Library Collections: Document: Full Text

Inventory taken at Hill-Top Cottage, May 5, 1945

Entrance Hall

On the front door: old brass knocker, formerly belonged to Miss E. M. Lynch, of Rhinebeck. Given to F.D.R. by M.L.S.

Oval table: with wooden lamp and parchment shade

Mirror: on N.E. wall

Painting: on N.W. wall -- clipper ships by H. G. Garcia, 1933

Print (framed): "Israel Silvestre Delineator Regis", C. le Brun Pinxit, G. Eddinck, fecit. West wall, north.

Print (framed): "Marie Jeanne Baptiste De Sauoye..." Laurent du Four pinxit. R. Nanteuil sculp. 1678. West wall south.

Print (framed), on south wall: "Messiere Edouard Colbert..." by "Epelinck, Chevalier Romain."

Print (framed), on south wall: "Don Phelipe V por la gracia de Dios Rey de las Espanas." Hyaninthus Regaud pinxit. Petrus Dreuet Sculp. rue du Foin.

In the closet: 2 carved wood signs, "Private property, no visitors."

Wheel chair

Small rug

Pantry

Side Board 3 trays: 1. wood, shell shaped
2. "Aquarius" The Connoisseur. Jan. 20-Feb. 19 F.D.R.". Rectangular.
3. Chromium (?) oval, with handles
Shaker, to FDR from Homer Cummings, Xmas 1938...

Top Shelf: L. to R.
tea set: creamer, sugar bowl, 4 cups and saucers, 3 large plates, Wedgwood Patrician
1 after dinner coffee cup: white with gold border and gold N.Y. State seal. Waverly, made in Japan.
2 plates
4 decanters, U.S. Navy
11 sherry glasses (from the children of the Crown Prince of Norway?)
8 brandy (?) glasses
3 odd glasses: 2 U.S.N., 1 N.Y. State seal
Chinese metal tea pot
8 plates: portrait of FDR in a laurel wreath. Maastricht, made in Holland
Glass dish (big house)
2 covered silver containers: with wooden handles
Embossed bell with cupid handle
Silver grinder pepper pot (French)
Brass water jug

Middle Shelf: L. to R.
2 decanters in shape of life preservers, with sail boat in the middle
11 tall glasses with red, white and blue marine decorations
6 "Old-fashioned" glasses, with sail-fish in blue, by H. Martin
Small plain decanter
U.S.N. glasses: 11 15 12 14
U.S.N. glasses: 9 champagne
China Set: Finland, Suomi: 5 large plates, 6 small plates, 6 saucers, 6 fruit dishes, 6 cups
Glasses: 12 very tall glasses
6 tall glasses with painted "Fala".
12 plain tumblers
Glass decanter

Bottom Shelf
China set, Minton, 83 pcs. from the Morgenthaus (?)
4 salt and pepper pots, silver, 4 pcs. in form of sundial
Pewter dish and cover, from "Marion and Nancy, Dec. 1938" made Val-kill shop
Pewter water-jug Ditto Ditto
Hot water dish, with cover, Czecho-Slovakia
Salt and pepper pots (1 pair)
Old silver salt dish with spoon and blue glass container. English.
China set Swedish, "Canari": 40 plates and saucers; 8 cups, 2 dishes, creamer and sugar bowl.
2 dishes belonging to the Finland "Suomi" set above.
Thermos jug
Corry coffee brewer
Bread slicer and knife
Salt, pepper and mustard set; Amalfi, Swedish make
Coffee cup, very large old cup "Forget-me-not".
Electric toaster

In the Drawers
Dish towels, embroidered covers and napkins, etc.
4 pieces of old silver: 2 large serving spoons "FDR". ladle, cheese scooper
Kitchen utensils

In the cupboards below: box with gold plated set, boxes of kitchen pans, miscellaneous etc. -- electric appliances etc.

