Figure 3.—Plate, compote, and small platter from the purple-bordered State china used during the administration of President Abraham Lincoln, (USNM ace. 221233; Smithsonian photo 48115-A.)
Mrs. Lincoln probably first saw and gave her approval to the elegant new china when she returned to New York for more shopping in August. The china was delivered on September 2, 1861, with a bill itemized as follows:[3]
One fine Porcelain Dining Service of One Hundred, and ninety pieces ... 190 ... decorated Royal purple, and double gilt, with the Arms of the United States, on each piece, for the Presidential Mansion ... namely ...
| Two Bowls for Salad |
| Four Shells do Pickles |
| Four Meat Platters 9 inch |
| Four do do 10 do |
| Four do do 13 do |
| Two do do 15 do |
| Two do do 18 do |
| Two do do 20 do |
| Four Fish do various sizes, and forms |
| Two Butter Dishes, with drainers, and covers. |
| Six uncovered vegetable dishes or bakers. |
| Ninety-six Dinner Plates 9 inch |
| Forty-eight Soup do 9 do |
| Four Large Water Pitchers. |
| Two Bowls for Ice. |
| Eleven Hundred, and ninety-five dollars. |
One fine Porcelain Dessert Service, consisting of Two hundred and eight pieces ... 208 ... richly decorated to match Dining Set ... namely.
| Two Stands for Custard Cups |
| Thirty-six do do |
| Eight High Comportiers for fruit. |
| Two do do large do do |
| Four shell do |
| Two Bowls for Strawberries |
| Two Dessert Sugars |
| Six Round High Baskets for fruit. |
| Two Oval do do do do |
| Sixty Dessert Plates 8 inch |
| Thirty-six after Dinner Coffees. |
| Eight Hundred, and thirty-seven dollars. |
One fine Breakfast, and Tea Service, containing Two Hundred, and sixty pieces, richly decorated to match Dinner Service ... namely.
| Forty-eight Tea Plates 6½ inch |
| Thirty-six Preserve do 4½ do |
| Thirty-six Coffees for Breakfast |
| Twenty-four Egg Cups |
| Thirty-six Teas |
| Eight Plates for Cake |
| Seven Hundred, and fifty nine dollars. |
Four Small Sevres Centre Pieces for Bon Bons, decorated to match Dinner Service @ Twenty-five = One Hundred Two Large Centre Pieces, Sevres, supported by “White Pelicans and decorated to match dinner service