documents the new set as being ordered by Mrs. 

 Lincoln from J. K. Kerr of 529 Chestnut Street, 

 Philadelphia, whose establishment, known as China 

 Hall, specialized in French and English china and 

 glassware. Dated January 30, 1865, the bill was 

 for: 9 



I Extra Large French China, Dining. Dessert and Coffee 

 Service, decorated on a White ground, delicate Buff 

 Border with burnished Gold lines consisting of the 

 following pieces. 



12 Dozen Dining plates 



6 Dozen Soup plates 



6 Dozen Dessert plates 



6 Dozen Ice Cream, or peaches & cream 



plates deep 

 I Large dish lor head of table 



1 Foot dish 



2 Second course head & foot dishes 

 2 more dishes 

 2 more dishes 

 2 more dishes 



4 vegetable dishes with covers 

 4 more vegetable dishes with covers 

 4 Sauce tureens Si 700 



4 .Sauce Boats 

 4 Stands for Sauce Boats 

 4 Pickle Shells 

 2 Salad Bowls 

 2 Custard .Stands 



48 Custard Cups with covers 



2 Large rich oval fruit Baskets 



4 Smaller round do 



4 Fruit Comports Shell form for fruit 



4 do do high round 



2 Dessert Sugar bowls with covers 

 48 Aher Dinner Coffee Cups & Saucers 



I Large Dish for Fish 



Records show that the china was brought to Washing- 

 ton by Harnden Express, as there is a voucher "'For 

 freight on 5 casks from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to 

 Washington, D.C., mkd Mrs. A. Lincoln $28.50. 

 China from J. Kerr Phila. Pa. for dinner." It is 

 signed "J. K. Kerr" "Mrs. Lincoln" and is dated 

 February 13, 1865.'o 

 Two weeks later, on Febniars' 28, Kerr sent a bill 



' National Archives, record ?roup 217, General .'Accounting 

 Office, miscellaneous Treasury accounts, receipted account 

 157178, voucher 9. 



I" Ibid., voucher 26. 



••••• 



• #•♦" 



«^ 



1 



Figure 7. — Coffee cup From the Purple-Bordered 

 State China used by President .\braham Lincoln 

 at dinner at the White House on the night ol his 

 assassination, (usnm ace. 219098; Smithsonian 

 photo 45088-D.) 



for some additions to the service as follows; " 

 2 Dozen Coffee Cups & Saucers 



Delicate Buff Border & Gilt 



4 Water pitchers 

 4 do 



4 do 



4 do 



6 bowls 



smaller 

 do 

 do 



do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 Package 



do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 



20 00 

 10 00 

 8 00 

 6 00 

 5 00 

 2 50 



40.00 

 40 00 

 32 00 

 24 00 

 20 00 

 15 00 

 2.50 



'73-50 



Two months later President Abraham Lincoln was 

 assassinated. The china so recently ordered could 

 hardly have been used by Mrs. Lincoln, and evidently 

 payment had not been made, for it is recorded that 

 at one of the first conferences which B. B. French, 

 Coirnnissioner of Public Buildings and Gromids, had 

 with President Johnson in April 1865, he sought the 

 President's approval of payment for a purchase of 

 china by Mrs. Lincoln. '- 



Despite Commissioner French's concern, the account 

 was not completely settled until a year after the china 

 had been delivered. The first bill is receipted as paid 



" Ibid., voucher 25. 



'■ George Fort Milton, T/te Age of Hale: Andrew Jo/imon 

 and the RadicalsiNewYork-.Coward-McCann, Inc., 1930), p. 229. 



116 



BULLETIN 250 : CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



