Name/Title
Walnut lap desk in the shape of a rectangular boxEntry/Object ID
L153Description
Walnut lap desk in the shape of a rectangular box. Rectangular brass inlay in top. Brass keyhole in front. Inside are compartments the two larger of which (one in the top and one in bottom) are covered by walnut boards with felt on them. There are three smaller compartments in front of box. The larger one is covered and has two pens of mother-of-pearl and brass, a brass nib, a wood pen with brass nib and a mother-of-pearl and silver letter opener. The small compartment on right has a square ink bottle with a heavy metal lid. Inside the box on bottom are i) a piece of tissue paper with brown hair and a note "Johnny's Curls;" ii) an envelope on which is handwritten "Ella Sands Langley" containing light brown hair tied with a blue ribbon; iii) an envelope addressed to "Mr. Henry Johnson Boston Mass.;" iv) an envelope on which is written "Present Miss Langley, # 24 Dartmouth St.;" v) a round blue pen wiper; vi) a piece of paper with a poem glued to it; and vii) a note on which is written (likely by Rosa Hankey) "Loaned to Museum by Mrs. H. L. Johnson, Elkins, W. Va. A Lap Desk." Nothing is under the top compartment.