• Glass Locket with Jefferson Hair, White House Collection
    Fossin et Fils
    jewelry
    clothing & accessories
    fashion
    This glass locket containing the hair of President Thomas Jefferson and his daughter Martha was acquired for the White House Collection in 1975 during the Gerald R. Ford presidency. The locket is attributed to Fossin et Fils, a prestigious Paris jewelry company that provided goods to King Louis-Philippe of France (1830–1848) as well as other European heads of state, and was produced circa 1825 to 1868.
  • Punch Bowl, White House Collection
    Tiffany and Company
    silver
    serveware
    containers
    This punch bowl was created by Tiffany and Company in 1874. The punch bowl features an intricate and realistic design of pine needles with eagle's heads and talons around the brim of the bowl. The design of the punch bowl is attributed to James H. Whitehouse and Eugene Soligny is attributed with the modeling and chasing. An "M" stamp at the bottom of the bowl indicates the bowl was made under the leadership of Edward C. Moore during his tenure at Tiffany and Company. This piece was donated to the White House Collection in 2005 during the George W. Bush administration.
  • Bergère (Enclosed Armchair), White House Collection
    Pierre-Antoine Bellange
    seats
    furniture
    State Floor
    Blue Room
    furnishings
    This bergère by Pierre-Antoine Bellangé of Paris is part of a 53-piece gilded beechwood suite ordered for the Oval Room (later called the Blue Room) by President James Monroe in 1817. A bergère is an armchair with upholstered and enclosed sides. The bergère is one of two made for the president and first lady. The bergère was photographed by Bruce White in the Blue Room of the White House.
  • French Empire Pier Table, White House Collection
    Pierre-Antoine Bellange
    tables
    furniture
    furnishings
    This carved and gilded beechwood pier table is of the French Empire style and was manufactured by Pierre-Antoine Bellange of Paris. This table is the only piece of the 53-piece Bellange suite purchased by President James Monroe that has always remained in the White House.
  • Clinton Anniversary Service
    Lenox China
    china
    State Service
    tableware
    This selection of the 200th anniversary china was made by Lenox China of Trenton, New Jersey. President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton selected a state service with this design to celebrate the White House's 200th anniversary in 2000. Features in the photo from left to right across the back are a dessert plate, dinner plate, service late, fish plate and a salad plate. In front left to right are a cream soup cup and saucer, a teacup and its accompanying saucer.
  • Tapered Work Table (Opened), White House Collection
    Duncan Phyfe
    furniture
    case goods
    furnishings
    This tapered form work table is one of only four known nearly identical tables (a second is also present in the White House). Here it is shown with all its drawers and compartments open. Its form and complexity attribute the work to Duncan Phyfe of New York. This desk was made for a variety of tasks including: writing, sewing, or miniature painting. 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. The table was a gift of the Richard King Mellon Foundation to the White House in 1971.
  • Armchair, White House Collection
    A. H. Davenport
    seats
    furniture
    furnishings
    This scrolled-back armchair was created by A. H. Davenport in 1902 during the Theodore Roosevelt administration. The armchair is one of six chairs ordered for the Green Room of the White House. The seats and backs were upholstered in tapestry fabric, making them the most expensive type of armchairs in the Green Room. The chairs were originally painted white but were later gilded in the 1930s.
  • Tall Case Clock, White House Collection
    E. Howard Watch and Clock Company
    furnishings
    furniture
    clocks
    This tall case clock by E. Howard Watch and Clock Company of Boston, Massachusetts was purchased for the White House in 1882 during the Chester A. Arthur administration. The clock was originally placed in the Cross Hall on the State Floor of the White House, where it remained until the 1930s when it was moved around to a number of rooms on the Ground Floor until 2003. President Arthur added a number of furnishings to the White House during his time office, though this clock was one of the few items to survive the 1902 White House renovation.
  • Sugar Bowl, Hot Water Urn, and Kettle on Stand, White House Collection
    Wood & Hughes
    silver
    serveware
    containers
    This silver sugar bowl, hot water urn, and kettle on a stand were part of a 12-piece service made for President Millard Fillmore and his wife, First Lady Abigail Fillmore, by the renowned New York firm Wood & Hughes. They purchased the service, which is engraved with their names, circa 1858, after Fillmore left office. Mrs. Fillmore used the proceeds from the sale of a horse and carriage in 1850 to purchase the set. The urn was acquired for the White House by the White House Historical Association in 1973.
  • James K. Polk State Service, White House Collection
    Edouard D. Honoré
    china
    State Service
    tableware
    These French porcelain serving pieces, including a dinner dish, vegetable dish, soup plate, dessert stand, fruit basket, and dessert plate, were made for the White House by Edouard D. Honoré of Paris in 1846. President James K. Polk ordered this pattern for the state service. The pieces feature gilded rims molded in a scroll design and light green details, as well as a version of the shield from the Great Seal of the United States, although this one contains stars in the chief which are not present on the Great Seal or Presidential Seal, and the scroll containing the motto "E Pluribus Unum." The dessert plates also included a large, hand-painted flower.