Living-room

East Side. Left to Right
Painted screen with Hudson River view, given to F.D.R. by E.R.
Table with green top (from Hall house, Tivoli)
On the table: Iron lamp
Brass ice cooler
Chromium ash tray "FDR"
Antiqued wooden box for playing cards with view of "Hudson River from Ruggles House, Newburgh."
Metal vase with rams' heads -- Persian
Wall plaque with Presidential seal. Gilded and colored
Red fruit pine tray from Berks Co., Pa. Given to FDR by the staff of the FDR Library, Xmas 1944
Green plastic ash-tray
Large box for firewood
Fireplace fork with brass knob from Mrs. Suckley
Set of andirons with brass knob from M.I.S.
Bench with leather seat from Mrs. W.G. Langdon
Fireset of stand, shovel, poker and tongues designed and made by Eric Pearson, CCC Camp, Miami Ohio, S.P. 20
Large sofa to the left of fireplace
Chintz slip cover made by Luckey, Platt and Co.
Filet lace runner across the back
2 "fancy" cushions with crochet filet covers, "God bless Roosevelt", and "God bless America".
Homespun India rug. (FDR usually sat on this folded rug, because the sofa was so low it was difficult for him to get onto his wheel chair.)
Standing lamp (indirect light)
Small drop-leaf table at end of sofa, with chromium ash tray
Sheraton chair with green seat (one of 4, M.L.S.)
Hook rug in front of fireplace
Large chair to right of fireplace (same chintz as sofa). On arms and back, crochet filet pieces (3 pcs.) -- Fala design; on back, very old piece of needlework mounted on red velvet, representing Madonna and child.
Green leather waste paper basket
Old drop-leaf table (M.L.S.)
On the table:
Old silk cover
China lamp and shade
Framed photo of Fala behind the fence of the White House
Photograph of S.D.R. (41-3-324 FDR L.)
1 pr. wood book-ends
Silver vase "FDR".
Marble ash-tray with Scottie
Set of 6 brass ash-trays with Chinese (?) medallion set in
Leather case for large matches "FDR"
Snail bookends -- leather
Cigarette box, bone china, from Mr. and Mrs. Shipman (House of Parliament on cover).
Silver cigarette box to FDR from Myron Taylor, Xmas, 1940
Silver paper cutter "Quid. Clarius Astris", a boars' head.
Tiffany glass (?) vase

Page 2:

Chinese Chippendale stand to the right of the fireplace
On it: Glass cigarette box with painted sail fish

Book Case from Hall house at Tivoli, N.Y.
Books in book case -- Mr. Nichols has list
On top of book case: 14 pictures --
Print, "Hudson River", n.d.; two sail boats in foreground; 5x7 1/2"
Print, "View of Hyde Park", W.H. Bartlett. Pub. by George Bartlett, London, 1839. 4 1/2 x 7"
Print, "West Point and the Highlands". Engr. by S. V. Hunt from a painting by Henry Fenn
Water color, Poughkeepsie suspension bridge, "made from a photograph by Steenson and Van Vlack." 6 x 8 1/2"
Print, "The Palisade Rocks on the Hudson River, West Bank, New York." 4x5 1/2"
Print, "The Falls of Catskill, New York". J. & F. Tallis, London & New York. 4x6"
Water color, "Constitution and Guerriere", over a copy of Hull's letter to Sec. of the Navy Hamilton, Aug. 30, 1812, announcing the victory. 8x10".
Print, "Three Jovial Huntsment", Punch, Dec. 15, 1943. 8x11". Given to the Pres. by Langdon Marvin, Jr. Jan. 29, 1944
Print, "Military School, West Point, N.Y." n.d. 4x6"
Print, "Out Fishin'", illustrated poem by Edgar Guest
Water color, "Landscape", by Walter Emerson Dana. 4x6"
Print, "View from Hyde Park", W.H. Bartlett. Pub. by George Bartlett, London, 1839. 4 1/2 x 7" -- same as (2) but this has narrow black frame
Engraving, "Headquarters at Newburgh" drawn and engraved by James Smillie. 4x7"
Print, "View of the Catskill Mountain House, N.Y." J. and F. Tallis, London and New York
Czecho-Slovakian vase
Pair of storm lamps (candles)
Porcelain ash tray
Glass flower holder in shape of a boat
Small wooden model of a sail boat
2 glass storm lamps with candles
Czecho-Slovakian vase (mate to the above)

East Wall -- L. to R.

