Desk and Bookcase

Dateca. 1795

OriginAmerica, Virginia, Frederick County

MediumCherry and yellow pine.

DimensionsOH: 103 3/4" OW: 42 1/4" OD: 24 1/2"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1930-68

DescriptionAppearance: Desk and bookcase in two sections with broken arch pediment and floral rosettes; urn and spire finials above fluted plinths; carved leafage applied to tympanum below central finial; applied astragal molding on tympanum arching below rising curves or arched pediment and continuing around the sides; stop-fluted quarter columns on upper and lower cases; upper case with frame and flat paneled doors having rail one-third of way down; doors conceal three shelves with scratch beading on their leading edges; boards behind shelves have scratch bead run at their upper edges; lower case with desk over four graduated drawers with cockbeaded edges; drawers have brass escutcheons and bail and rosette brasses; fall board supports have cock beading to match drawers; fall board opens to reveal a central prospect door with cove molding surround flanked by two reeded document drawers, four pigeon holes on each side above two drawers over one drawer; the dividers between the pigeon holes are shaped and there are shaped arches above the pigeon holes; waist and base molding; four ogee bracket feet; newspaper clipping listing President Garfield's cabinet is glued to inside of left door.

Construction: Upper Case - top consists of a single board set into a rabbet and dovetailed to case sides; glue blocks set inside case secure tympanum to top; cove molding of pediment mitered at corners and nailed to tympanum and case sides; stiles extend through top of case; finials tenoned to case; tympanum tenoned to side stiles; sides dovetailed to case top and bottom; quarter columns are flush mounted to leading edge of case side and stiles and are nailed to glue blocks inside case; panels of doors set into frame and rail with molded edges; panels of door beveled on inside; doors are through-tenoned and pegged; shelves are notched for quarter columns and stiles and are set into dado at case sides; bottom of upper case consists of one board; back consists of seven lap joined boards running laterally set into a rabbet and nailed to case sides. Lower Case - top consists of a single board; sides dovetailed top and bottom; waist molding nailed to top; quarter columns flush mounted to leading edge of case sides and are nailed to glue blocks within the case; full-depth dustboards (1/2") consisting of two to three lap joined boards running laterally are dadoed into case sides; drawer blades (7/8") dadoed into front board of dust boards, mortised and tenoned into case sides; drawer guides nailed to dust boards; stile on inner side of fall board support through-tenoned into drawer blade and writing surface of desk; bottom of case consists of two lap joined? boards notched for quarter columns and stiles; base molding forms leading edge of 2-1/4" deep mitered framework which is nailed below bottom; front feet consist of two pieces of wood mitered together, nailed and glued to bottom framework; rear bracket faces of rear feet nailed to side bracket faces; back consists of 7 lap joined boards running laterally set into a rabbet and nailed to case sides; back extends past bottom. Desk compartment - fallboard with mitered corners, dadoed together; writing surface of desk notched for quarter columns and stiles; the bottom surface of the pigeon holes and the dustboards of the drawers are dadoed into side of case and into stiles at outer edges of document drawers; the dividers between the pigeon holes and between the smaller drawers are set into a v-notch in the top of the case, the bottom surface of the pigeon holes, and the dustboards; a thin board beneath the prospect drawer slides out to reveal a secret compartment. Interior drawers - dovetailed front and back; top edges of sides and back are rounded; back passes sides; bottom is flush mounted in a rabbet and extends past back; bottom nailed to front, back, and sides. Document drawers - top edges of sides are shaped and rounded; sides set into rabbet at front and nailed at front, back, & bottom; sides extend past back & bottom; bottom flush mounted in a rabbet; bottom passes back; top edge of back beveled into wedge shape. Drawers - cock beading (1/2") nailed & glued to drawer fronts (1"); sides dovetailed into front & back; back passes sides at top view; top edges of backs & sides are (1/2") rounded; drawer bottoms consist of 2-3 butt joined boards grained laterally; the bottoms are beveled & set into a dado at front & sides; bottoms extend past the backs & are nailed to the backs; & are nailed to the backs; bottoms have 2 glue blocks along the front & sides.

Materials: Cherry sides, stiles, quarter columns, doors, tympanum, finials, rosettes, applied carving, all molding, fallboard, fallboard supports, drawer fronts, drawer blades, leading edges of interior compartments, cock beading, feet, top and bottom of lower case; all other components are yellow pine.
Label TextThis desk and bookcase was originally owned by David Lupton (1757-1822) and used at his residence, Cherry Row, on Apple Pie Ridge in Frederick County, Virginia. Two high chests (CWF accessions 1973-206 and 1973-325) a card table (accession 1987-725) share the same history. Cherry Row was finished in 1794 and these pieces may have been commissioned or purchased at that time. A corner cupboard from the same shop (accession 1973-197) was first owned by another Frederick County family.
InscribedRight fallboard support has pencil drawings of men, one firing a gun; also in pencil "(?) ary (S) or (D) Lupton." Outer left side of second drawer in pencil "J.R. Lupton." Interior drawers are numbered in pencil.
MarkingsNone
ProvenanceCWF purchased the desk and bookcase from Israel Sack in 1930. An early Curator's Worksheet in the file records that there was a comment on the back of a photograph made when 1930-68 was acquired by CWF that it was found in Alexandria, Virginia. According to Lupton family history, James R. Lupton, grandson of Jonah H. Lupton and great-grandson of David Lupton, sold his great-grandfather's desk to CWF in the 1920s. As noted above, "J.R. Lupton" is written in pencil on one of the drawers. Reference is made to the memo written by Anne McPherson, dated Febrary 9, 1995, a copy of which is in the file, for references to this desk in probate records.

Exhibition(s)