John Adams, from Abigail - "Remember The Ladies"

It was today in 1776, that Abigail Adams wrote to her husband advising him to "remember the ladies" while drafting laws for our new country. Mrs. Adams was a prolific letter writer and held tremendous influence over her future president husband.

While on assignment as foreign minister in Europe, future President Adams acquired at least two sets of French fine porcelain. And, as the very first President to actually live in The White House (then called the "President's House), it is probable that the Adams' Sevres service with the blue cornflowers served as the state china during the administration of President John Adams.

For more information on Woodmere's reproduction of the Adams china, click on this link:
http://www.woodmerechina.com/whitehouse_items.cfm?item=45

Reagan China: Simple Beauty

Today, 28 years ago in 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. outside the Washington Hilton hotel. It is hard to imagine that so much time has past since this crazy event.

Pictured at left is the beautiful Reagan china which, according to the White House Historical Association is "based on the design of the first American made White House china created for President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson in 1918, the Reagan china has alternating gold and red bands. The gold Presidential Seal marks the center of the ivory plate. The entire china service serves 220 guests."

Possibly because of the color red or the simple classical design, we think this is one of the most beautiful of the Presidential White House China patterns.

The photo is by Bruce White and from the White House Historical Association.

Presidential Plates On Display at Concord Museum

The Presidential China exhibit at the Concord Museum in Concord, Massachusetts is open.

Here's a link to a local Concord website with a news article on the exhibition from a local newspaper: http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/fun/entertainment/arts/x1732142268/Presidential-plate-settings-on-display-at-Concord-Museum

Questions Answered: Are Woodmere's White House Collection Items EXACT Reproductions?

Q: Are Woodmere's White House Collection items EXACT reproductions?
A: The answer is yes.....and no. Let me explain.....

The presidential designs that Woodmere reproduces are the most exact reproductions you can get. We go through extensive research, including using the original pieces borrowed from private collectors, to insure that the designs are as authentic as possible. We have even initiated a 're-authentication' process to continually check to insure that our existing designs remain true to the origins. Additionally, we research the colors used in the orginals as well as the designs themselves. At Woodmere, our aim is to give our customers the most authentic products possible.

Having said all this....there are sometimes differences in the original designs versus our Woodmere pieces. The biggest challenge we have is to match the handpainted decoration that most of the originals used. While Woodmere handpaints certain parts of it's White House Collection, the majority is done through a hand-applied decal decoration method, with handpainting used to compliment. Another aspect where you may see differences is that there were 'scalloped shaped' pieces used sometimes in the original designs and Woodmere uses round plates on all it's pieces. This is the case in our popular Lincoln china.

And while there may other slight differences in the original chinas owned by our country's presidents, you can be assured that the folks at Woodmere are working very hard to insure that you continue to receive the most accurate historic reproductions possible. And, all the while they continue to made right here in America....in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Tour

The Smithsonian Institution has a touring exhibit of an Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition celebrating Lincoln's 200th birthday.

And...here's a link to the blog for this tour.....pretty interesting read....on, perhaps, our most interesting president.
http://www.alplm.org/blog/

Andrew Jackson Was Born Today

In 1767, President Andrew Jackson was born in the Waxhaw district, an area that was between what is South Carolina and North Carolina.

Here is a picture (courtesy of White House Historical Association) of Andrew Jackson's White House China. For more information on Woodmere's Andrew Jackson china, click here:
http://www.woodmerechina.com/whitehouse_items.cfm?item=5

Did you know.....

...Presidents Polk (shown at right), Buchanan, Johnson, and others supplemented Congressional monies allocated for new furnishings with proceeds from the sale of old and worn out furniture, including china, from The White House.

So, what do you think? Should we start checking the classifieds for some Clinton china? Or maybe President Obama would like to see what he can get for the new President Bush china.

Mrs. Bush Shops for Her New Home

from www.nbcdfw.com

BushWatch: Mrs. Bush Browses, Buys at Estate Sale
By BRENDAN HIGGINS
Updated 10:30 AM CST, Sat, Mar 7, 2009
AP
First lady Laura Bush shows off some of her White House China in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House in Washington. We doubt she bought it at an estate sale, but you never know...