  • Wine Cooler, White House Collection
    Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot
    silver
    containers
    serveware
    This silver wine cooler was made by French silversmith Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot between 1798 and 1809. James Monroe, who served as president from 1817 to 1825, owned the wine cooler, and later sold it to the government for use at the White House. The wine cooler is engraved with the words "President's House" and features sculptural elements, a hallmark of Odiot's work.
  • Monroe Plateau in the State Dining Room
    Denière et Matelin
    State Dining Room
    State Floor
    furniture
    furnishings
    centerpieces
    This gilded bronze and mirrored plateau or centerpiece was made by the Parisian firm Denière et Matelin circa 1817, during James Monroe's presidency. Elements of the plateau may have been based on designs by the famed French architects Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine, who completed many commissions for Napoleon. Visitors marveled over the elegant piece, shown here in the White House State Dining Room.
  • Medicine Chest (Open), White House Collection
    Unknown
    furnishings
    containers
    This walnut, brass, and ivory medicine chest was taken from the White House during the fire of August 24, 1814 and given to President Franklin D. Roosevelt by a descendant of Thomas Kains, a British naval officer who was part of the party that burned the White House down during the Invasion of Washington during the War of 1812. Bruce White photographed the medicine chest opened in 2023. To see the chest closed, see asset ID 1137880.
  • Medicine Chest (Closed), White House Collection
    Unknown
    furnishings
    containers
    This walnut, brass, and ivory medicine chest was taken from the White House during the fire of August 24, 1814 and given to President Franklin D. Roosevelt by a descendant of Thomas Kains, a British naval officer who was part of the party that burned the White House down during the Invasion of Washington during the War of 1812. Bruce White photographed the medicine chest closed in 2023. To see the chest opened, see asset ID 1137879.
  • Bellangé Pier Table in Storage
    Robert L. Knudsen
    tables
    furniture
    restoration
    construction & maintenance
    This photograph of a pier table by Parisian cabinetmaker Pierre-Antoine Bellangé was taken by Robert L. Knudsen on April 7, 1961 in a storage area within the White House. The table was missing its marble top and glass mirror. It was restored to the French Empire style and moved to the Blue Room during the restoration of the White House overseen by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. The table formed part of a suite ordered for the Blue Room by President James Monroe in 1817.
  • Chelsea Wall Clock, White House Collection
    Chelsea Clock Company
    furnishings
    clocks
    Ground Floor Corridor
    Ground Floor
    This wall clock was custom made by the Chelsea Clock Company of Chelsea, Massachusetts in 2020 and was a gift of the White House Historical Association to the White House Collection. The clock hangs in the Ground Floor Corridor of the White House above the doorway leading to the president’s elevator. The face of the clock features an eagle on the upper half that was inspired by the James Monroe state service. White House calligraphers did the hand-lettering and numbering on the dial including the inscription “The President’s House” on the lower half of the clock’s face.
  • Top of a Gilded Brass and Marble Guéridon Table, White House Collection
    Charles Honoré Lannuier
    tables
    furniture
    This is the intricately designed trompe-l’oeil marble top of a guéridon, or small table, made by Charles Honoré Lannuier circa 1810. This guéridon (small, circular French table) is made of mahogany, satinwood, rosewood, and possibly sycamore veneers, with gilded brass and marble. The table, a part of the White House Collection, also features an intricate Italian marble top and is considered a Lannuier masterpiece.
  • Wineglasses and Tulip Champagne Glass, Kennedy Administration
    Morgantown Glassware Guild
    tableware
    drinking cups
    State Service
    glassware
    This glassware was part of a set ordered by President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 from the Morgantown Glassware Guild of Morgantown, West Virginia. The purchase of the elegant, simple set ended a long tradition of engraved glassware at the White House. The glassware became widely popular as many Americans purchased the same set for their households.
  • Detail of Empire Room Wallpaper, Kennedy Administration
    Scalamandré of New York
    wallpaper
    Bedroom
    Third Floor
    This wallpaper manufactured by Scalamandré of New York was in the Empire Room during the John F. Kennedy administration. The Empire Room is one of the guest bedrooms on the Third Floor of the White House. The red and white print is a contemporary version of the French early 19th-century Toile De Jouy pattern. This pattern, originally entitled "Hommage à Franklin," depicts scenes from the life and career of Benjamin Franklin and is partially based on a drawing in the White House Collection called "The Genius of Franklin" by French artist Jean-Honore Fragonard.
  • The Great Seal of California, Decatur House
    Unknown
    Decatur House
    California
    Washington, D.C.
