A silver tureen and tray[31] were given to the Honorable James R. Mann,
Republican leader of the House of Representatives, by the members of the
House in 1919. Mann was elected a Representative from Illinois in 1897,
and he remained a member of Congress until his death in 1922. In 1912 he
became minority leader. In addition to the Mann Act, his name is
associated with other important legislation of the period such as the
Pure Food and Drugs Act and the Woman Suffrage Amendment.
The tray, which holds the tureen, is inscribed:
James R. Mann Republican Leader from House Members of the 65th
Congress, March 3rd, 1919.
It is marked on the back with "W. Sterling, 4086--16 in." The initial
represents the Wallace Silver Company.
The oval tureen is on a pedestal base. There is a scroll design around
the edge of the base, the edge of the bowl, and the opening of the
bowl. The piece measures 14 inches from handle to handle, is 10 inches
high, and has the initials "J R M" in old English letters engraved on
the side.
In the Museum's collection is a loving cup of Chinese design that was
presented by the Chamber of Commerce, Peking, China, to a party of
American Congressmen on a tour of China and Japan in 1920.[32] The
height of the cup is 17-5/8 inches, and its width, including the two
large handles, is 15-5/16 inches. The piece is mounted on a papier-mache
base that is covered with silk. The engraved Chinese characters
translate as follows:
Commemorating the welcome of Congressmen from Great America
traveling in China