Reflections Of The White House

Just as the crystal ball is said to foretell the future, so the glassware of the Presidents might be said to reflect our past. If only these wine glasses and goblets, decanters and finger bowls could speak to us, what tales they would surely tell. The information chosen for this article is only a part of the work of Jane Shadel Spillman who, for her book "White House Glassware" has relied on three primary sources: The glassware collection belonging to the White House, the purchase records preserved from each presidency, and the inventories taken during other administrations. This article gives a brief overview of her research into this little known aspect of American heritage.