Large framed painting of woods fence corner. "Landscape by Julian Weir S.D.R. 1905".

Bronze Buddha on wall bracket

Over fire place, oil painting of Campobello fishing schooners, by Jonos Lie, 1933.

On mantel: L. to R. (1) Bronze figure of "kneeling woman" -- about 8" high; (2) China cow and farmer; (3) Seth Thomas clock; (4) China cow and milkmaid; (5) plaster figurine, "France bruised and chained" (with French flag)

On wall bracket to R. of mantel: small Chinese figure of warrior killing eagle. Ivory.

Book case with glass doors

Chinese screen, 8 sections, made up of picture tiles, formerly in the dining-room of 47 East 65th St.

South side -- L. to R.

Small chair, dark blue velvet seat (same set as on north side)

Cabinet with bronze head in broken pediment (this came from the Hall House at Tivoli in 1939 (?)
Contents:
6 large Lidkoping plates with pictures of vessels of the centuries -- (made in Sweden)
12 commemorative plates, Harvard Univ. 1932. Wedgwood, Etruria, England
12 the American clipper ship plates. Wedgwood, 1937
12 plates: Soldiers of the American army, 1775-1941 Limited edition, set no. 70. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Accompanying book with drawings by Fritz Kredel, H. Bittner & Co. N.Y. 1941. Sent to FDR by Homer Cummings, Xmas 1944
1 plate: Arkansas Centennial plate by Wegwood. 1836-1936. "Staffordshire" formula
2 large "Modra" dishes (round). H. Landsfold 1935 -- (Czechoslovakian)
5 large painted fans
1 mother-of-pearl and lace fan
1 Chinese covered jar with metal handles
1 glass mug marked "Frank 1876"
1 pair green porcelain shoes
1 small cup without handle with (JFDCR) "adapted" N.Y. State seal with interwoven initials. Chinese Lowestoft.
1 glass vase from Finland -- hand engraved -- child on dolphin. Designed by Miss Gunilla Jung for Paris World Exhibition, 1937
1 very old carved wooden figure from (? India)
4 Maya potteries (same group as in the FDRL.)

Small chair -- dark blue velvet seat (like one above)

Jefferson revolving chair (at desk) -- exact copy of Jefferson's

Jefferson revolving-top table -- Ditto (In S.W. corner)
On table:
Brass book-ends, sailor at the wheel
Book holder: "News" -- rooster
Iron lamp and shade -- M. I. S.
Black lacquered box with scene of Knights fighting, on colored horses. (Russian?)
Silver cigarette box with old map of N. & S. America given to FDR by "Sissy" Lord (Mrs. James Cooper L.)
Brass container with hinged top, and brass & leather handle
Lace cover, 13x26": "L'Amerique genereuse vient au secours de la Belgique. 1914-1919."
Brass bell

South wall. L. to R.

(1) Left of door: colored "Prang" print of sailor boy with 3 masted brig in background, "Der Klime Matrose," A. Felgner, Berlin.

(2) Right of door: companion piece to the above (...?)

(5) In window ledge: large glass Egyptian vase inscribed: "To Franklin D. Roosevelt."

(6) Hanging corner stand with 3 headed Tibetan religious figure. This was sent to the President by Nicholas Roerich (?). The shelf was made specially as a Xmas present from the White House staff (?), 1943 (?)

Page 3:

West side -- L. to R.

