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Source Description
This file unit contains information related to designer Frankie Welch and the dress that First Lady Betty Ford donated to the Smithsonian Institution.
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Document identity
localId
81556709
label
First Ladies Gown Collection (Smithsonian)
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doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
81556709
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
First Ladies Gown Collection (Smithsonian)
description
This file unit contains information related to designer Frankie Welch and the dress that First Lady Betty Ford donated to the Smithsonian Institution.
citationUrl
collections
Betty Ford White House Papers
First Lady General Subject Files
subjects
Smithsonian Institution. (1846 - )
President (1974-1977 : Ford). Office of the First Lady. (1974 - 1977)
Ford, Betty, 1918-2011
Fashion
First ladies
Clothing and dress
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1
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yes
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Source extras
naId
81556709
coverageEndDate
logicalDate
1977-01-01
month
1
year
1977
coverageStartDate
logicalDate
1976-06-01
month
6
year
1976
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fileUnit
recordType
description
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nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
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0
type
document
mediaId
b939b3f62fd2e786
ocrText
The original documents are located in Box 36, folder "First Ladies Gown Collection
(Smithsonian)" of the Betty Ford White House Papers, 1973-1977 at the Gerald R. Ford
Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Betty Ford donated to the United States
of America her copyrights in all of her unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Some items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted
materials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to
these materials.
FORD
6-B
The Atlanta Journal
Friday, June 25, 1976
$
'Never in My Wildest Dreams'
BERALDR
Lionnur
Georgian's Gown Becomes Part of U.S. History
By Frances Cawthron
(and orange juice for teetot-
Journal Fashion Editor
lers) and Mrs. Ford and the
WASHINGTON, D.C.-
designer chatted about the
A big grin spread across the
former's son Mike, who went
still pretty face of Martha
to school with Mrs. Welch's
Quarles of Smyrna as she
son-in-law. The First Lady
stretched to see around cam-
and Mrs. Welch have been
eramen and reporters who
friends for more than a
were recording the moment
decade, beginning when
when her second grade pupil
Gerald Ford was a congress-
of years ago, Frankie Welch,
man and Mrs. Ford modeled
became a part of United
clothes from the former
States history.
Georgian's Alexandria bou-
Mrs. Welch, smiling her-
tique for a news story. Mrs.
self, was posing with Mrs.
Ford had been a model and
Gerald Ford and Smithson-
fashion coordinator as a
ian Institution director S.
young woman, and in 1968,
Dillon Rupley after the First
coordinated a show in which
Lady officially had donated a
Mrs. Welch's red, white and
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20560
Received from Margaret B. Klapthor, Curator of Political History
thru Betty Monkman, Office of the Curator of the White House, one
green chiffon scarf matching the gown which represents Mrs. Gerald
Ford in the Collection of Dresses of the First Ladies of the White
House.
Ranay C Ohisdon
Nancy Chirdon
Secretary to Mrs. Ford
1/4/77
Date
1000
#
GEBALD
LISALEY
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20560
September 16, 1976
Ms. Nancy Chirdon
The White House
Washington, D.C.
Dear Nancy,
I am enclosing the Deed of Gift for the dress which Mrs. Ford has
given to the First Ladies Collection. You will notice I included the
scarf in the things to be accessioned. If you decide to take it back
to the White House we can just cross it off, but if it is to stay,
this will save the necessity of a second Deed of Gift.
Please call me when you are ready to come over to the Museum.
We would be happy to have any of you at any time. It has been a
great pleasure working with you and the other members of Mrs. Ford's
staff.
Mrs. Ford might like to know that the Grand Rapids Chapter of
the League of Women Voters has sent us the letter in which Mrs. Ford
acknowledges her membership in the League. We think this will be an
interesting addition to the cases in the hall in which we exhibit
material relating to the First Ladies.
The photograph is sent with our compliments.
Sincerely,
Mangaret B. Kapthor
Margaret B. Klapthor
Curator
Division of Political History
Enclosures: 3
381-5244
Deed of Gift to
The National Museum of History and Technology
of the
Smithsonian Institution
By these presents I (we) hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally transfer to the National Museum of
History and Technology of the Smithsonian Institution
by way of gift effective immediately, all my (our)
right, title, and interest in and to the following
object(s) which I (we) own:
Green nylon chiffon evening dress and scarf
Muslin pattern for dress
Bra
Pair of white cotton gloves
String of cultured pearls necklace
TOTAL NUMBER OF OBJECTS = FOUR (4) FIVE (5)
Witness my (our) hand and seal
this 29th day of September , 1976
0
Elizabith Bords
Seal
Seal
Received by Mangarel B. Klapthon
DATE: 6/24/16
Margaret B. Klapthor, Curator
ruku
+
SI-2877
BERALD
LIBRARY
Rev. 11-28-73
3419
GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY
ITEM TRANSFER FORM
The item described below has been transferred from this file to:
X
Audiovisual Unit
Oversized Container
Book Collection
Ford Museum in Grand Rapids
Item: 1 black-and-white photograph of First Lady Betty Ford viewing the most recent additions
to the collection of First Ladies gowns at the National Museum of History and Technology.
Photo courtesy of the National Museum of History and Technology, Smithsonian Institution.
The item was transferred from: Betty Ford White House Papers
Box 9
Folder: First Ladies Gown Collection (Smithsonian)
ACCESSION NUMBER (A/V & Museum Transfers only): 1979-NLF-010
Initials/Date SD/3-15-2017
:
F FORD 0 R
4,
Y 101 OFFECE you
National Public Museum Please of Smithsonian Affeirs Sistory D.C. Office and Institution 20500 Techn
8L-9L
76-7869-
EPRODUCTION
PROHIBITED WITHOU
WRITTEN PERM SSION PERMISSION
TONTAR NSTITUTIC
FRATIVE ASHINGTON 00 2n
#
Subject: Mrs. Gerald R. Ford views the most recent additions to the collection of
First Ladies gowns; gowns shown were worn by, from center to right:
Mamie Doud Eisenhower, Jacqueline Bouvoir Kennedy, Claudia (Lady Bird)
Taylor Johnson, Patricia Ryan Nixon, and Elizabeth Bloomer Ford.
Exhibit: Hall of First Ladies, National Museum of History and Technology.
Credit: Photograph courtesy of the National Museum of History and Technology,
FORD
Smithsonian Institution.
8
For further information contact: 202-381-6586.
DEFALD