Images(5)

Desk

Date1760-1790

OriginAmerica, Massachusetts, Southeastern or Rhode Island

MediumMahogany, white pine, and chestnut.

DimensionsOH: 42"; OW: 41 1/2"; OD (shut): 21"; OD (open): 33 1/2"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1930-206

DescriptionAppearance: Slant-front desk; plain rectangular top with exposed dovetails on upper surface; fall-board with batten ends; original lock. Desk interior divided into five sections with center one being a prospect door carved with a concave arched shell over a concave tablet; behind prospect door are three drawers, the top one having a carved, concave arched shell; flanking prospect door on either side are two pigeon holes with shaped divider and concave arched valance drawers, over a tier of two convex blocked drawers; beside this section on either side of desk interior are a tier of three concaved blocked drawers, the top drawer of which is carved with a concave arched shell; each drawer has a brass pull and rounded sides and chamfered rear edges. Below writing surface are four drawers graduated in size with molded edges and original brasses and escutcheons of willow pattern. Top drawer flanked by full height lopers. Molded base; ogee bracket feet.

Construction:
The single board mahogany top is half-blind dovetailed and single board cherry bottom dovetailed to the figured matching (consecutive flitch) single board mahogany sides. The full depth two board desk writing surface (mahogany backed by white pine) is joined to the sides with sliding dovetails (probably backed by dados). Drawer blades are joined to the sides with sliding dovetails.

Vertical dividers separating the top drawer from the lopers are sliding dovetailed to the underside of the desk writing surface and the upper side of the upper drawer blade. The drawer supports for the narrower upper drawer are toe-nailed to the back edge of the drawer blade and notched at the back where they are nailed to the sides. Guides for the lopers and drawers are glued to the top of these supports. Supports for the two middle drawers are butt joined to the back edge of the drawer blades and nailed to the case sides. The drawer blade for the bottom drawer is set in shallow dados in the sides and glued to the upper surface of the bottom along its front edge. Two modern 8” chamfered blocks reinforce the joining of the blade and bottom. The bottom drawer supports are chamfered on the upper inside front corners. The supports are butt joined to the drawer blade, rest on the bottom and are nailed with modern nails (only) from the upper surface to the case bottom.

Lopers are mahogany with square pegs in holes near the back as stoppers. A pair of round holes slightly behind the stoppers indicate earlier stoppers. A 5” triangular pieced-in section in the upper back edge of both lopers indicate an apparent repair.

The mitered base molding is nailed to the front and side edges of the case bottom. The two halves of the front ogee bracket feet are miter joined and glued to the underside of the base molding. A vertical glue block on the inside of the mitered corner extends from the case bottom to the floor. Horizontal chestnut blocks, shaped to match the brackets, are glued to the inside of the brackets and the case bottom. Bracket and glue block on the proper left (PL) side are additionally screwed to the molding and bottom. The side facing rear ogee bracket feet are similarly joined to the bottom and molding. The inset rear facing flat bracket feet are glued to the ogee bracket feet, vertical glue block and case bottom, where the joining is reinforced with a rectangular glue block.

The ogee bracket feet are original. The PL rear facing flat bracket foot and glue blocks have been replaced as have both front vertical corner glue blocks. (Chestnut glue blocks are original.)

The fallboard matches (consecutive flitch) the two case sides. It has batten ends and integral bead edge and is joined to the fixed writing surface with inset brass butt hinges. The floor of the interior drawer compartment rests on the back of the fixed writing surface and is probably glued to it. The front of the compartment is shaped and edged with an integral cove molding. Two sides of the prospect compartment rest in dados in the compartment floor and underside of the case top. Valance drawers are supported by full depth shelves; valance drawer fronts overhang the front of the shelf supports. Shelves, dividers and drawer blades are set in dados in the case top and sides, prospect sides, compartment floor and each other. Modern rectangular, nearly full width, drawer stops are glued to the floor at the back of each drawer compartment other than valance drawers. All interior desk surfaces are mahogany.

Desk interior drawers are of dovetail construction with mahogany fronts and white pine back, sides and bottoms. Bottoms are glued into rabbets in the front, sides and back. Upper edges of the sides are rounded. Drawer fronts are taller than the drawer sides and backs. Prospect door butt hinges are surface mounted to the door front and front edge of the proper left prospect side.

Lower case drawers are of dovetail construction with bottoms set in dados in the front and nailed from below to the edges of the sides and back. Runners are nailed from below to the underside edges of the bottoms with the nails extending into the sides. Upper edges of the sides are rounded. Front and side under edges of the bottoms are chamfered. Drawer fronts are mahogany with integral beaded edges on the tops and sides which function as drawer stops. Drawer sides, backs and runners are white pine. Locks, as well as brasses appear to be original.

Horizontal backboards are nails in rabbets in the back of the top, sides, and to the back edge of the bottom board.

Woods: all secondary framing is white pine with the exception of a portion of the foot blocking which is chestnut.
InscribedChalked numbers on back or large drawers; scratched Roman numeral inside each drawer front.
ProvenanceEx Coll: L. G. Myers