Archived Featured Artifacts

The National Fan

This fan was a gift to First Lady Sarah Polk from newly elected President Polk in March of 1845. Mrs. Polk carried the fan throughout the inaugural festivities of the 11th President. The fan is made of gilded paper, which is adhered to bone ribs accented with silver inlay. On the front of the fan is featured the lithographic portraits of the first eleven presidnets. Washington, the largest of the portraits, is surrounded in chronological order by the next ten. On the reverse is a lithograph of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Surrounding the lothographs is an ornate background of eagles, stars, cornucopias, and other classical motifs.

Polk Place Chandelier

While still living in the White House, Mr. and Mrs. Polk purchased this Philadelphia Rococo chandelier in 1849 for their Nashville retirement home "Polk Place." James K. Polk, the youngest president up to that time, looked forward to a long retirement after his promised one-term administration. Seeing an opportunity while still living near the cultural centers of the United States, Philadelphia and New York, to puchase items for their new Nashville mansion, the Polks hired financier and collector William Corcoran to go to New York to find appropriate interior fixtures. All of Corcoran's suggestions had to be approved by Mrs. Polk. These chandeliers were among the most impressive of the purchases. Costing $54 for each in the set, these ormolu chandeliers held twenty-four candles on several tiers. Although gas lighting was one of the new accomodations of the White House during their stay, Mrs. Polk much preferred the warm light of candles in these chandeliers.

White House China

The Polks had charge of a major refurbishing effort of the White House during their stay. Besides outfitting the mansion with new window treatments, wall and floor coverings, they also replaced furniture and other necessities of a working home. Among such necessities was the White House china. Polk's friend William Corcoran purchased from Alexander Stewart and Company "1 dinner and dessert service." Stewart procured a French service made by Edouard Honore, a noted manufacturer of porcelain. The dessert set was white with a green border. Inside the border was the shield of the United States in red, white, and blue. In the center of the plate was painted a flower - different flowers on different pieces of the china. Several pieces from this set have survived including the one pictured here featuring blue and purple morning glories.

Ormolu mantel clock

When the Polks moved into the White House in 1845, they found there many furnishings and ornaments purchased by previous Presidents. Although the Polks would personally take charge of a major remodeling of the State Floor of the White House during their stay, they cherished and continued to display a number of pieces from the past. Among President Polk's favorites were two Hannibal and Minerva clocks purchased by President James Monroe in 1817. These clocks still kept time with their delicate chimes after 30 years of constant use. President Polk admired these clocks so much he purchased similar ones for his Nashville home, "Polk Place." The clock shown is of French manufacture made of ormolu (gilded bronze). It features a female figure holding stalks of wheat. Directly above the clock face are implements of agriculture (an important democratic ideal) and at the base are scrolled legs with a grape vine and leaf design. Wound twice a week, this clock continues to run after 150 years. 



Polk's Smoking Jacket

James K. Polk's taste in clothing reflected the age in which he lived. Little distinguished him from other lawyer-politicians of the time. When we consult the paintings and photographs of the man, we always see a person neatly dressed in a black wool suit, often with silk collar and waistcoat. We immediately get the sense that Polk's manner of dress reflected his work-a-day manner of constancy. The constancy did not preclude his wearing fashionable clothes of the period. A good example is the smoking jacket seen here. This is the only piece of clothing that has survived the 150 years since his death. Smoking jackets were generally worn in the evening hours during times of relaxation. This jacket is made of black figured satin damask with ornate satin collar and cuffs. It is lined with white satin and is fastened at the front with frog clasps.
 
 

Model of Tom Thumb's Foot

Presidents have always hosted dignitaries and celebrities at the White House. Polk was no exception. One instance that caused Polk to do something extraordinary - stop a cabinet meeting - was a visit from the tiny General Tom Thumb, the main "attraction" with P.T. Barnum's traveling show. On April 13, 1847, Polk wrote in his diary, "About 2 O'Clock P.M. it was announced to me that Gen'l Tom Thumb, a dwarf, who is exhibited in this city & who has become quite celebrated by having been exhibited at all the principal Courts of Europe, was in the parlour below stairs & desired to see me. I invited the Cabinet to take a short recess & to walk down with me, & they did so. Tom Thumb is a most remarkable person. After spending 20 or 30 minutes in the parlour I returned with the Cabinet to my office." Apparently, the feeling of good will was mutual. Several months later P.T. Barnum sent Polk a package. Inside were porcelain models of Tom Thumb's hand and foot. With them, Barnum wrote the message, "Model of the Hand and Foot of General Tom Thumb. Taken from life at the Porcelain Manufactory of Messr's Copeland and Garrett - at Stoke -upon -Trent, England - October 31st 1847." The life-size model is 3.75 inches long and 2.75 inches tall.