Desk

Object/Artifact

Historic Charleston Foundation

Name/Title

Desk

Entry/Object ID

L.75.3.1

Description

Mahogany desk bookcase, desk and bookcase in two sections. Upper section: Has broken pediment with fretted slots each side of urn with leaf design on inner edge curve. Incised panel of fretwork across center front repeated on ogee front feet. Double doors with beveled panels and beaded edge on right hand side door. Top section has two unusually shaped brass escutcheons. Inside are brass hinges and brass fastens to lock in place left hand door, top and bottom. There are three moveable shelves adjustable to various slots. Shelves show ink (?) stains in places. Mid-way center between third and fourth shelf is a prominent knot or gouge in wood of back frame, on mid-front of lower unmoveable shelf are roughly carved figures which appear to be VIII Y 1823. Below shelves are three drawers with brass ring pulls approx. 11.5" by 10.5." There are numerous gouges and blemish marks both inside and outside top section. Side panels on each side of outer frame have hair grain cracks stretching from top downwards a foot or so. Lower section: Sloping outer front of desk has an approx. 2" inlay or cross banded piece on three sides which is mitred at corners. Brass escutcheon is similar to that of three or four lower drawers. Sloping piece has three dark marks clustered on right hand lower side. Top edge of slope has missing piece on left side and missing piece on right hand side where edge of slope joins the desk- both are noticeable. Slope has two brass hinges. When slop front is open, rear of desk is divided into three sections with center locking space having small brass escutcheons. Inside this is one drawer with brass ring pull. This small door has unusual inner brass hinges. Right hand stile on outer edge center space has obvious missing piece on right side and bottom edge. Each sitle has double-stopped fluting. On each side of center cabinet are four pigeon holes and one wide drawer with two shorter drawers above - each with brass ring pulls. Flat surface of inner desk has brass inscribed donor plate regarding gift of piece to South Carolina Society. The four drawers below the desk sections are of graduated depth with top drawer slightly shorter than the others to allow for pull-out rests to hold slope front. Each drawer has two elaborate brass pulls and center brass escutcheon. Slope front and first drawer escutcheon are similar; three lower drawers have more elaborate ones. Cabinet and bookcase has over-all blemishes and gouge marks due to age.

Collection

Loan

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Elfe, Thomas

Attribution

Attributed to

Artist

Axson, William

Attribution

Attributed to

Date made

1770 - 1790

Time Period

Rococo

Place

City

Charleston

State/Province

South Carolina

Country

United States of America

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription

Transcription

Bequeathed to the/ South Carolina Society/ --- BY --- Horatio Waring Mitchell/ One of our most esteemed members/ Who died, October 1st 1932

Notes

Inscribed on a brass plaque

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Desk

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Storage & Display Furniture

Nomenclature Class

Furniture

Nomenclature Category

Category 02: Furnishings

Other Name

Desk and Bookcase

Dimensions

Height

90-1/2 in

Width

39 in

Depth

23-1/2 in

Dimension Notes

6/1/2005: Measurements taken at widest and deepest point of base - Depth: 24.5" (closed) 37.25" (open) Width: 40.75"

Material

Mahogany, Mahogany veneer, Cypress

Location

Room

104

Building

Nathaniel Russell House

Date

February 7, 2023

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Notes

Upper case: Proper left door has vertical crack at top outer edge with a piece of wood missing at top of the crack. Proper left side has vertical crack running full height of board Proper right side has vertical crack near center of board and another toward rear of board approximately 3/4 from top; appears to be an old repair. Carving on frieze is dusty. Interior of upper case: Bottom stationery shelf has ink stains on proper left. Surface worn on face of proper right. Small gouges to cockbeading on proper left; Proper left drawer is stuck closed Lower case: Chip on top edge, proper right, of slope front and proper left corner. Both sides of case have dark patches, possibly old repairs. Base carving is dusty; small gouges along bed molding Front: normal wear; light surfaces scratches and random discoloration Interior of drawers show wear and discoloration appropriate to age and use. Parts Missing: chips to slope front and proper left door

Conservation

Treatment

Conservator

Joyce Keegan

Relationships

Related Publications

Notes

"The Furniture of Charleston, 1680 - 1820" Volume I Colonial Case Furniture, 1730-1780 Rauschenberg, Bradford L. and John Bivins, Jr. (Winston-Salem, NC: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, 2003) Fig. CC-20, pg. 115 - 123.

Provenance

Notes

Descended in the Waring Family.

Intake

Loan In

L.1975.003.

Lender

South Carolina Society

Date Received

May 20, 1975

Date Due for Return

May 20, 2006

General Notes

Note

Notes: Color transparency taken by Gavin Ashworth, in notebook Slides

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

August 20, 2002

Updated By

sferguson@historiccharleston.org

Update Date

May 1, 2023