Washington desk -- reproduction of desk now in the City Hall, New York, said to have been given to George Washington by General Lafayette, in 1789. Sent to FDR by Dr. Arthur Howe of Hampton Institute, Va., May 5, 1938. Dr. Howe's letter (L.S.) and copy of FDR's thanks framed in cellophane, on the desk --

On the desk:
1 pair gold eagle book-ends
1 magnifying glass with brown leather handle and case
1 Sessions electric clock in form of ship's wheel
1 Winston Churchill Toby-jug
1 small wooden donkey
1 toy donkey, mechanical
1 brass ash-tray with ship's wheel compass

1 small mat with roses (one of I think three)
2 blue sailor china figures
1 marble paper weight with metal eagle medallion
1 pair book ends: George Washington heads
1 carved wooden box
1 double inkstand with glass base on a wooden base, with small drawer -- pasted on the bottom: "Mr. Griffin #7".
1 leather desk pad marked "Franklin D. Roosevelt."
1 tall wooden base lamp with brown leather shade. To FDR, from the National Press Club, Nov. 15, 1941
2 chromium flag stands 41 1/2 inches high, "FDR. 11/5/40"
Also on the desk: 2 mounted poems, "Work" and "A good night prayer". FDR thought these should hang in the upstairs bedrooms.

In the desk drawer:
Commemorative ash-tray of governors' conference. June 1939. Albany N.Y. Seal of N.Y. State in green case

Under the desk:
Fala round hook rug in black, blue and brown. 28 1/2" diameter
1 dark green leather waste paper basket
1 cardboard newspaper headlines waste paper basket

Next to desk:
Sheraton chair with green brocade seat. One of 4 in the room, loaned by M.L.S.

Black leather upholstered chair with plate on the back: "The President March 4, 1933 -- August 20, 1941". (Cabinet chair)

Flower stands. 2 tall flower stands made by Mr. Bie (on each side of large door)

China donkey. 1 china donkey flower holder

Petit point rug made by Mrs. Tracy Dows, with 6 panels representing FDR's life:
Groton
Harvard
Columbia
N.Y. State
Navy
U.S.A.

China pig. Wemyss, made in England

Table, mahogany, 23x53:, made by and given to FDR by Mr. Bie -- (also ladder-back chair with blue upholstered seat)
On the table:
Miniature book case, 22x36x6"
Long embroidered ecru linen cover
2 glass ashtrays (setter)
Book-ends with antiqued prints of Albany and Schenectady
Jar with metal cover and horse handle (RP)
Round covered box of Oregon myrtle wood
Brass reproduction of statue of the Pioneer Woman erected in Ponca City, Okla. 9 inches

Under the table:
Grass basket
Grass rug, oval
Bamboo waste basket
Bamboo lamp stand
Stool made by mountaineers (?)
Mahogany chest with 11 drawers -- for stamps (in corner)
Rocking chair, upholstered in chintz (rabbit and rooster etc. design)

West wall -- L. to R.

(1) In corner: carved wooden Tibetan figure, The Lord of Shambala, about 16" high. (In a corner shelf given to FDR by the White House staff in 1943.

(2) To left, first window: "The Scenery of the Hudson. View, near 'Anthony's Nose'" Currier and Ives.

(3) On window ledge: porcelain brass topped Dutch vase in blue and white.

(4) To rt. of first window: print, "The County Election," from a painting by G. C. Bingham, engr. by John Sartain; copyrighted 1854.

(5) To rt. of French windows: print, "Stump Speaking," engraved. Gautier from a painting by G.C. Bingham.

(6) In window ledge: same as 3.

North wall. L. to R.

(1) On window ledge -- large porcelain jug (Modra, Czecho-Slovakia 1935)

(2) Chinese scroll, cerise with black characters.

(3) Vitrine on table containing fans, miniatures of members of Roosevelt family, bric a brac, jewelry, etc.

(4) To rt. of vitrine: Chinese scroll (as other)

North side -- left to right

Bamboo magazine holder

Old wing chair upholstered in linen, grey background with roses. M.L.S. This has a green and white slip cover made for it, for the President, in, I think, 1943.

