John Quincy Adams
A Meisen plate in the White House china collection represents John Quincy and Louisa Adams in this historic series. The Adams selected this service during their extensive diplomatic duties in Germany .

Buchanan

Buchanan and his niece, Harriet Lane, who served as official "hostess", held lavish levees to cultivate international support during the leadup to the Civil War. Buchanan thought proper entertaining so important that he often paid for the parties out of his own pocket.

Grant
The china was created under an alliance of an American artist and the talents of France's Haviland and Company. William E. Scaton created a range of floral designs to grace the center of each plate. Haviland then transferred these designs to porcelain.

Harrison

Caroline Harrison chose to personally design the pattern for her White House china: an American Eagle motif at the center and a border design of open corn ears combining cobalt blue and gold. An inner border represents each of the existing American states.

Jackson
Like most other presidents of that era, Jackson commissioned his china from France. This 440-piece dinner service was decorated with the American eagle and made to order to suit Jackson's needs.

Jefferson
Jefferson elected to include his own monogram along with a fleur-de-lis design in blue and gold for his china. Jefferson was heavily influenced by the time he spent as foreign minister to France. Entertainment during his term as President often revolved around French themes.

Lincoln
The Lincoln china combines the American eagle with various decorations in a brilliant color called "soljrino". This purple-red hue was invented by the French in 1859 and was very popular among the fashionable hosts of the day.

Monroe

Always connoisseurs of the finest in tableware and household accoutrements, James and Elizabeth Monroe wished to obtain "the best for their White House china." Thus, they commissioned a French dessert service from the House of Dagoty, among other elegant porcelains, to grace their tables at state dinners.

Pierce

The Pierces chose this sophisticated dinner service with a crest of blue and gold with a gold pointelle border. They purchased 5 dozen dining plates and a host of elegant accoutrements for their service, at a total cost of $536.24 - quite a sizable sum in the 1850's.

Polk
The Polk china is distinctive in the fact that it marks the first time a shield of red, white, and blue was used as a part of the decorative motif. This shield reads, "E pluribus unum" and means, "From many into one".

Taylor

This set of White House china was created by British potters to serve the Taylors during their short sixteen month term of office before the President died. The Stafordshire blue pattern features a blue-and-white American eagle as well as an ornate border design.

Washington
George and Martha Washington received this monogrammed service as a gift from the East India Company in the late spring of 1796. It is believed that the original service contained approximately 45 pieces as shown, with Mrs. Washington 's initials.

Caroline Harrison
Orchid

Frances Cleveland
Pansies

Mary Todd Lincoln
Rose