Desk and bookcase

Object/Artifact

Saco Museum

Name/Title

Desk and bookcase

Entry/Object ID

1982.6.2

Description

Mahogany and veneered desk and bookcase in two parts. The upper case has a flat pediment; its original arched pediment is missing. There are two full-length doors on each side of the upper case, with two shorter doors in the middle. All the doors have glass panes with gothic arches, except for the solid lower middle door which covers four small drawers over two small cubby holes. The glass doors are all decorated with applied half acorns (or Liberty caps) at the top and concentric circles on the other joints. The interior of all of the doors have small filled nail holes from nails used to suspend wires to hang interior curtains. The shelves in the bookcase are adjustable. The lower case is supported by four turned and reeded legs. The slanted writing surface is covered with old (but not original) green felt. At the upper right of the writing area is a curved depression for holding pens, and three small square recesses for ink bottles, etc. The outer surface has cross banded veneer on the outer edges. Three long drawers with cock beaded edges below. All the drawer pulls and escutcheon plates appear to be original.

Made/Created

Date made

1815 - 1820

Dimensions

Height

73 in

Width

41-3/4 in

Material

mahogany, mahogany and other veneers, pine

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Object Label

Label

Secretary Bookcase, circa 1815-1820 probably Portland mahogany, mahogany and other veneers, pine Bequest of Dorothy Dennett

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

This is one of at least three similar secretaries with local histories of ownership. One, with the same unusual turned elements on the doors, has a history in Limington, Maine. The acorn-like ornaments may be Phrygian, or Liberty, caps, a popular motif during the War of 1812 and while Maine was trying to gain its independence from Massachusetts. The upper case may have an odd number of doors because the center was designed to accommodate a clock and its weights. The original owner of this piece may have found the overall design appealing, but been unwilling to go to the additional expense of incorporating a timepiece. This secretary lacks its original pediment and finials, which would have looked much like those on the secretary to the left.