Camden, New Jersey
                    Sparks Perfect Health For Kidney And Liver Disease
                                                     C10563
Circa:1885, Massive Brown/Black Transfer Ironstone Porcelain, Patent Medicine Advertising Platter featuring an
outstanding portrait of the beautiful,
21 year old Bride of President Grover Cleveland. This amazing Advertising
/ Presidential Americana Platter measures a whopping
11” by 16 1/2” and is made of very heavy white ironstone.
The Platter is scallop edged and has Advertising text that reads :"Sparks' Perfect Health" at the top and "For Kidney
and Liver Disease". The Platter also carries the manufacturer's credit which reads "Robt. H. Payne, Porcelain Show
Cards, Camden, N.J.". But what takes this wonderful Patent Medicine Advertising Piece to another level entirely is the
stunningly beautiful, dark brown transfer portrait of Mrs. Grover Cleveland (formerly Frances Folsom) - the young
Bride of President Cleveland who became the Nations darling following the Presidential Marriage held at the White
House. At the lower right hand corner of the portrait is text that reads "Mrs. Cleveland" and below the portrait is text
that reads "Compliments of the Sparks' Medicine Co., Camden, N.J.".
We have seen only one other example of
this wonderful Platter in the past 28 years - that other example was heavily stained and had a significant
amount of the transfer decoration worn off. Not only is this Platter very beautiful but we also believe that
it is exceptionally rare.

First Lady Frances Cleveland was born Frances Cornelia Folsom in Buffalo, New York. She was the only
child of Emma C. Harmon and Oscar Folsom who survived infancy (a younger sister, Nellie Augusta, died before her
first birthday). Oscar was later a law partner of Grover Cleveland. As a devoted family friend Cleveland bought
"Frank" her first baby carriage. As administrator of the Folsom estate after his partner's death, though never her
legal guardian, he guided her education. When she entered Wells College, he asked Mrs. Folsom's permission to
correspond with her, and he kept her room bright with flowers. Though Frank and her mother missed his
inauguration in 1885, due to Wells' refusal to let the student miss any classes, they visited him at the White House
that spring. Their affection turned into romance—despite 27 years' difference in age—and there the wedding took
place on June 2, 1886, making them the first and only first couple to be wed in the executive mansion. At age 21, she
was the youngest American First Lady. When Frances Folsom became Mrs. Cleveland, she took over the duties of
being White House hostess, and her charm won her popularity. She held two receptions a week—one on Saturday
afternoons, when women with jobs were free to come. Cleveland's sister Rose Cleveland had been her bachelor
brother's hostess in the first 15 months of his first term of office. After her brother's marriage, Rose gladly gave up
the duties of hostess for her own career in education. Upon leaving the White House at the end of Cleveland's first
term, Frances is reported to have told the staff to take care of the building since the Clevelands would be returning
in four years. After losing the U.S. presidential election, 1888, the Clevelands lived in New York City, where
baby
Ruth was born. With his re-election, the First Lady returned to the White House as if she had been gone but a day.
People took keen interest in the birth of Esther at the mansion in 1893, and of Marion in 1895. When the family left
the White House, Mrs. Cleveland had become one of the most popular women ever to serve as hostess for the
nation.
Camden, New Jersey        
Sparks Perfect Health
For Kidney And Liver Disease
{small}          
C1053
$500.00  Platter & Glass