Images(10)

Lap desk

Date1827-1836

Maker Thomas Broughton Rogers

OriginAmerica, New York, New York City

MediumMahogany, brass, bone, leather, velvet (replaced)

Dimensions(closed) OH: 8 ¾”; OD: 10 ½”; OW: 20”

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Edna G. Tucker and Ms. Wendy S. Tucker in memory of Edward Bolton (Teddy) Tucker, M.B.E.

Object number2020-109

DescriptionA mahogany tripart folding lap desk with fitted interior; retains its original applied paper label on underside of top section reading: "T.B. ROGERS / FANCY CABINET MAKER / No. 1 Thames-street /NEW-YORK." The hinged top has a shallow depression on the underside and a tooled, red leather document file glued at the bottom into this space; interior of desk at middle section fitted with a concave pen tray and four small compartments at back, only one retaining its lid with round bone knob; interior hinged section unfolds to reveal slanted blue velvet (replaced) writing surface that hinges in the center to uncover two open compartments in the base of the desk; rectangular brass support bands at exterior corner edges and incurved, triangular brass caps on corners of lid; two brass recessed handles on the proper left and right sides of bottom section; rectangular surface mounted brass escutcheon with incurved corners; rectangular brass nameplate with incurved corners (no inscription) in center of lid; proper right side of desk has shallow drawer that runs length of desk bottom that can be locked by vertical brass rod; replaced bottom board.

Note: interior pin must be removed prior to opening exterior drawer
MarkingsApplied paper label on underside of top section reading: "T.B. ROGERS / FANCY CABINET MAKER / No. 1 Thames-street /NEW-YORK."
ProvenanceDocumented by Sue Taliaferro Bolton Tucker (wife of Edward Henry Tucker) on Sept. 1, 1970: “Maria’s Hill (now Pembroke Rectory) – owned and lived in by the misses Hall – whose mother was a Tucker (?). A Willoughby Harvey inherited the desk, believe his mother was a Hall and gave said desk to Edward Henry Tucker, grandfather of Wendy Sue Tucker.” Line of descent: possibly Harriet Tucker Hall Harvey (1819-1965) to son Willoughby Harvey (1854-1917), to distant cousin Edward Henry Tucker (1871-1957), to son Edward Bolton “Teddy” Tucker, to daughter Wendy Sue Tucker. Despite the 1970s history, Willoughby Harvey lived in New York City around 1880 in the house of his uncle Thomas D. Hall’s (1828-1892) brother-in-law Robert Alexander Tucker (1815-1886) and may have purchased the desk second-hand himself. Or, as suggested by the 1970s provenance, another member of the Hall family (Thomas Hall (1788-1864) m. Harriett Tucker (1795-1884) and lived in Pembroke, Bermuda) may have left the desk to Willoughby Harvey.