The National Trust for Historic Preservation

740-748 Jackson Place, N. W. - Washington D.C. 20006

Dear Friend,

I think this is important.

George Washington was two years old when John Drayton, a member of the King’s Council for the Colony of South Carolina, broke ground for a two-story brick mansion on the Ashley River, 12 miles upstream from Charleston. It stood sturdily through the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and is one of the few great Carolina houses to escape the ravages of the Civil War.

And although Drayton Hall has stood the tests of time since 1738 and is celebrated as one of the great architectuiral and historical treasurers of America, its survival is threatened. Deterioration and vandalism have taken a heavy toll and extensive preservation is urgently required.

Drayton Ball was purchased by the National Trust as the only means of saving it from development. It was the Drayton family’s wish that the property they cherished for seven generations pass directly from the family to an organization that would preserve the house for the public benefit. Very substantial funds --- up to $2,000,000 --- must now be expended for preservation and to create an endowment which would insure the proper long-range support of the property.

If we succeed in raising half this sum, we can request an equal amount of federal funds for this vital work: for every dollar you contribute we will be able to get a matching dollar.

If you join us in this cause, you will be invited to attend a preview of Drayton Hall this Spring. Lunch will be

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provided at the Plantation followed by a reception at the Russel l House, the headquarters of the Historic Charleston Foundation. There we will celebrate the rescue of Drayton Hall and mark the completion of our Twenty-fifth Anniversary as the only non-governmental organization chartered by Congress to safeguard America’s cultural and historical heritage.

The invitation list will include our five Honorary Members, Mrs. Nixon, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Onassis, Mrs. Eisenhauer and Mrs. Truman. The Secretary of the Interior and members of Congress will be invited, as will eminent architects, historians and preservationists.

A specially commissioned medallion will be struck to honor this significant milestone in the history of preservation, and each guest attending will receive a serially numbered copy. More about the medallions later. Let me now tell you how you can help to save Drayton Hall and --- at the same time --- make what I believe is an excellent investment.

Prior to accepting the presidency of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, I was curator of the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Among the vast treasures of that great museum is a large collection of European eighteenth-century hinged boxes. Some are fashioned from precious metals studded with jewels; others are enamelled silver or copper. A few are Limoges porcelain from France --- an ideal medium for multicolor decoration.

Last winter we began searching for a suitable medium to raise funds for Drayton Hall, and to mark out first quarter-century. We considered a wide range of limited editions. None seemed exactly right. Our qualifications were extremely demanding. WE insisted on an edition of the finest quality, a high level of aesthetics, a genuine possibility for appreciation, and the widest possible appeal among those who cherish our history and cultural traditions.

Then one day I remembered the porcelain boxes.

We visited Tiffany and Cartier in New York and obtained the names of their finest resources before we commissioned the design of the porcelain boxes we are pleased to be offering you today.

The National Trust Collection of Fine Porcelain Boxes consists of five extraordinary examples celebrating some of our most distinguished properties: Cliveden, Woodlawn, Shadows-on-the-Teche, Lyndhurst, and Decatur House.

In the course of my letter I will provide you with more information on these boxes --- sufficient, I believe, to enable

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you to decide whether you wish to purchase them for aesthetic, charitable, or investment reasons. Or, very possibly, all three.

I mentioned earlier that our requirements were extremely stringent --- that among them was the insistence on a very high level of aesthetics. It was our feeling that nothing less would be suitable in portraying properties of the National Trust. We feel we have been true to our dedication.

We selected for this project the finest of the few craftsmen in the world capable of meeting our standards: the famous and venerable Porcelaine de Paris.

Each box is different in shape, made from models over 100 years old, and is decorated in exquisite detail from original oils, watercolors, and design motifs found within our Trust properties. The artists include E. L. Henry, Edward Savage (1789), Adrian Persac (1861), John Robert Murray (1824), Alonzo Chappel (1863), Alexander Jackson Davis (1838), Currier & Ives (1875).

Of course, fine art cannot be transferred directly to porcelain but must be repainted for the medium by highly skilled artists. Two were selected for this delicate assignment, each with 25 years of experience at Porcelaine de Paris. After you inspect the boxes, you will recognize why both have been named “Best Worker of France,” an extraordinary award given but once every three years to a handful of workers in the entire nation. These artists were apprenticed to a man who was, himself, a “Best Worker of France.” he, in turn, learned the art of miniature painting from his father.

