Series Three 198
In 1976 Madame Alexander began to produce what is known as The First Ladies series to commemorate our bicentennial. While they only used a couple of doll molds they fashioned the hair and gowns after the ones worn for the inaugural balls. Six series of six dolls were made from 1976 through 1989. I have obtained a few shown here.
Wow, some of the surnames aren't those of presidents. During which administrations were Patterson, McKee, McElroy, and Lane? (Interesting concept for collectibles!)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=18
ReplyDelete"Leaving the majority of her duties in the hands of her elder daughter, Martha Johnson Patterson, Eliza Johnson could not have chosen a more capable hostess. Due to Mrs. Lincoln’s long seclusion after the assassination, the White House had been vandalized. The Johnson’s received an appropriation of $30,000 from Congress to repair the house. Mrs. Patterson took part in the restoration, bringing the long-forgotten portraits of former presidents out of storage and hanging them on the ground floor. By 1867, the White House was restored once again to its original splendor."
http://www.smithsonianlegacies.si.edu/objectdescription.cfm?ID=76
ReplyDelete"Mary Harrison McKee's gown, 1889
McKee, the daughter of President Benjamin Harrison, wore this silk brocade gown at her father's inauguration in 1889. A political as well as a fashion statement, the dress—designed and made in the United States—reflected President Harrison's support for American industry. McKee loaned her gown to the Smithsonian in 1915 for the new first ladies exhibition. Thirty years later her children converted the loan to a gift, allowing the dress to remain a permanent part of the collection."
http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/flpages/mmacelroy.html
ReplyDeleteChester Alan Arthur’s wife Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur died just 20 months before Arthur unexpectedly became president following President Garfield’s death. Arthur’s teenage son went to boarding school, but his young daughter Ellen accompanied him to the White House. Because Ellen was too young to act as first lady, Arthur asked his 40-year old married sister, Mary Arthur McElroy, to not only help raise Ellen, but to also perform the social duties of first lady as she was able. Though Mary was herself the mother of four children, she spent several months each year of Arthur’s term (1881-1885) living at the White House to help her brother. In Mary’s absence, Arthur coordinated many social functions himself.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/first_ladies/harrietlane/
ReplyDeleteUnique among First Ladies, Harriet Lane acted as hostess for the only President who never married: James Buchanan, her favorite uncle and her guardian after she was orphaned at the age of eleven. And of all the ladies of the White House, few achieved such great success in deeply troubled times as this polished young woman in her twenties.
As you might can tell I can't afford the well known ones.
ReplyDeletethese are all so lovely
ReplyDeletebrings back mmories my girls had a lot of these -but no more sometime I will tell you the story--sigh
Yes Heidi - I love a story. Tell me the story.
ReplyDeleteI had a sister (still do) but for me she is dead--long time ago when I was just getting ready to marry my 2n'd hubby she came out from DC with a 4yr. old little boy --okay gave her shelter and food then she moved out into her own apt. she had a job works as a legal asst. then for some unknown reason she wanted to borrow $5ooo. from and I said no I don't have it-she said but your fiance does I said no go his money--she loved to live high of the hog--
ReplyDeletemy fiance went to baja,Mex. not far from San Diego for a 2 day weekend kids were at grandmas--
we came home and went to the office to make sure all was well and see a few patients--the phone rang and it was my older daughter hysterical that there was nothing left in out little house--
ran home and truly as we found out from neighbors she had engaged a trucking comp to empty my house all our things including the doll collection of the girls they were 9 and 11 then--she sold every thing my cloths -there was only the bed frames one dresser the stove and one chair left even the policeman had to sit down when he heard who had done it-
she cannot come back to Ca there is apb out on her for grand larceny--
so there is my story in a nutshell--we later found the dealer who bought some of the stuff like my girls piano but the majority of the stuff we never got back and since the dealer handled in good faith we had to pay to get the stuff back-
Heidi that is a very sad story. You have lived through some tough times. I am glad you got some of the items back but sorry so much was lost.
ReplyDeletethanks well you do learn that things arn't importan but it hurts and it hurt my girls--
ReplyDeleteI think that is the hardest thing - to watch as your child is hurt and not be able to change what happened.
ReplyDeleteYES AND THEN WHEN IT IS AN AUNT that makes it even worse my older one Holly she still even after all these years can't talk about it
ReplyDeletecan you imagine coming home and your house is empty ---
It is always harder to trust after a major hurt caused by a family member. Harder to get over than when its a stranger.
ReplyDeleteSO TRUE
ReplyDelete