This dinner plate is from the state dinner service selected by President Ulysses S. Grant. The service was made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France. Photographer Bates Littlehales captured the plate in April 1962.

This dinner plate is from the state dinner service selected by President Ulysses S. Grant. The service was made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France. Photographer Bates Littlehales captured the plate in April 1962.

This porcelain dinner platter featuring a beach house was made for the White House by Haviland and Co. of New York City and Limoges, France, in 1880. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the platter as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service. This plate depicts the beach cottage where Davis drew the designs for the china.

This French porcelain dinner plate was made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, between 1870 and 1873. President Ulysses S. Grant first ordered a state dinner service featuring this pattern in 1870, and reordered it in 1873. Along the top edge of the plate is an eagle holding olive branches, likely inspired by the imagery of the Great Seal of the United States and early versions of the President's Seal. Although the Grant service was described as “pieces with flowers,” seven dessert plates decorated principally with fruit were acquired by the White House collection in 2006. These plates, valued for their historical interest in spite of their worn condition, once belonged to Admiral and Mrs. Francis W. Dickens, early collectors of White House china in Washington. Worn or damaged china, no longer viable for food service, was given away or sold from the White House in the nineteenth century.

This porcelain ice cream plate, featuring a snow shoe, was made for the White House by Haviland & Co. of New York and Limoges, France, in 1879. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the plate as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

This French porcelain dessert plate was made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, between 1870 and 1873. President Ulysses S. Grant first ordered a state dinner service featuring this pattern in 1870, and reordered it in 1873. Along the top edge of the plate is an eagle holding olive branches, likely inspired by the imagery of the Great Seal of the United States and early versions of the President's Seal. The service featured an variety of flowers, including roses, lilacs, peonies, and lilies.

This French porcelain dinner plate was made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, between 1870 and 1873. President Ulysses S. Grant first ordered a state dinner service featuring this pattern in 1870, and reordered it in 1873. Along the top edge of the plate is an eagle holding olive branches, likely inspired by the imagery of the Great Seal of the United States and early versions of the President's Seal. The service also features an variety of flowers, including roses, lilacs, peonies, and trumpet vines, as seen here.

These marks appear on the reverse side of a porcelain soup plate made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France. The soup plate was purchased for the White House in 1884 or 1886, during the administrations of Chester Arthur and Grover Cleveland, respectively, to supplement the Rutherford B. Hayes state dinner service. The plate also bears the signature of artist Theodore Russell Davis, who designed the Hayes service.

This photograph shows the marks on the reverse side of a soup plate made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, in 1879, during the Rutherford B. Hayes administration. The marks include the signature of Theodore Russell Davis, who designed the Hayes service.

These china pieces, including a cake stand, a compote, and a fruit basket, were made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, in 1870. The pieces are part of a porcelain service with a buff band and floral motif that President Ulysses S. Grant ordered for the White House.

This porcelain dinner platter featuring a wild turkey was made for the White House by Haviland and Co. of New York City and Limoges, France, in 1880. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the platter as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

This French porcelain soup plate was made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, between 1870 and 1873. President Ulysses S. Grant first ordered a state dinner service featuring this pattern in 1870, and reordered it in 1873. A design inspired by the Great Seal of the United States appears on the gold and black band around the plate. The service also features an variety of flowers, including roses, lilacs, peonies, and lilies, as seen here.

This photograph shows the mark that appears on a china plate made by the Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, in 1879, during Rutherford B. Hayes' presidency. The plate also features the signature of the designer of the Hayes service, American artist Theodore Russell Davis. Unlike many other services, this set features an eagle design on the back of the plate, styled after the eagle that appeared on versions of the Seal of the President.

This photograph shows the mark that appears on a china plate made by the Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, in 1879, during Rutherford B. Hayes' presidency. The plate also features the signature of the designer of the Hayes service, American artist Theodore Russell Davis. Unlike many other services, this set features an eagle design on the back of the plate, styled after the eagle that appeared on versions of the Seal of the President.

These porcelain fruit or dessert plates, featuring an Ohio golden-rod and maple sugar scene, were made for the White House by Haviland and Co. of New York City and Limoges, France, in 1879. The shape of the plates mirrors the leaves of the American wild apple tree. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the plates as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

This porcelain game platter, which depicts a scene on Chesapeake Bay, was made for the White House by Haviland and Co. of New York City and Limoges, France, in 1879. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the platter as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

This photograph shows the impressed maker's mark that appears on a soup tureen made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, circa 1876, during Ulysses S. Grant's administration.

This porcelain seafood salad plate was made for the White House by Haviland & Co. of New York City and Limoges, France, in 1879. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the plate as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

This porcelain soup tureen was made by the firm Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, in 1870, during Ulysses S. Grant's administration. The tureen is part of a rose-band service that Grant purchased for the White House.

These porcelain serving pieces were made for the White House by Haviland and Co. of New York City and Limoges, France, in 1879. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased them as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

This photograph shows a mark that appeared on china made for the White House by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, for the Washington, D.C. firm of Dulin & Martin. The china was purchased circa 1894, during William McKinley's administration.

This porcelain sauceboat was made for the White House by Haviland and Co. of New York and Limoges, France, in 1879. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the sauceboat as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

This porcelain plate, used to serve after-coffee crackers, cheese, and cigars, was made for the White House by Haviland & Co. of New York and Limoges, France, in 1879. The plate is designed to look like a woven Indian basket. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the plate as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

These porcelain game plates, featuring bob-white and woodcock birds, were made for the White House by Haviland and Co. of New York City and Limoges, France, in 1879. President Rutherford B. Hayes purchased the plates as part of a state dinner service that featured elaborate designs conceived by American artist Theodore Russell Davis. First Lady Lucy Hayes had planned to select a floral pattern for the White House service when she had a chance meeting with Davis. Davis suggested that instead she opt for depictions of flora and fauna native to North America, and Mrs. Hayes agreed. She commissioned Davis as the designer, and he produced 130 distinct decorations for the 562 piece service.

This French porcelain soup plate was made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, between 1870 and 1873. President Ulysses S. Grant first ordered a state dinner service featuring this pattern in 1870, and later reordered it in 1873. Along the top edge of the plate is an eagle holding olive branches, likely inspired by the imagery of the Great Seal of the United States and early versions of the President's Seal. The service featured a variety of flowers, including roses, lilacs, peonies, and red field lilies, as seen here.