The secret of making porcelain was guarded by its Chinese originators for 1200 years. It was not until 1709 than an alchemist in Meissen discovered the Chinese formula, but he kept it only 10 years. During this short span, artisans in Meissen developed porcelain as an art form, and when other European centers learned the secret, they contributed to the state of the art.

Paris was one of these centers, and outstanding among its many factories was Porcelaine de Paris, established by Jean Baptiste Locre in 1773 --- the year of our Boston Tea Party. It has been, since 1960, the sole surviving porcelain factory in the City of Paris.

Why, you may ask, was this extraordinary effort made to produce museum-quality art objects? Beyond our concern for beauty and quality we also wished to offer works with the greatest possible chance for appreciation. It was our clear purpose to produce porcelain of heirloom quality. While there is, of course,

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no absolute guarantee that these boxes will increase in value, it has become abundantly clear in recent years that the greatest increase among collector’s items is obtained by limited editions with specific characteristics!

It is my opinion that these boxes meet our exacting requirements in every respect, and we command them to your consideration.

For your information, antique porcelain boxes, especially those from the Eighteenth century, are bringing extremely high prices as collectors vie for the choicest pieces available. In the past five years, prices have more than tripled. At one recent Sotheby Parke Bernet auction, a 1745 gold-mounted porcelain box from Meissen fetched $2,400, and at another auction, 11 boxes were knocked down at prices ranging from $175 to $30,000 each. And a New York dealer is currently asking $36,000 for a very rare French porcelain box.

The National Trust Collection is being offered first to members and friends who have demonstrated a clear interest in historic preservation. The edition is strictly limited to 2,500. Each set is serially numbered. Only one set will be available to each subscriber. Orders will be filled in the exact sequence in which they are received. (Should we offer a second series of boxes at some future date, the first opportunity to purchase a set bearing the same serial number will be reserved for you.)

The first set will be presented to the Smithsonian Institution for its permanent collection. The last set will remain on display here in our headquarters. The remaining 2,498 sets

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of five boxes will be available for sale at $600 the set. Upon completion of sale, the litho plates used to prepare the series will be deface, thus assuring protection to all subscribers.

The enclosed folder printed in four colors approximates the amazing depth and value of the 16 different colors used in the production of these pieces. Please examine it closely.

If you agree that these boxes are outstanding, that prospects for their appreciation are indeed bright, and that our work to save Drayton Hall and preserve America’s heritage is worthy of your support --- then I urge you to act promptly.

Send us your order today with your check for $600 to purchase your set of The National Trust Collection of Fine Porcelain Boxes. Your payment will be acknowledged and you will be informed of your number in the limited edition. For those who appreciate low numbers, please remember: assignment will be made strictly in order of receipt.

In consideration of your full payment in advance, you will receive a .999 fine silver medallion struck to commemorate our Twenty-fifth Anniversary and the rescue of Drayton Hall.

If you prefer, you may purchase the first two boxes in the set now for $250 and the remaining three for $125 each. You will be billed prior to each monthly shipment. With your final box you will receive the serially numbered limited edition medallion in bronze.

Because these boxes are hand-crafted and your serial number is fired into the porcelain, please allow 30 to 60 days for delivery from the date you receive your acknowledgement.

You will have two weeks following receipt of the National Trust Collection to make your own independent appraisal and decide if you wish to keep it. If you decide against The Collection, simply return it insured. Your payment will be refunded in full and there will be no further obligation.

If you decide to keep The Collection, you will be elected (or re-elected) a Sustaining Member of the National Trust. Your

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name, as the original purchaser, will be entered in a special bound volume which will be maintained in the National Trust Archives.

And, of course, you will be a guest of honor this Spring at Drayton Hall when we salute our first 25 years with the rescue of this magnificent property. It will be a memorable gathering.

Please let me hear from you promptly. I would like you to have the pleasure of examining The National Trust Collection at the earliest date. By agreeing to examine it, you risk only the time it takes you to decide whether or not you share our high opinion of these unique boxes.

Won’t you place your order now?

Sincerely,
James Biddle
President