DESIGNED BY CAROLINE LAVINIA SCOTT HARRISON (1832-1892), MARKED TRESSEMANES AND VOGT, LIMOGES, FRANCE (1891-C.1919), IMPORTED BY M.W. BEVERIDGE, WASHINGTON, D.C., 1890-1900

Mrs. Benjamin Harrison redesigned the china service with President Harrison's "America First" platform, which supported high tariffs to protect American industry. Unable to find a porcelain manufacturer in the United States, she turned to the Washington firm of M.W. Beveridge to import French china from Tressemannes & Vogt in Limoges, France. "Mrs. Harrison had selected corn in the design to typify the produce of the United States and as a delicate compliment to the Hoosier state. The goldenrod was selected because President Harrison considered it to be the most beautiful of our native flowers" (Margaret Brown Klapthor, Official White House China 1789 to the Present (New York, 1999), p. 128). This service was reordered during the administrations of Presidents McKinley (1897-1901) and Roosevelt (1901-1909).

For further discussion of the state service of Benjamin Harrison, including related examples of this plate, see Margaret Brown Klapthor, Official White House China 1789 to the Present (New York, 1999), pp. 127-131.