    This parquet flooring and wood representation of the great seal of California was installed in the Decatur House dining room between 1872 and 1874. It was part of several changes Edward Fitzgerald Beale and his wife, Mary Edwards Beale instituted after they purchased the property in 1871. The Beales were the last family to own Decatur House. Completed in 1818, Decatur House was the third building on Lafayette Square and its first private residence. It was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the architect of the Capitol and several other famous buildings, for Commodore Stephen Decatur (1779-1820) and his wife, Susan Wheeler Decatur. Tragically, on March 22, 1820 Stephen Decatur was mortally wounded during a duel. After his death, his widow Susan Decatur rented out the house to foreign ministers and several secretaries of state. The house was eventually sold and passed through several hands, including the Gadsby family, the U.S. Subsistence Bureau, and the Beale family. Marie Ogle Beale, a society maven and the last owner left the house to National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1961. In 2010, the White House Historical Association and National Trust entered into a co-stewardship arrangement of Decatur House.
  • Presentation Sword, Decatur House Collection
    William Rose
    Unknown
    furnishings
    swords
    Decatur House
    This sword was presented to Commodore Stephen Decatur by the Commonwealth of Virginia following his capture of the Macedonia on October 25, 1812. The blade was created in Philadelphia by William Rose and features an ivory and parcel-gilt hilt topped with a cast eagle, silver gilt plate, and brass stripes on the edges, and inlaid with gold foliage and silver lettering. An inscription on the blade reads, “In testimony of the splendid naval talents and valor displayed by Commodore Stephen Decatur commanding the United States Frigate UNITED STATES in the capture of the English Frigate MACEDONIA 25th, October 1812.” This presentation sword is part of the collection at Decatur House. In 2010, the White House Historical Association and National Trust entered into co-stewardship arrangement and Decatur House now serves as the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History.
  • Sewing Table, Decatur House Collection
    Unknown
    furniture
    furnishings
    tables
    Decatur House
    This sewing table is made of wood and coated with between three and fifteen layers of fine black and gold lacquer. The sewing table was made in the early 19th century and is believed to have been an engagement gift from Stephen Decatur to his fiancée — a “Miss. King.” The King family passed the table down from generation to generation despite the couple not marrying. Stephen Decatur would go on to marry Susan Wheeler. The sewing table was made in China for the American market and originally had a silk bag attached to it, which was replaced with a mauve damask fabric in the 20th century. This table is a part of Decatur House Collection. In 2010, the White House Historical Association and National Trust entered into co-stewardship arrangement and Decatur House now serves as the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History.
  • Celestial Globe, Decatur House Collection
    W. & T. M. Bardin
    furnishings
    Decatur House
    This celestial globe was created by William and Thomas Marriott Bardin (professionally known as W. & T. M. Bardin) circa 1800 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The globe is made of wood, brass, and glass and set on a three-legged wooden stand. There is a round compass at the juncture of the stretchers and the sphere and stand both have the months and zodiac names on it. The globe captures the position of stars observed in 1800 by Dr. William Hershel and is dedicated to Rev. Nevil Maskelyne, astronomer royal. This globe is one of a pair in the Decatur House Collection. The other is a terrestrial globe. It is believed these globes are part of the 1820 estate inventory of Decatur House. In 2010, the White House Historical Association and National Trust entered into co-stewardship arrangement and Decatur House now serves as the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History.
  • Presentation Sword and Scabbard, Decatur House Collection
    William Rose
    Unknown
    furnishings
    swords
    Decatur House
    This sword and scabbard was presented to Commodore Stephen Decatur by the Commonwealth of Virginia following his capture of the Macedonia on October 25, 1812. The blade was created in Philadelphia by William Rose and features an ivory and parcel-gilt hilt topped with a cast eagle, silver gilt plate, and brass stripes on the edges, and inlaid with gold foliage and silver lettering. An inscription on the blade reads, “In testimony of the splendid naval talents and valor displayed by Commodore Stephen Decatur commanding the United States Frigate UNITED STATES in the capture of the English Frigate MACEDONIA 25th, October 1812.” The scabbard is made of gilt silver with cast-applied nautical decorations. This presentation sword and scabbard are a part of the collection at Decatur House. In 2010, the White House Historical Association and National Trust entered into co-stewardship arrangement and Decatur House now serves as the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History.
  • Bellangé Fires Screen, White House Collection
    Pierre-Antoine Bellangé
    restoration
    furnishings
    construction & maintenance
    fire screens
    furniture
    This fire screen by Pierre-Antoine Bellangé forms part of the 53 piece suite purchased by President James Monroe in 1817. This photograph of the fire screen shows the piece during conservation treatment, with its upholstery and gilding removed. The White House Historical Association funded all aspects of this restoration.