28 — Antiques and The Arts Weekly — June 17, 2022

Dow Family Pair Of Benjamin Harrison Parade Lanterns

Submitted By also branded or marked “B.W. jamin Harrison (1833-1901), a During his presidency, the top number, and good judges set it
Justin W. Thomas Dow,” such as a spinning wheel lawyer and Presbyterian church hat would also be used to mock at fifteen hundred.”
EXETER, N.H. — Auctioneer that was possibly made in a leader in Indianapolis, Ind., was Harrison, where cartoonists The Exeter Gazette, however,
Stephen P. Cyr recently con- Shaker community, two niddy selected by the Republican would place him under a huge was less caught up with the spe-
ducted a multigeneration estate noddies that were also possibly Party to run for president in top hat, stating how he did not cifics. “Shortly after 10 o’clock
sale at 50 Hampton Road (Route Shaker made, along with vari- 1888 and 1892. Harrison was a live up to his grandfather’s the special train bearing the
101C) in Exeter. The estate had ous other objects like ladders, proponent of strong protective standards. Ben Harrison kept President arrived at the Depot
preserved the Dow family’s some furniture, tools and other tariffs, sound money and pen- the top hat theme and used it where a crowd numbering sev-
occupancy of the farmhouse and possessions. The iron brand sions for Civil War veterans. In again during his 1892 cam- eral hundred was awaiting his
attached barn for more than 100 used to mark these objects was fact, he was a veteran himself, paign, which he ultimately lost arrival. As soon as it came to a
years. The area was also known found in the cellar alongside all having served in the Union to Grover Cleveland (1837- standstill a rush was made for
as “Dow’s Hill,” along the sorts of tools. Army as a colonel, and later 1908). the end of the rear car where
Exeter-Hampton border on However, the most historical confirmed by the United States Among the stops that Harri- the President was discovered
Hampton Road; the Dow family objects that came from the Senate as a brevet brigadier son made after he was elected standing on the platform.”
is found throughout the area, estate were items related to general of volunteers in 1865. president was Exeter, N.H., in Both publications then cite the
dating to at least the 1700s. It is Benjamin Harrison; two com- Not only was he the grandson of the summer of 1889, while he fact that “men swarmed upon
rare to find these types of plete intact parade lanterns William Henry Harrison (1773- was on his way to Bar Harbor, the track and crowds surged
estates still intact in New Eng- were found in the attic beside a 1841), the Ninth President of Maine. He stopped briefly at the towards the train until they
land today, preserving a family’s period framed print of Harrison the United States, but he was Exeter Train Depot on Lincoln could grasp the President by
history in the area for upwards and a beaver skin top hat retain- also the great-grandson of Ben- Street, which is a few miles hand. Ladies and children
of 150 or more years. ing its original box. The box jamin Harrison V (1726-1791), a along the main road from the crowded upon the car steps for
Among the objects that reads, “Penn-Craft Hats,” and founding father of America who Dow property where Cyr con- the same purpose. The Presi-
descended in the family were the label inside the hat indicates signed the Declaration of Inde- ducted the estate sale. dent stood there shaking hands
farm equipment and wagons it came from John Pyne’s hat pendence in 1776. The Exeter News-Letter with the crowd who surged
from the 1800s and early 1900s. store in Harrisburg, Penn. In 1888, Benjamin Harrison reported that “the presidential around him in the desire to
Several household objects found Born on a farm by the Ohio used the campaign slogan, train drew into the station at seize his hand. There were quite
throughout the property were River in North Bend, Ohio, Ben- “Grandfather’s hat fits Ben too.” Exeter at fourteen minutes past a number of ladies among the
This was to tie him to his ten. Citizens of Exeter and number who had the pleasure of
famous grandfather. He distrib- neighboring towns, irrespective shaking hands with the Chief
uted buttons with top hats, as of party and including many Magistrate.”
well as canes and brooches and ladies, crowded the platforms. The lanterns are special, each
other objects, making the top Twelve hundred would be a made from tin in the form of the
hat a sort of symbol for himself. moderate estimate of their Harrison top hat, as well as an
attached wooden handle that
had been carefully modified, but
not damaged probably in the
late 1800s so they could be dis-
played in the Dow family home.
They are complete and in excel-
lent condition, which is rare
today, seeing that other Harri-
son lanterns are known, but
they are often missing their
wooden handle or some other
part, and their history of owner-
ship in the late 1800s is usually
long gone.
These lanterns, however,
retain a documented history in
Exeter. According to a family
letter that accompanied them
written in 1959 by Doris Dow:
“Dear Friends, I am sending the
names of the presidents, and
date, of the years, they were in
office, the first president that I
remember was Grover Cleve-
Alexis Thomas, 10, holds the pair of circa 1888 Benjamin land, then Benjamin Harrison,
Harrison tin top hat parade lanterns that were found in the and from then until the present
attic which had descended in the Dow family of Exeter, N.H. date. I feel quite sure those tin
The lanterns are complete, although folk art bases were hats were used in the parade,
added by the Dow family so the lanterns could be displayed when Ben Harrison was elected,
in their home, presumably around Harrison’s presidential View of the tops of the Benjamin Harrison tin top hat as I remember hearing them
campaign or after he was elected President and visited parade lanterns. called “Ben Harrison hats.” I
Exeter in the summer of 1889. was born in 1882, Ben became
president in 1888, I was 7 years
old, I watched the parade from
the old house, which we now
own, and my grandfather, Albert
Dow rode horseback in the
parade, that was 71 years ago.”
The letter most likely proves
the lanterns were originally
owned by Albert Dow and per-
haps even used in the parade in
Exeter in 1888 or when Harri-
son arrived in 1889.
Additionally, a Nineteenth
Century engraving titled “Get-
tysburg: Repulse of Longstreet’s
Assaults” was found in its origi-
nal oak frame and had also
descended in the Dow family.
The engraving reveals a detailed
view of the battlefield in Gettys-
burg with Union soldiers in the
foreground, July 1-3, 1863. The
artwork was created by James
Walker (1819-1889), while the
engraver was Henry Bryan Hall
(1808-1884). It was published by
James Drummond Ball in Bos-
A number of objects found in the house and barn were ton in 1876, who also published
branded “B.W. Dow.” The brand, which has as a handle an The property at 50 Hampton Road in Exeter, N.H., which some of the most memorable
old tool, was found in the cellar mixed in with lots of tools. includes the farmhouse and attached barn. prints of Abraham Lincoln’s
 June 17, 2022 — Antiques and The Arts Weekly — 29

