Lenox Selected to Produce the Official Inaugural Gifts For the President and Vice President of the United States on Inauguration Day
One-of-a-Kind Crystal Bowls from Lenox will be the Official Inaugural Gifts From the American People
BRISTOL, Pa., Jan. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the eighth consecutive inauguration, Lenox Corporation has created the official Inaugural gifts from the American people, given to the President and Vice President of the United States. On January 20, 2017, Lenox on behalf of the American people will present the custom-made, one-of-a-kind engraved crystal bowls at the Inaugural Luncheon following the swearing-in ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol. Lenox offered these stunning gifts to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), and the design was approved by the committee.
Lenox Corporation, the oldest and most prestigious maker of crystal and fine china in the United States, has designed and created the Inaugural gift for the incoming president since George H. W. Bush in 1989. For each Inauguration, the Lenox team of experts work for months to create a gift that encapsulates the spirit of the American people and the new presidency.
"It is my pleasure to accept Lenox's official gift for the 58th Inaugural Ceremonies," said U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugurations. "Lenox has once again created a thoughtful and beautifully-crafted gift fitting of this historic occasion, and I look forward to presenting it to the President and Vice President on behalf of the American people."
After working on this project for more than five months with master glass-cutter Peter O'Rourke, Timothy Carder, Lenox Vice President of Design, handed over the stunning pieces of craftsmanship to Senator Roy Blunt at an intimate ceremony held earlier today on Capitol Hill in the Rules Committee Hearing Room.
The inspiration for the bowls comes directly from the work of Pierre L'Enfant and Andrew Ellicott who created the layout for the plans of the city of Washington, and defined the borders of the District of Columbia. The bowl for the President features an illustration of the White House on one side overlooking the Jefferson Memorial on the opposite side. For the Vice President there is an image of the Capital overlooking the Lincoln Memorial, and each bowl has a compass rose cut into the base with the points of the compass aligned correctly with the buildings. The bowls are made of lead crystal and are 12 inches in diameter and will be placed on top of black cherry wood bases that bear an inscription of the date and occasion engraved into silver-plated plaques.
"Lenox is honored to have been the first American china to be used in the White House and to have been selected as the designer and manufacturer of choice for the past 28 years to produce the Inaugural Commemorative Gift for the President and Vice President of the United States of America," said Katrina Helmkamp, CEO of Lenox Corporation.
For 99 years, Lenox has created fine china dinnerware for the White House as well as the vice president's official residence, over 300 U.S. Embassies and more than half of the governors' mansions. Lenox became the first American china to be used in the White House in 1918 when President Wilson commissioned the company to create a 1,700-piece service bearing the presidential seal in raised gold. Over the years, Lenox has created new state services for five additional presidents - Roosevelt, Truman, Reagan, Clinton and George W. Bush - that reflect not only the style of the day, but the timeless beauty of Lenox's renowned ivory china.
About Lenox Corporation
Founded in 1889, the Lenox Corporation is the largest manufacturer, designer and marketer of tabletop products in the United States. Lenox markets products under the Lenox, Reed & Barton, Dansk, and Gorham brands. Lenox's products which include dinnerware, stemware, flatware, giftware, and seasonal products are sold around the world through fine department and specialty stores, as well as online. For more information, please visit the Lenox website: www.Lenox.com.
SOURCE Lenox Corporation
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