2022-4-9

在华盛顿美国历史博物馆里，有一套法国瓷器非常引人注目，鹤立鸡群，是美国第十八任总统格兰特夫人在白宫时专门定制的总统官窑。格兰特夫人不但是所有美国第一夫人中最有品味的，也是所有第一夫人中最喜欢瓷器的。

类似的一套官窑，在白宫内也有展览，都是1869和1873年之间烧制的。每一个盘子，上面精心手绘的花卉都各不相同。

• 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 the White House During President Grant's Term of Office.” The bowl sold for $3,125.

每一个盘子都一丝不苟，精益求精。而且这些盘子，在格兰特总统下台之后，都按照规定，留在了白宫。

格兰特总统夫人出身贫寒，但也出生入死，追求享乐，见过大世面，任内接待过李鸿章，他在欧洲选购的369件套的中国外销瓷，其中的二十六个瓷盘，中间图桉就是一条大鱼，说明虽然她后来贵为第一夫人，却也标标准准，是一个任人唯亲的吃货。

• 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. 

还有与之相配套的一只广彩潘趣碗。

• 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. 

1879年格兰特总统偕夫人访问中国和世界的时候，恭亲王鬼子六和李鸿章投其所好，送给格兰特夫人的国礼。

• These bowls and vases were presented to General Grant as gifts when he was received in China on his world tour by Prince Kung of China and Viceroy Li Hung Chang of China in 1879. From the Grant-Vanderbilt Collection.

这些中国外销瓷，虽然也都是官方定制，可是在总统卸任后，都随之搬回家了。可见格兰特总统和第一夫人对中国外销瓷的喜爱程度，一点也不下于法国瓷。也因此，格兰特总统的内阁，是美国历史上最为人诟病的腐败内阁。

• 当他入主白宫时，带着崇高的威望和人们极大的期待。但遗憾的是，当他离开时，留给人们的却只有莫大的失望，而这一切，主要是源于他任内所出现的罕见的腐败现象和接连不断的丑闻。

而品位高雅喜欢外销瓷的格兰特夫人，是推手之一，难辞其咎。