Official White House China

This plate is part of a large dessert service James Monroe ordered from the Paris firm of Pierre Louis Dagoty and Edouard D. Honoré in 1817. It is the first china acquired specifically for official use in the White House. In the center, an eagle clutching an olive branch and arrows recalls the Great Seal of the United States. Within the gold-rimmed amaranth border are five medallions representing Agriculture, Strength, Commerce, Science and the Arts.