2022-4-9

在華盛頓美國歷史博物館裡，有一套法國瓷器非常引人注目，鶴立雞群，那是美國第十八任總統葛朗台夫人在白宮時專門定製的總統官窯：

類似的一套官窯，在白宮內也有展覽，都是1869和1873年之間燒制的。每一個盤子，上面精心手繪的花卉都各不相同。

• These French porcelain serving pieces, including a compote, a cake stand, and a dinner plate, were made by Haviland & Co. of Limoges, France, between 1869 and 1873. President Grant first ordered a state china service featuring this pattern in 1869 and reordered supplemental pieces in 1873 ahead of the White House wedding of his daughter, Nellie. 

• Each piece of the Grant White House China was decorated with a different hand-painted festoon of flowers, fruits, or leaves. A hand-painted lily is showcased in the center of this 9-1/2” soup bowl. A label affixed to the back of the bowl reads: “This plate was in undefined the White House During President Grant's Term of Office.” The bowl sold for $3,125.

每一個盤子都一絲不苟，精益求精。而且這些盤子，在格蘭特總統下台之後，都按照規定，留在了白宮。

格蘭特總統夫人出身貧寒，但也出生入死，追求享樂，見過大世面，任內接待過李鴻章，他在歐洲選購的369件套的中國外銷瓷，其中的二十六個瓷盤，中間圖桉就是一條大魚，說明雖然她後來貴為第一夫人，卻也標標準准，是一個吃貨。

• Having an affinity for Chinese porcelain, the Grants chose this beautiful 8-1/2" fish plate while touring Europe. The Grants used the plate with earlier Chinese porcelain they had purchased.

• THE HANDSOME LARGE GILT MUSHROOM KNOP, AS WELL AS THE DISTINCTIVE PERSONAL MONOGRAM, U.S.G. THE MONOGRAM IS INTERTWINED, WITHIN A LAUREL WREATH AT TOP CENTER. 

還有與之相配套的一隻廣彩潘趣碗。

• President Grant's rose medallion punch bowl, 6 1/2” tall and a diameter of 16”, from service of 360 pieces ordered in 1868. Used by the family in the White House. Sold for $12,075 in 2015. 

這些中國外銷瓷，雖然也都是官方定製，可是在總統卸任後，都隨之搬走了。可見格蘭特總統和第一夫人對外銷瓷的喜愛程度，不下於法國瓷。