28 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1914. 



an overskirt of blonde lace over a yellow satin skirt. Martin Van 

 Biiren by his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Sarah Angelica Van Buren, 

 wife of Abraham Van Buren, in a striking, almost regal, rich dark- 

 blue velvet train dress, and wearing also a lace fichu. In her right 

 hand is a handkerchief embroidered with her maiden name, " S. A. 

 Singleton," and in her left hand she holds a fan bearing her mono- 

 gram, "A. V. B." William Henry Harrison, during his very short 

 term, by Mrs. Jane Irwin Findlay, wife of Gen. James Findlay and 

 aunt of Mrs. Harrison, in a simple low-necked dress of a dark mole- 

 colored velvet, with the very long and large puff sleeves of the period 

 of 1841. 



The first presidential bride, Mrs. Julia Gardiner Tyler, wife of 

 John Tyler, is gowned in a dainty creation of cream-colored gauze, 

 first worn at her presentation at the Court of Louis Philippe. The 

 skirt is very full and in three flounces, each of which has three rows 

 of silver tinsel and two of embroidery, the latter being of bright 

 flowers presenting all the colors of the rainbow. At the waist line 

 there is a belt of the same material. The sleeves are short and the 

 neck is V-shape, leaving the throat exposed. Over the shoulders is a 

 lace shawl. Mrs. James K. Polk is presented in a magnificent gown 

 made by Worth for the Polk inaugural ball, a beautiful azure-tinted 

 brocaded satin, into the fabric of which the Christmas flower, the 

 Poinsettia, is woven in silver-grayish tints. It has a full straight 

 skirt with front panel of plain satin of the same shade and tight 

 pointed bodice, low neck, and full puffed quarter sleeves. The bodice 

 and sleeves and the skirt are trimmed with blonde lace, and six 

 large bows of ribbon also adorn the front of the latter. 



Another bride of the series is Mrs. Harriet Lane Johnston, niece 

 of President Buchanan and mistress of the White House during his 

 administration. The figure is clad in the gown worn by Miss Lane 

 at her wedding to Henry Elliot Johnston, a superb ivory moire 

 antique silk, made with flowing skirt, the wedding veil being thrown 

 gracefully over the shoulders. The skirt has the voluminous pro- 

 portions of the period when hoops were worn, and the hem is tabbed. 

 The bodice, which is laced in the back, has a straight low neck and 

 very short sleeves. It is trimmed with lace and a folded band of 

 white satin passes through loops entirely around the upper part. 

 This figure has a particular interest to the Museum, as it was through 

 the generous bequest of Mrs. Johnston that the National Gallery of 

 Art secured the nucleus which has led to its active growth. 



It was said by a contemporary writer that during the period of 

 the Grant administration the dresses seen were magnificent beyond 

 precedent. The dress by which Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant is represented 

 would seem to confirm this opinion. It is a heavy rich silver brocade, 



