Images(2)

Gold Thread from Louis Phillipe's Throne in Wooden Box

Dateca. 1847

Owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Clifford Morris Canby (1813 - 1892)

OriginAmerica (box) and Europe (thread); owned in America, Delaware

MediumGold thread, wood, glass, paper, and ink

DimensionsOverall: 2 1/4 × 5 3/4 × 2 1/8in. (5.7 × 14.6 × 5.4cm)

Credit LineGift of Beatrix T. Rumford

Object number2020.610.2

DescriptionThis is a small round wooden box containing a coil of gold metallic thread. The box is in two parts with a round open lid or ring that lifts off to reveal a cavity in which the gold thread sits. A circular piece of glass fits over the thread holding it in place. On the reverse of the bottom of the box is a paper label which is inscribed in ink: "1847 / Gold thread / from Louis / Phillip's / throne".
Label TextThis small wooden box containing gold threads from the throne of Louis Phillipe, the "Citizen King", is a remarkable souvenir of its time. Family history states that it was seized from the burning throne of King Louis Phillipe in 1847 by an American tourist to Paris, Caspar Wistar Morris (1811-1875), and given to his sister, Elizabeth Clifford Morris Canby (1813-1892). It is part of a collection of important artifacts from this significant Philadelphia and Delaware family that have been given over the years to the museum by the Rumford family.
Inscribed"1847 / Gold thread / from Louis / Phillip's / throne"
ProvenanceOn the reverse of the bottom of the box is a paper label which is inscribed in ink: "1847 / Gold thread / from Louis / Phillip's / throne".
In the family china collection notebook created by Elizabeth Morris Canby Rumford in 1890 with subsequent notations by Beatrix Rumford is the entry: "328/ L. R./ Box with some gold thread from/ Louis Phillipe's throne, which/ at the time of the Revolution in/ 1847 was being burned, when/ my brother CW Morris seized it/ in passing."
On page 9 of Beatrix Rumford's notebook: "...a small round glazed box (#328/ in family china collection catalog) containing/ gold thread from Louis Phillipe's throne" [sic] brought/ back to his sister Elizabeth in 1847 by/ Jacob Giles Morris (1800-1854)./ Box OH: 2 1/4" OW: 5 34/" OD: 2 1/8"." (Note the discrepancy of names. Ms. Rumford states that it was given to Elizabeth by her brother Jacob Giles Morris, not C. W. Morris.)

The gold thread was given by Caspar Wistar Morris (1806-1877) to his sister Elizabeth Clifford Morris Canby (1813-1892). The thread and wooden box container descended to her daughter, Elizabeth Morris Canby Rumford (1848-1933), and then to E. M. C. Rumford's son, Samuel Canby Rumford (1876-1950), to his son, Lewis Rumford II (1905-1997), and finally to his daughter, Beatrix Rumford (1939-) who donated the small wooden box with gold thread to the museum in 2020.

History of owner:
Mrs. Samuel Canby (Elizabeth Clifford Morris) (1813-1892) was a twin daughter of Caspar Wistar Morris (1764-1828) and Elizabeth Giles Morris (1774-1832) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Caspar W. Morris was disowned by the Society of Friends, for joining a troop, which was sent to quell the Whiskey Insurrection in 1794; Elizabeth Giles was disowned for marrying him.) Elizabeth Clifford's twin sister was Sarah Wistar Morris (1813-1826). Elizabeth Clifford Morris married Samuel Canby (1811-1875) in 1832. They had a least one son, Caspar Morris Canby, (1833-1836) and a daughter, Elizabeth Morris Canby (1848-1933), who married Charles Grubb Rumford (1841-1901) and through which many family pieces descended to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Rumford, II, and their daughter Miss Beatrix T. Rumford