Desk

Furniture

-

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Desk

Entry/Object ID

SS.62.231

Description

Desk, pedestal type: rectangular type with rounded corners, into which are set red fabric writing surface and silver plaque, engraved, in script: "Washington Irving / from his Publishers / Feb. 22. 1856;" front of desk equipped with three shallow drawers arranged horizontally at top, right, and left, with small compartments at their fronts; three drawers, each pedestal; drawers surrounded by narrow strips of square and concave molding, giving appearance of sunken panels, and are separated from each other by horizontal strips of half-round molding; drawer pulls are round conical wooden knobs; keyholes, one in each drawer, surrounded by round wooden bosses; drawers, of dove-tailed construction, appear to have birch sides, walnut backs and bottoms, with oak faces; rear of desk divided as front, with however, artificial drawers; above false middle drawer at back of desk is writing slide, faced with red baize; at kneehole in rear, ribbon-carved brackets in upper corners; pedestals stand on four small bracket feet, each; castors at each end of desk; old dark brown varnish, resembling walnut finish.

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Unknown

Attribution

Maker

Date made

circa 1855 - 1856

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription

Transcription

See description

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

29-1/2 in

Width

60 in

Depth

32-3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 29 1/2 x 60 x 32 3/4 in. (74.9 x 152.4 x 83.2 cm)

Material

Velours, brass, silver, Wool, Casters, oak, Birch ?, Walnut

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Kate Johnson and Scott Merritt examined this object as a candidate for inclusion in the Winter Antiques Show. There are some missing pieces of molding on the at least two drawers and some other places where the molding is mis-aligned. There are some overall dings and places that could be touched up. Scott discussed replacing the baize, possibly with another color (did it have red prior the 1988 replacement? Originally?), but this was not done when the piece was not included in the show.

Notes

Remarks: The partners' desk was restored in two stages: 1. 1988 - Restored missing moldings; cleaned wood surfaces. 2. 1989 - Due to increased cracking, the desk top was stripped of its original baize cloth covering. The crack was repaired and a new cloth cover was added by W. T. Barnes.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Washington Irving (1783-1859)

Notes

Former owner

Person or Organization

George P. Putnam & Company

Notes

Presenter

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

Miscellaneous: Irving's publisher, in New York, was George P. Putnam. Most examples of similar library-writing tables are English. However, it has been assumed that this desk is likely of American origin. Desk reproduced by Harden Furniture Company. Green velours on sliding writing shelf (and elsewhere) replaced with red baize, during the tenure of HHV curator Joseph Butler.

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Sunnyside, Study