Portable desk

Furniture

-

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Portable desk

Entry/Object ID

VC.58.66

Description

Portable desk with narrow sided rectangular case with pull-down cabinet door in front: unfinished back; upper portion of front has string inlay in dark and light woods on a second but smaller rectangular pull-up door; inlay on large door consists of strings of exotic woods, light wood quarter-stars against green quarter-circles near the corners, and an inlay in light wood vase and cover decorated with leaves and blossoms against an ellipse of green wood at the center; yoke-shaped skirt; legs are a continuation of the side and have trestle feet at an angle to the front; one slightly arched stretcher between the two legs; two oval bailed brasses on the sides at the level of the door hinges; interior: hinged door falls down to form shelf; three compartments for ink bottles, pens, letters, etc., in the case; back of compartments painted red; upper door pulls up to reveal long storage space at the top; brass key.

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Unknown

Attribution

Maker

Date made

circa 1785

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Closed

Height

45-1/4 in

Width

21 in

Depth

15-3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 45 1/4 x 21 x 15 3/4 in. (114.9 x 53.3 x 40 cm)

Dimension Description

Depth when open

Depth

25 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 25 in. (63.5 cm)

Material

brass, Wood Exotic, Mahogany

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Kate Johnson and Scott Merritt examined this piece for inclusion in the Winter Antiques Show. There are some issues with splits/losses in the inlaid front and the overall condition of the front surface when the piece is shown closed. Ultiminately, these were among the factors for it not being included in the show.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Anne Stevenson Van Cortlandt

Notes

Former owner

Person or Organization

Van Cortlandt Family

Notes

Former owner

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

Microanalysis of wood by Gordon Saltar, Winterthur Museum, 1/9/79, indicates Pinus strobus a secondary wood.

Note Type

General Note

Note

Van Cortlandt family possession

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Van Cortlandt Manor, Southeast Bedroom/Storage