There will be no Trump porcelain collection due to cost and time, source says

The timing and the exorbitant cost prevented outgoing first lady Melania Trump from following the collection, patterns and colors she chose for, according to a source familiar with the events. In the end, China took too long to manufacture and cost too much, the source said.

The nonprofit White House Historical Association paid for China’s former official collections with funds provided by its donors, but another source involved in Trump’s China talks told CNN that the association had “concerns” with the price and decided it was overpriced and effortless.

“The White House Historical Association has not been involved in a China-related Trump acquisition project,” an association official told CNN. The official did not comment on the reason for the lack of involvement. The last administration not to use association funds for official China was the Reagan administration.

Full service china official administration is expensive and a time consuming endeavor.

Obama porcelain, whose planning began in 2011, was delivered in 2015, the color inspired by the blue waters of Hawaii. There were 320 settings of 11 pieces each, costing over $ 350,000, paid for by the White House Historical Association.

Laura Bush’s porcelain selection totaled 4,500 pieces and cost $ 492,000, also paid for by the association. Bush ordered 75 additional, less formal place settings to be used for entertaining in the private residence, which was not paid for by the White House Historical Association.

Trump has most often chosen to borrow cutlery from the official China Clinton set for his White House events, the two state dinners hosted by Trump included. There are 300 appropriately adorned, shiny gold plates and crockery selected by Hillary Clinton when she was first lady.

First Lady Ellen Wilson created the White House China Room in 1918 to display porcelain from presidential administrations.