Posted 4 years ago
BrianD
(4 items)
This has been truly the hardest search, finally FDR Library director Paul Sparrow says authentic piece, search of the photo archives will happen post covid. The dovetails took ten months. Warm Springs cupboard was built by Frank, Arnold's daughter sent her fathers, Holly Davis provided the pine dovetails, without a doubt Otto Berge built the cupboard. Built in 1935, designed by Nancy Cook for the private residence in the White House, returned to Hyde Park in 1945, stored at Top Cottage till 1951, Elliott lost the spoon, Eleanor placed it in her cottage, after a huge fight with Elliott selling everything in 51, it stayed with Eleanor till the end of her life, Anna and John sold it in 1964 to Charloote Anderson Weyant of Cragston, whom she gave it to Carol and Joe Redner as a wedding gift in 1970, who brought it north here to Nova Scotia in 2007, so thats the story of the presidents lost White House cupboard, it's been fun, Nina Roosevelt has been a great help and source of information, Ranger Dave Burke of Warm Springs, and many others, never give up if you come across that great piece, your wondering what I will do with it? It should be returned home....Eleanor would of appreciated it as Nancy's best work, it's embellished after the WH architecture, so this was a great piece to her.....thanks for reading....
What is the monogram in the first picture?
The monogram is a sundial with the letter R, the spoon was wedged in a drawer front, I kept searching and on a disability website they had Franklins cousin Daisy Suckleys Top Cottage inventory, on a shelf in the pantry was listed salt and pepper pots with a sundial, this intrigued me, sundials and the large one at FDRs grave, I knew he was a Freemason, I reached out to a New York curator of the Freemasons, there's a story called the sundial of Ahaz, it's King Solomon which is the basest for Mason's, the story of Ahaz is very close to FDR s life, death came to a king, said I am taking you, the king said you can't, my people need me, so death rolled the shadow back on the sundial, FDR worked well past what his body could muster,fighting the Japanese and the Germans, saving humanity...the ultimate sacrifice ...
Watch searcher, I added the Top Cottage inventory for you, as you can see it was pure luck, the embellishment was pure luck, curators and collectors saw the similarities with Val Kill, rediculed me for the lower height, the 1935 Easter Egg hunt with FDR on the portico, his hand grasping the railing, eureka my cupboard was inspired by the WH architecture, the dovetail hunt with the spoon, the cupboard frame, one mystery remains ....65741 is penciled on the silverware divider...NY phone number?
Can you elaborate on what kind of purpose this cupboard had, such as which room it would have been used in? The marble top which you say was not the usual surface fabricated with these pieces, was a special request?
So involved in the furniture of a dining room or kitchen? Just curious, it is a beautiful piece and love the chase for the history, great challenge and determination on your part. Thanks for posting.
Hello truthordare, according to everything I have heard and read, Val kill made pieces for the White House tenure,actually four pieces remain there, FDR had Otto Berge copy that presidential music sheet carousel, six army trucks full left Hyde Park in 1933, thirteen returned April 1945, the cupboard was in the private residence, locks on all the doors and drawers, the theft of silverware is well documented by Henrietta Nesbitt, she wrote the White House diary, in 1980 Irene Roosevelt was interviewed by Emily Wright of the nps, Eleanors cottage had been stripped and sold in 1964, Emily had photos and was planning decorating for the cottage as a museum exhibit, in the conversation they discuss a custom Val kill piece near the pantry, Emily couldn't recall the piece in the discussion, but it makes sense with Eleanor having to go to Top Cottage and saving pieces from Elliott's Hammer Gallery auction in 1951 in NYC, thank you for the interest, it's been quite the quest...
Thank you Brian, love the historical importance, and the small details you have accumulated about this, I would write an article if I was you, for a magazine that would be appreciative of what you have done and the great story.
Your timeline and the rush of some people to acquire a piece of other people's valued estates, is one that is not a very good reflection on what we should care about, but such is human nature...
Thank you truthordare, I was lucky enough to have been fortunate enough to have some spare time, three weeks after purchasing the cupboard my legs went numb, when I ever got ill I researched, diagnosed with MS a few months later, the cupboard gave me something to occupy the worries of what was attacking my mobility, if your a religious or a person believing in something, what's the chances ...and my birthday is January 30th, FDR's birthday, karma...Geoffrey Ward who wrote the PBS series the Roosevelts, I could understand his passion for FDR, he suffers from polio , Geoffrey has been some help in my research, he's really hoping it finds a suitable home, thank you again Brian
Yes I definitely believe in karma. Sorry to hear you are dealing with MS, hope it is not highly disabling as some cases are.
Funny you mention PBS and their series about the Roosevelts, because you post here and comments reminded me of it. That was also a great production, and I enjoyed it very much. Take care.