendition (further below) which was awarded in a Sculpted fashion surrounded by a suede frame.
STUNNING GOLD-PLATED OVER STERLING AWARD TO ONE OF THE HEAD JUDGES OF THE 1900 WORLDS FAIR AND OLYMPIC GAMES IN PARIS, FRANCE
Below is the elegant Sterling Silver Plaque (130.2mm x 76.2mm) in the original Suede Frame (165.1mm x 114.3mm). This elegant presentation was made to a Judge (Jury) in 1900, at the time of only the very II Olympiad in Paris, France. Note the Sterling Silver version with it's distinctive Suede Frame is rectangular in overall appearance. However, the Sterling Silver interior is actually in an artistically appealing interior Sculpted edging style format.
IMPRESSIVE LARGE STERLING SILVER AWARD THAT WAS PRESENTED TO ALL JUDGES AT THE 1900 WORLDS FAIR AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES - PARIS, FRANCE
A GRAPHICALLY IMPRESSIVE OFFICAL POSTER OF THE 1900 PARIS, FRANCE OLYMPIC GAMES
1900 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST - CHARLOTTE COOPER - DRESSED IN HER REQUIRED COMPETIVE OLYMPIC WEARING APPARELL
Both the Rare "Gold" Judges Plaque, as well as the scarce Sterling Silver Plaque are part of the Raleigh DeGeer Amyx Collection (a.k.a.) The American Heritage Collection, where they have been displayed for nearly twenty years. In the near future they will be shared with an Institution or an collector of note.
HISTORIAN & COLLECTOR - RALEIGH DEGER AMYX - THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 2010
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.