This gilded beechwood armchair is part of the 53-piece suite of Pierre-Antoine Bellange furniture that future president James Monroe purchased while serving as United States minister to France and later brought with him to the White House. Many pieces remain in the White House Collection. This particular chair is upholstered in fabric inspired by the chair's original crimson upholstery.

This gilded beechwood armchair is part of the 53-piece suite of Pierre-Antoine Bellange furniture that future president James Monroe purchased while serving as United States minister to France and later brought with him to the White House. Many pieces remain in the White House Collection. This particular chair is upholstered in fabric inspired by the chair's original crimson upholstery.

This gilded beechwood armchair is part of the 53-piece suite of Pierre-Antoine Bellange furniture that future president James Monroe purchased while serving as United States minister to France and later brought with him to the White House. Many pieces remain in the White House Collection. This particular chair is upholstered in fabric inspired by the chair's original crimson upholstery.

This gilded beechwood armchair is part of the 53-piece suite of Pierre-Antoine Bellange furniture that future president James Monroe purchased while serving as United States minister to France and later brought with him to the White House. Many pieces remain in the White House Collection. This particular chair is upholstered in fabric inspired by the chair's original crimson upholstery.

This photograph taken during the Clinton Administration shows conservation work being done on one of Pierre-Antoine Bellangé's chairs made for the Blue Room. President James Monroe purchased 53 pieces of furniture for the White House from Bellangé in Paris in 1817.

This armchair by William King, Jr. of Georgetown was one of 24 that President James Monroe bought for the East Room. This suite may have been inspired by French furniture placed in the Oval Room in 1817.

This is a detail photograph of the Herter Brothers chair First Lady Julia Grant purchased for the Red Room. This is the surviving half of a pair of gilded lady's chairs made by Herter Brothers. The arm rests terminate in carved lion's heads, a motif that appears in other Herter pieces, 11 of which were also made for the Red Room. In 1873-1875, the Grants supervised a major redecoration of the White House in preparation for their daughter Nellie’s wedding to Englishman Algernon Sartoris. Throughout the staterooms, Herter Brothers, a renowned New York furniture maker, supplied sophisticated furnishings.

This side chair by Thomas Burling of New York may be from a group of mahogany chairs purchased in 1789 for President George Washington. Burling supplied the household furniture for the first presidential residence. Gift of the Barra Foundation, 1994.

This armchair and side chair are among a set made of rosewood, brass, and hardwood that were purchased in 1861 for the guest bedroom. These pieces are attributed to the New York cabinetmaker John Henry Belter.

This gilded cherry armchair and painted birch side chair were copied from a French Empire suite in the Chateau de Compiegne outside Paris. They were commissioned from L. Marcotte and Co. of New York, a decorating firm that executed all of the interior decoration of the Blue Room in 1902.

This armchair is attributed to Duncan Phyfe of New York. Phyfe was born in Scotland and emigrated to New York in 1784. He became one of the premiere cabinet makers in the United States during the first half of the 19th century, known for blending the previous English Neoclassical and Regency styles together in a distinctive way. Phyfe benefited from his location in New York City on Fulton Street, where he was able to ship his furniture out to the southern States and the rich cotton magnates there, as well as to international ports.

This painted beechwood armchair has a history of ownership by Dolley Madison after previously being owned by Thomas Jefferson, who purchased it in France and kept it at Monticello. This chair may be amongst furnishings that left Monticello after Jefferson's death. Bruce White is credited for the photograph.

This armchair was purchased during the Grant Administration and used in the Cabinet Room until 1902 when it was sold during the Theodore Roosevelt Renovation. Until the construction of the West Wing in 1902, the Cabinet Room was on the east end, second floor of the Executive Mansion. The chair was returned to the collection in 1962.

This stuffed-back armchair, possibly by Thomas Affleck, is copied from a Thomas Chippendale design that was seldom made in 18th century America. The chair was a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Lippincott in 1976.

This side chair and armchair, in the Queen Anne and William and Mary styles respectively, were designed by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White and executed by A. H. Davenport. Both firms were involved in the renovation of the East Room, which was updated in the larger 1902 Theodore Roosevelt renovation of the White House.

This Rococo Revival mahogany armchair has carved likenesses of Presidents Zachary Taylor and Martin Van Buren. Furniture with carved presidential likenesses is rare and this may have been part of a set that included images of other presidents. The chair was a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Morton D. May, Jr. in 1961.

This maple side chair made to imitate bamboo is part of two sets of furnishings made for the White House bedrooms in 1870s. This style of furniture became popular in America following Commodore Matthew Perry's return from Japan in 1855.

This side chair in the Federal style is one of a matching set of eight. It has a rectangular tablet with a carved drapery and star-punched ground. These details are often associated with Samuel McIntire of Salem, Massachusetts. This chair was a gift of the White House Historical Association to the White House in 1961.

This armchair attributed to Adam Hains of Philadelphia belonged to George Washington and possibly came from the President's House at 524-30 Market Street in Philadelphia. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Shepley Evans and the White House Historical Association, 1975.

This side chair is considered to be of the late Sheraton style and the early American Empire Style. The seat is rectangular and the front two legs are tapered. The chair has a curved top rail with two decorative and gilded brackets adjoined to the chair's top rail and stiles. The side chair was photographed by George Mobley of the National Geographic Service in 1958.

This photograph shows a gilded armchair of Italian origin situated in the Cross Hall during the Nixon administration. The top rail of the armchair is decorated with a gilded eagle. Both arms are supported with winged griffin type creatures. The curved front legs are shaped at the bottom as lion paw feet. Due to the form, wings, and gilding, this armchair is from the Empire period. The armchair has been on loan to the White House from the Philadelphia Museum of Art since 1973. This photograph is credited to Joseph H. Bailey and Larry D. Kinney of the National Geographic Service.

This mahogany and tulip poplar chair by Duncan Phyfe of New York was based on earlier English designs and has double-crossed banister backs. Phyfe was born in Scotland and emigrated to New York in 1784. He became one of the premiere cabinet makers in the United States during the first half of the 19th century, known for blending the previous English Neoclassical and Regency styles together in a distinctive way. Phyfe benefited from his location in New York City on Fulton Street, where he was able to ship his furniture out to the southern States and the rich cotton magnates there, as well as to international ports.

This Gothic Revival black walnut side chair by J. and J.W. Meeks of New York was one of 24 made for the Cabinet Room and used there from 1847-1869. These chairs appear in prints of Lincoln's Cabinet Room and came to be identified with him. Until the construction of the West Wing in 1902, the Cabinet Room was on the east end of the second floor of the Executive Mansion.

This wooden chair has reeded front legs, scrolled arms, and casters and is upholstered in blue. It was one of the chairs President James Monroe bought for the East Room from William King, Jr., a Georgetown cabinetmaker.

This red and gold ottoman was part of a gilt Victorian suite, made by Gottlieb Vollmer of Philadelphia. The Blue Room, where this ottoman was once displayed, was refurbished during the James Buchanan administration in 1860.