Small chair, with pink upholstered seat (same set as on south side).

Chinese Chippendale vitrine set on Chinese Chippendale table.
Contents:
Top shelf:
4 Chinese fans
2 silver candlesticks

2nd from top:
1 ivory fan
2 painted fans
2 Dresden (?) urns
2 round lacquered boxes
Small cardboard box marked: "2 Pasteur medals given by Dr. Aug. 1st 1934."
Small cardboard box marked: "Cohereu de Braly offert a Mrs. Roosevelt en souvenir de sa visite au laboratoire du Dr. Branly (?) le 3 Aout 1914"
2 Dresden (?) cups
Small painting of horsemen etc. in gilded frame.

Middle shelf:
3 fans (one tortoise-shell)
Miniatures of:
FDR
ER
SDR
Franklin Jr. and Johnny (?)
Anna, James and Elliot
2 miniature painted folding screens
20 small objects; 3 old rings, 2 china boxes, 1 tortoise shell box, 2 bracelets, 1 cameo (?) brooch, 1 gold locket, 1 gold pendant, 2 silver "urn" boxes with hinged tops, paper cutter with 3 feathers, paper cutter with medallion, 1 gold harp watch charm, 1 teething ring with 2 gold "grelots", carved nut, silver "spoon", Dresden (?) figure of man.

Page 4:

2nd shelf from bottom:
Miniature of Mrs. D. Forbes, in dark blue case
" " ? (in pink hat) in silver frame
Miniature of Mrs. Hitch (?) in brooch, in frame of pearls
2 large studs (?): carved stone in gold circle
1 silver box
1 small silver decanter (?)
Gold chain with green and red stones
Painted heart shaped snuff box
Chinese stand with 2 glass (?) lion-dogs(?)
Crucifix
2 pencil holders
1 carved stone ?
Silver miniature whiskey and soda set: 2 bottles, 2 goblets and tray
Old gold watch, and chain with key, heart charm and elephant charm
Silver paper cutter with dove (?) head
Gold sewing set in case, 5 pieces
Silver ash tray
Old perfume set (?) in green case
Oriental ivory figure of a warrior (?). (This may belong with the figure of the man killing an eagle on the carved shelf to the right of the fireplace).
Blue star necklace.

Bottom shelf:
Silver box "Doggers Bank"
Little red book
Lacquered pencil (?) box
Box with painted top
Dresden (?) figure of Cupid sharpening his arrows
" " girl with roses
Bronze plaque of FDR
Market place figurines (6 groups) given to E. R. by Pres. Ubico of Guatemala, Mar. 31, 1944
Bull fight set of 11 figures given to FDR by M.L.S. at Monterey, Mexico Apr. 20 1943
Card Case -- mother of pearl and leather, with gold mountings
Wedgwood plaque given by Josiah Wedgwood to his friend Thomas Harrison
Silver container with medallions
Long silver ?

Chinese Scroll, on the table

Small chair with pink upholstered seat (same as above and same set as the tow on the south side.)

Bedroom, small --

Pictures:
Watercolor by St. Thomas, V.l. 1940
" " Olin Dows, Hudson River. 1943
Print: Lee and his generals
Print: The Hudson at Hyde Park, G. Smillie
Pen and ink: Symbolic picture by Hendrick W. Van Loon, 1941
2 drawings of Franklin, Jr. and John
Print -- Hudson River at West Point by Andrew Melrose.
"Holy Grove" by Arnold W. Borckton

Furniture -- not listed

Bedroom, large --

Pictures:
3 prints by Fritz Thaulam (nos. 36, 43, 103)
Oil painting -- rural scene by G. Glenn Newell. N.A. '38
Print -- The Prayer at Valley Forge from the original painting by Henry Brueckner -- eng'd. by John c. Mt. Rae
Water color: The Washington Monument from the White House by Elizabeth Gearay
Ditto: The South Portico of the White House by Elizabeth Gearay

Furniture: not listed

2nd floor bedrooms -- not listed