Desk, drop-front

Furniture

-

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Desk, drop-front

Entry/Object ID

MP.87.17

Description

Diminutive desk and bookcase: shallow, two-shelved bookcase topped by urn finial and broken scroll pediment sits on "desk" with foldout writing surface and four tapering legs; variety of inlay and stringing used including six-pointed stars and "book" inlay; finial has ball-topping, a band of leaf carving, a row of acanthus leaves, on narrow turned base; door swings open to right and has panes divided by tracery in the form of two curved "X's"; exterior lock on left with brass escutcheon and steel key; two shelves; back is made of three pine boards, top and bottom ones painted brown and attached for the most part by modern finishing nails; bookcase has a top hinged at the front; when open, top rests on slides with brass knobs and ends, thus forming a writing surface (interior of top lined with black felt); interior hinged surface covered in black felt lifts up to reveal storage areas 3 1/2" deep; on either side of this surface are areas for holding writing equipment; edges outlined in light stringing and at the top of the legs a patera with a dot in the middle contained within an oval of dark wood outlined by light stringing, and is series of six consecutively smaller bellflowers with a "husk" at the end.

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Unknown

Attribution

Maker

Notes

Dates: 1868 - 1933 Date made: r. 1868 - 1933

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Depth open 33"

Height

62-1/4 in

Width

23-7/16 in

Depth

19-3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 62 1/4 x 23 7/16 x 19 3/4 in. (158.1 x 59.5 x 50.2 cm)

Material

Bird's Eye Maple, Mahogany, Pine, brass, Satinwood, Wool (?), Steel

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Details of Condition: Warping on inside does not allow writing surface to close flush; missing bands of veneer on front and exterior side of right rear leg, front and sides of left rear leg, back of front right leg; glass pane on middle right of door cracked, on middle left of door cracked and broken; pieced-in repair on right side by writing surface support.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Unknown

General Notes

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Montgomery Place, Montgomery Room