Name/Title
Riding Crop and CaseEntry/Object ID
1985.4.1 A-BDescription
Riding crop with case. The crop's shaft is a golden color and contains a hinged gold dome top with black stylistic flowers. The writing around the base of the dome reads "BUCKIE." The case is black with three hooks to hold the case closed.Context
This riding crop was presented by Emperor Napoleon III (1808–1873) to Sarah Buchanan Campbell Preston (1842–1880), the daughter of John S. Preston (1809–1881) and Caroline Martha Hampton (1807–1883). Better known as Sally, Buck, or Buckie, Preston was an avid equestrian. She received an education in Paris, where she caught the eyes of Napoleon III. While the details surrounding Napoleon’s gift are uncertain, it is possible Napoleon was trying to win her favor, as Buckie was deemed “the most beautiful of all Southern belles” by Henry Simmons in "A Concise Encyclopedia of the Civil War." In 1868, Buckie married Colonel Rawlins Lowndes (1838–1919) of a wealthy Charleston family. Their marriage was the final family marriage to occur in the Hampton-Preston Mansion.Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Sarah Buchanan Campbell Preston Lowndes
