Curatorial Acquisition Highlights

The Historic Preservation and Collections team acquired more than 20 new objects in the museum collection. Highlights include an exact replica of the harpsichord played by Nelly Custis, a quilt hand-made by Martha Washington, and a late 19th-century painting of George Washington.

Pieced quilt top made by Martha Washington, c. 1800–1802.
Gift of James D. Marsteller

Washington-owned kitchen and dining wares:

Brass kettle stand.
Purchased with funds provided by Mrs. Betty Busey

Pewter hot water plate, made by James Watt, London, c. 1765. Likely purchased by George Washington from George William and Sally Fairfax at Belvoir.
Purchased with funds provided by Mr. and Mrs. James C. Meade

Sèvres porcelain dessert ice plate, Wagstaff Pottery wine cooler, mahogany waiter, and iron pot stand.
Gift: Jess and Grace Pavey Fund

Wrought iron pothook.
Purchased with funds provided by retired Minister-Counselor of the US Foreign Service Kaara Ettesvold in honor of her son, CAPT Rudy Weisz, US Army, USMA 2012, for his service

Marble mortar, tin canister and lid.
Purchase. Mrs. Tobias G. Richardson, Vice Regent for Louisiana, by exchange

Copper preserving kettle, copper lid, tin canister and lid, tin hot water plate.
Purchase. Mrs. J. Scott Laughton, Regent and Vice Regent for Pennsylvania, by exchange

Ivory card case with history of ownership by Eleanor (Nelly) Parke Custis Lewis, 1800–1850.
Gift of the Family of Thomas B. Marshall

Liberty. In the form of the Goddess of Youth; giving Support to the Bald Eagle, print engraved by Edward Savage, 1796. 
Gift: Jess and Grace Pavey Fund

Study for The Siege of Yorktown, painted by Louis-Charles-Auguste Couder, c. 1836.
Eccleston Washington medal in fire-gilt bronze, c. 1805.
Watercolor view of Mount Vernon, by Mary Mix Belden Buck of Wethersfield, Connecticut, 1800–1810.
Purchased by the A. Alfred Taubman Acquisition Endowment Fund

George Washington Walking in the Woods, genre painting attributed to Alejandro Casarin, late 19th century.
Purchased with funds provided by Julia Cobey Gluck

George Washington cast iron stove figure, 1840–1880.
Gift of Susan Marshall Townsend, Vice Regent for Delaware

Collection of 57 18th- and 19th-century prints portraying George Washington.
Copperplate-printed textile, America Presenting at the Altar of Liberty Medallions of Her Illustrious Sons, 1783–1800.
Copperplate-printed handkerchief, The Love of Truth/Mark the Boy, c. 1806.
Portrait print of Mary Ball Washington, 1912.
Gift of Patricia Wegner 

Souvenir badge, “Mt. Vernon, 6th April, 1899.”
Gift of Liz Rollins Mauran, Vice Regent for Rhode Island, through the generosity of Pieter Lamb

Blue-and-white Chinese export porcelain punch bowl, c. 1780. 
Purchased with funds provided by Carol Anderson in honor of Ellen Boer

Pair of English cut-glass candlesticks, c. 1760.
Blue-and-white Chinese export porcelain platter, 1765–1775.
Eight Fitzhugh pattern Chinese export porcelain plates.
Gift: Jess and Grace Pavey Fund

Olive oil jar, 1660–1730.
Purchased by the Mary F. Barnes Acquisition Endowment Fund

Staffordshire teapot featuring view of Mount Vernon, 1820–1840.
Purchase. Mrs. Tobias G. Richardson, Vice Regent for Louisiana, by exchange

Nelly’s New Harpsichord, made by John R. Watson, 2018.
Commissioned with funds provided by The Life Guard Society of Historic Mount Vernon, The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Deborah McManus, Mr. and Mrs. James D. Penny, J.W. Pepper & Son, Inc., and Heather Karen Hunt

Divine Providence, painted by Raymond A. Simon, 2018.
Gift of Karen Buchwald Wright

Reproduction of George Washington’s leather portfolio, made by Colonial Williamsburg Historic Trades, 2017–2018.
Gift of Nicholas Taubman