The Former First Lady hit an Estate Sale at 4000 Gillon in Highland Park on Thursday.
Ronda Hooks of "Help Me Ronda" estate sales, says Mrs. Bush bought a few small items, including a three-tiered side table for her new home in Preston Hollow.
Hooks says she gave the former first lady a private preview a day ahead of the sale after her appearnce at another "Help Me Ronda" sale the week before caused quite a stir.
You can still hit the sale today from 10-6. Go to helpmeronda.net for details

To link to the article, click here: http://www.nbcdfw.com/around_town/shopping/BushWatch-Mrs-Bush-Browses-Buys-at-Estate-Sale.html

Obama "Charm Offensive" Showcases Clinton China

From the site Obama Foodorama comes this story about Wednesday night's dinner at The White House with this great photo of what appears to be a Clinton china service plate. We are in hopes that these Wednesday night dinners will give frequent opportunities to showcase many of White House china patterns.

For more on this article, click here:
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2009/03/obamas-host-congressional-committee.html

Questions Answered: Washington "States" China

There are often many questions surrounding the design of George and Martha Washington's "States" china. This article ran last spring and reaction was so strong we decided to include it again. People are always curious to know how this design came to be and what is the meaning behind the design's various elements.

Q: When did the Washington's purchase this china?

A: This china was a gift and it arrived in Philadelphia on April 24th, 1796 to be delivered to the Washingtons.Q: Why is there a snake around the edge of the pieces?A: The snake is designed in a complete circle representing perpetuity. Serpents were used frequently by 16th century European illustrators when creating emblems. Since the originals of the Washington china came from Canton, China the chinese artists were asked to create symbols that would be appealing to western tastes.

Q: Why the letters "M" and "W" rather than "G" and "W"?

A: The Dutch trader, Captain van Braam Houckgeest brought this china service back from his travels to Canton, China as a gift for Martha Washington, hence her initials rather than our country's first president are used.Q: How many pieces were made in the original order?A: It is believed that 45 total pieces comprised the order delivered to Mrs. Washington.

Q: What does "Decus Et Tutamen AB Illo" mean?

A: The latin words on the floating red ribbon mean "Honor and Defense come from it".

Q: How did they choose the states which are shown in the design?

A: The states in the design are the fifteen states of the new Union and are shown with a chain link representing strength.

Q: What pieces of the Washington china does Woodmere have in its line of historic reproductions?

A: Woodmere now has 14 different items available ranging from a small flat, round ornament to the new, large oval serving platter. You can see all the pieces available by clicking on the link below:For more information on Woodmere's White House Collection George Washington china, click on this link:http://www.woodmerechina.com/whitehouse_items.cfm?item=1

New Event: Concord Museum Hosts White House China

“Setting the President’s Table: American Presidential China” from the McNeil Americana Collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art heads to the Concord Museum in Concord, MA from March 27 through Oct. 12.

We saw this exhibit at Mount Vernon and it is fantastic! If you even close to Concord, MA add this to your list of "must-sees"!

Did you know.....Washington State China

.....President Washington paid approximately $340 for 309 pieces of the gold and white Sevres china he purchased from Comte de Mustier! It is believed that this service was originally manufactured for Comte de Mustier in 1788 by the Sevres factory.

Other French factories such as Angouleme, Nast, La Courtille, and the factory of Count d'Artois in Limoges also made some of the pieces in the gold lined Washington/Mustier porcelain.

For more information on Woodmere's reproduction of President Washington's State china, click here: http://www.woodmerechina.com/amtreasures_items.cfm?item=29

Book Review: The President's Table

For those of us interested in White House china, a good, quick read is the book "The President's Table" by Barry H. Landau. With lots of stories about dining and diplomacy, along with pictures of menus, invitations, and yes, china, this book is a terrific way to spend a cold March afternoon.

This book came out last year and is probably still easily available from most major book retailers.

In Production: Lincoln Dinner Plate

With Woodmere's White House Collection Lincoln china in the news lately, we thought this might be a good opportunity to show the components of a Lincoln dinner plate. At left, you see the three (3) decals that go onto the plate itself.

To see the finished Lincoln china product line, click here:

http://www.woodmerechina.com/whitehouse_items.cfm?item=2

By the way, that's the finished product on the right.

A Personal Inaugural Meal Story....

We stumbled onto this fabulous website called "Taste With The Eyes" and they have this great story on creating a special Inaugural meal using Woodmere's Lincoln china purchased from our friends at the Reagan Library Gift Shop. The story is terrific, the photography incredible and just all around good fun!

We'll be checking back to the site frequently and hope you do as well. Warning....the photos on this site will definitely make you hungary!

Here's the link: http://tastewiththeeyes.blogspot.com/2009/01/duck-taco-and-presidential-china.html