The parade lanterns were accompanied

with a letter found with them in the attic
that was written in 1959 by Doris Dow docu- A Nineteenth Century print of Benjamin
menting their history with the family dat- Harrison in its original frame that was
ing back to 1888. found in the estate.

Engraving of the Battle of The barn at 50 Hampton Road, the inside of which included
Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863, a large loft area and an area where wagons and sleighs and
published in 1876. The art- other farm equipment from the 1800s were found.
work was created by James
Walker (1819-1889), while
the engraver was Henry
Bryan Hall (1808-1884). It
was published by James
Drummond Ball in Boston
in 1876, who also published
some of the most memorable
prints of Abraham Lincoln’s
assassination.

assassination. This engraving is

owned by the Library of Con-
gress, the Boston Atheneum,
among many other museums
across the country today.
Other significant objects
found in the estate include a
Mercedes-Benz from 1972, that read, “Exeter Public Mar- drawn in pencil, possibly by a
antique bicycles, a Nineteenth ket.” A notable piece of Nine- child in the late 1800s or early
Century horse-drawn wagon, teenth Century folk art was 1900s. The gameboard was
two Nineteenth Century paint- also found in the attic in the made from two early conjoined
ed sleighs, two ox carts in old form of a painted backgammon pine floorboards and probably A late 1800s beaver skin top hat with its original box found
paint, a hay wagon and an gameboard, where the reverse painted by a member of the Dow with the lanterns in the home’s attic. The hat’s label is from
antique painted wooden sign side revealed a checkerboard family. John Pyne’s hat shop in Harrisburg, Penn.

‘Grace Of Monaco: Princess

In Dior’ At Hillwood Estate
WASHINGTON DC — The
special exhibition “Grace of
Monaco: Princess in Dior,” on
view at Hillwood Estate, Muse-
um & Gardens until January 8,
will explore the longstanding
collaboration between Grace
Kelly, Princess of Monaco (1929-
1982), and Marc Bohan (b
1926-unknown), artistic direc-
tor at Christian Dior, through
clothing, accessories, photos
and more, on special loan from
the Palace of Monaco.
Presented in North America
for the first time, the exhibition,
which originated at the Musée
Christian Dior in Granville,
France, offers insight into the Grace of Monaco by Gabriel
life of an icon, who crafted her “Gaby” Desmarais (Canadi-
image in response to Holly- an, 1926-1921). ©Archives du
wood’s love of glamour and later Palais du Monaco/IAM.
the desire for elegance in her
stately duties. “Grace of Mona- wood interprets Twentieth Cen-
co” is a tribute to Bohan’s muse tury fashion through Post’s own
in the 1960s-70s and a celebra- collection of jewelry, accessories
tion of their enduring partner- and apparel, it is fitting to
ship through haute couture. expand this narrative through
Like Kelly, Hillwood founder showcasing Kelly’s place in the
Marjorie Merriweather Post world of Twentieth Century
(1887-1973) was a tastemaker haute couture.
who carefully cultivated her Hillwood Estate, Museum &
image, choosing smart, sophisti- Gardens is at 4155 Linnean
cated pieces, and treating her Avenue, NW. For information,
apparel as she did her collec- www.hillwoodmuseum.org or
tions, as a connoisseur. As Hill- 202-686-5807.