Presidents and First Ladies Trivia

[BettyO]

President and Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes... It's a Haviland China set.....Maymont House in Richmond where I used to volunteer as a guide has a duplicate set -

[L Verge]

While most of that set does not impress me (except for the small white dish with the grape design), I am envious of the oyster plates. Once upon a time, I decided I was going to collect those - then I turned the dish over and saw the price tag; a quick end to my desire!

I found this little tidbit on the Hayes set:

Some History of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Plate
An excerpt from page 32 of the book 
Oyster Plates, by Vivian and Jim Karsnitz

“Many celebrities have had oyster plates made specifically for them, including America’s 19th president, Rutherford B. Hayes, who served from 1877-1881. He commissioned a state dining service for the White House, including oyster plates designed by Mr. Theodore R. Davis, an artist employed by Harper’s Weekly.

The set was made by the Haviland Company of Limoges, France. In this set, as well as other turkey plate sets of lesser value, five wells are surrounded by southern raccoon oysters which have the outsides of the shells showing. These shells form a pattern that resembles the outline of a turkey, so the plates are known as the ‘turkey oyster plates’ to collectors.

This plate was produced by Haviland after producing the White House china. The presidential set caused a stir among the public, with strong feelings running in support and in opposition. Mr. Davis patented his design on August 10, 1880. Because of the great expense incurred in making the White House china, he and Haviland sought to recover their expenses by selling similar sets to the public. These sets have the patent date on the backs along with the presidential eagle. The original presidential set does not. When this presidential set was made the cost was $3,120.00, a figure the congress felt was excessive.”

Today just one of these presidential turkey plates can bring the same amount as the entire set originally cost to produce.


If you want to have a "brief" look at some oyster plate designs (and their current prices), go to
www.virginia-antiques.com/oyster_plates There are at least six pages of individual plates and a final shot of part of the showroom at Kilmarnock Antiques in the Northern Neck of Virginia.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Kudos, Betty, and thank you to Laurie for providing way more and much more fascinating info on the set than I could have. The oyser plate, too, caught my eye and made my decision to post this one for the trivia question, although not my favorite of those on display at the National History Museum in DC. I reall love "Mary's" purple one, and also Lady Bird T.J's choice (left), as well as Laura W. Bush's (right):
       
Roger, Betty, and Laurie, you win a dinner served on the state service of your choice.

[L Verge]

Kudos, Betty, and thank you to Laurie for providing way more and much more fascinating info on the set than I could have. The oyser plate, too, caught my eye and made my decision to post this one for the trivia question, although not my favorite of those on display at the National History Museum in DC. I reall love "Mary's" purple one, and also Lady Bird T.J's choice, as well as Laura W. Bush's (I will add pics later to this post).

Roger, Betty, and Laurie, you win a dinner served on the state service of your choice.

I'll take the Lincoln setting. It's been my favorite for years.

[Eva Elisabeth]

My favorite, too. I had never seen the pitcher/jug (what do you call it?) before, only the plates:
   
I rarely feel the desire to add something to my sufficiently equipped household, but such a jug or dessert plate I'd really like to have. (And then I'd feed Willi [not Willie] - my kitty - from the latter and tell him: "If the plate was good enough for Lincoln, I think it is good enough for you, Willi!")

[LincolnToddFan]

LOL!! Good one Eva!

You and Laurie are in good company. Jacqueline Kennedy loved the Lincoln china and was dismayed to find it so chipped and broken when she moved into the WH in 1961. She was barely able to out together even one intact setting.

[RJNorton]

My favorite, too. I had never seen the pitcher/jug (what do you call it?) before, only the plates:

I rarely feel the desire to add something to my sufficiently equipped household, but such a jug or dessert plate I'd really like to have. (And then I'd feed Willi [not Willie] - my kitty - from the latter and tell him: "If the plate was good enough for Lincoln, I think it is good enough for you, Willi!")

But what would Mary say?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Oh, "she won't think anything about it." No way she wouldn't like Willi and disagree.
   

[RJNorton]

An American President attended a performance at Ford's Theatre. Afterwards he took the stage. He told the audience of the events of April 14, 1865. He said, "Ford's Theatre is a theater set apart...a kind of shrine - one of the rare buildings which put us in touch with the past." He continued and said Abraham Lincoln "loved the theater and nothing would have pleased him more than the performances on this stage."

Which President was this?

[Jim Page]

An American President attended a performance at Ford's Theatre. Afterwards he took the stage. He told the audience of the events of April 14, 1865. He said, "Ford's Theatre is a theater set apart...a kind of shrine - one of the rare buildings which put us in touch with the past." He continued and said Abraham Lincoln "loved the theater and nothing would have pleased him more than the performances on this stage."

Which President was this?

Roger, that's a good question. I'm guessing Richard Nixon.

--Jim

[RJNorton]

Excellent try, Jim, but it was not Nixon.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Carter?

[RJNorton]

That is also an excellent try, Eva. But it was not Carter.

[L Verge]

Reagan?

[RJNorton]

Kudos, Laurie. Indeed it was Ronald Reagan.

I know you don't like cold, ice, and snow, so you win my very best wishes for a nice, warm, beautiful spring in Surrattsville, and the Nationals start playing better.