Sideboard

Object/Artifact

Saco Museum

Name/Title

Sideboard

Entry/Object ID

1933.1.1

Description

Mahogany sideboard decorated with string inlay and inlaid bell flowers. The top is covered wtih a dark-green painted oil cloth. The center drawer is a secretary drawer that folds down to provide a writing surface, behind which is a row of pigeon holes and small drawers. Beneath the drawer is a cupboard with double doors, flanked on each side by bottle drawers decorated with oval string inlay. The side drawers and cupboard doors are curved. Six tapered legs with inlaid decoration. Brass handles with stamped backplates decorated with oak leaves and acorns.

Made/Created

Date made

1809 - 1816

Dimensions

Height

41-3/4 in

Width

26-3/8 in

Length

77-1/4 in

Material

mahogany, mahogany veneer, pine, oilcloth

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Object Label

Label

Sideboard, 1809-1816 Saco, attributed to the shop of Joshua Cumston and David Buckminster mahogany, mahogany veneer, pine, oilcloth Gift of the estate of George Addison Emery

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

Sideboards were designed for the display and storage of glassware and silver for dining. However, this sideboard had an additional purpose: it also served as a desk. The "secretary drawer" was a new feature introduced into furniture design in the last quarter of the 18th century. According to Hepplewhite, a writing surface was created "by the face of the upper drawer falling down by means of a spring and quadrant, which produces the same usefulness as the flap to a desk." The narrow, deep drawers below the writing surface are "cellerette" or bottle drawers for the storage of liquors. The black oilcloth covering on the top is original and was a practical way to protect against spills. This sideboard belonged to Colonel Thomas Cutts of Saco, who had two sideboards recorded in his 1821 probate inventory. One in the “lower west room” was valued at $30 and the other in the in the “north lower room or parlour” was worth $20.