History

Government House

Main Floor - State Dining Room

• Dining Table and Chairs are Chippendale - circa 1770. Designed and manufactured in England. These magnificent pieces were not manufactured by the original Thomas Chippendale but believed to have been manufactured by Chippendale family, with a modification and extension of the table top at a later date. The set has some significance to Government House as Sir Daniel McMillan purchased it in England and used it during his term in office. It was sold at a later date and eventually purchased by the Kilgour family in Winnipeg. During the term of The Honourable Richard Bowles, Mr. S. H. Kilgour loaned the dining table to Government House. In 1970, the Government purchased the table and 12 matching chairs. Although the table was in fair condition, the chairs had been in a fire and were in multi pieces. It took a year of painstaking restoration by a Government upholsterer and cabinetmaker to restore them to their original condition.

• Small Storage Chests - circa 1880-1890 - late Victorian, marble tops, walnut and burl wood. These chests were originally used as dressers.

• Serving Table - circa 1900 - Sheraton design, mahogany, English.

• Serving Table - Early Victorian.

• Ormolu Clock and Candelabra Set - Designed and produced in France about 1860. Mechanism is French. In this set, the Ormolu is a wash of gold lacquer on brass. This beautiful set was located and obtained from a large country estate in Worcester, outside of Evesham, England. The clock is presently on the mantle in Salon III.

• Antique Coffee Urn - circa 1850 - silver plate with engraved Tupper Crest; belonged to a former Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, William Johnston Tupper (1934-40). He was the son of Sir Charles Tupper, one of the Fathers of Confederation.

• Antique Centre Piece - circa 1850, English. Combination candelabra and floral arranger; crystal bowls are Waterford; finish is gold wash on metal. This interesting piece was a wedding present to Sir Charles Tupper and his bride.

• Kosta - Ice Block (on dining room server) - Contemporary piece; hand-cut rock crystal from Sweden by Vicke Lindstrand of Kosta, one of the world's foremost artists in his field of "Hand-Engraving on Crystal". No two ice blocks are identical. The buffalo motif is one of a few produced in a very limited edition. The motif is no longer available. Note the facets that change with the light.