President James Buchanan

One of our prettiest White House Collection designs is the the china of President James Buchanan. Here's a link to an interesting article in The Washington Post about Wheatland - Buchanan's Pennsylvania home - and his time as President.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/16/AR2009061602956.html

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