66 KEPORT OF NATIONAL, MUSEUM, 1919. 



as a gift a bronze medal commemorating, 1916, the centennial anni- 

 versary of the admission of the State of Indiana to the Union, 1816. 

 A collection of United States coins, consisting of gold $3 pieces, $2.50 

 pieces, and dollars, silver half dollars, quarter dollars, and coins of 

 smaller denominations, all in fine condition, many proofs and uncir- 

 culated pieces, were lent by Mr. Douglas N. Starr, Washington, Dis- 

 trict of Columbia. 



During the year the collection of philatelic material in the care of 

 the division of history has been increased by 3,725 specimens, of 

 which 2,699 have been received by transfer from the Post Office De- 

 I^artment, and of these 1,270 are examples of new issues received by 

 that department from the International Bureau of the Universal 

 Postal Union, Berne, Switzerland. In building up here a collection 

 of stamps relating to the war, our Allies have, in response to requests 

 through the Department of State, indicated their intentions of as- 

 sisting, the British Government having already supplied 71 varieties 

 of stamps used in its colonies, the French Republic 62 varieties of 

 colonial and charity stamps, and the Italian Government 20 varieties, 

 while the International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva, has 

 contributed a series of 93 envelopes showing various types of war- 

 time stamps and franks. A number of stamps have also been re- 

 ceived from individual contributors. 



Historical costumes. — The collection of costumes, one of the most 

 interesting and popular in the Museum, is developing rapidly and 

 favorably. Much aid was given as in former years by Mrs. Julian- 

 James and Mrs. R. G. Hoes, who have contributed substantially to 

 the acquirement of new exhibits and have assisted in the increasingly 

 difficult task of display in the limited space provided. Additions 

 to the collection are 82 in number and present many features of 

 particular interest. Among these may be mentioned a Chantilly 

 lace shawl worn by Mrs, Abraham Lincoln, lent by Mrs. Henry J. 

 Finley ; costumes worn by the Society of Friends or Quakers in the 

 nineteenth century, presented by Mrs. Charles D. Walcott. 



A complete series of engraved lithographic and photographic por- 

 traits of the Presidents of the United States, 1789-1917, were received 

 in the Hussey-Knight-McLane collection bequeathed to the Museum 

 by Mrs. Allan McLane, and were installed in the historical costumes 

 hall. 



Art textiles. — Additions to the art textile collection have been less 

 numerous than in previous years. The main feature of interest in 

 the hall devoted to this section is a collection of 50 oriental rugs dis- 

 played on the south and west walls of the hall. It comprises ex- 

 cellent specimens of the varieties of rug weavings. Especially note- 

 worthy is a large Persian rug known as " Ispahan " of Herati pat- 



