.... in 1886, former President Chester Alan Arthur succumbs to complications from a debilitating and fatal kidney ailment known as Bright’s Disease. In the words of former President Rutherford B. Hayes, Arthur’s term as president was most notable for "liquor, snobbery and worse."
President Arthur was one of the biggest proponents of the "decayed furniture sales" ridding the White House of a large portion of its china in a large auction in 1882. In fact, the house steward at the time William T. Crump, purchased enough china to resign from serving the President and opened what he called "The Garfield Dining Rooms" in Washington where he displayed his newly acquired collection of presidential china.
When entertaining, President Arthur preferred to use the Hayes china and purchased odds and ends, particularly dessert plates, from Tiffany and other sources. He both used and displayed these pieces, like the ones shown above.
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