Desk, Slant-Top

Object Name:

Desk, Slant-Top

Object ID:

1979.059.01

Date:

1790-1810

Description:

Slant-top desk, Chippendale style, with family history in the Hartshorn family of Lyndeborough, NH, and vicinity. Birch or cherry wood, with birch and pine secondary woods. Slant-top desk over four drawers, on bracket feet.
Desk: The slant top is opened to rest on two lopers (birch and pine, with brass pulls), forming a relatively flat writing surface. The slant top has breadboard ends, and is attached with two brass hinges. There is a lock and pressed brass escutcheon. Evidence of a red/brown stain.
Interior of desk includes pigeonholes and drawers (which appear to have original finish; remainder of desk has been refinished). The bottom layer consists of seven pigeonholes, the center one is 7.875" wide and all others are approximately 4.5" wide. The six side holes have decorative carved valences; the center pigeonhole has a shallow drawer above it with a decoratively carved front (stained red). Above the pigeonholes are two layers of drawers. Drawers are dovetail construction, pine and birch, bottoms have chamfered edges and small tacks in back. Center drawer is 7.875" wide and others are 13.625" wide. All have small brass drawer pulls, and are identical in construction. Drawers all have a greenish-gray paint. On upper left hand drawer is a chalk mark on underside, "Timo" (the "o" is different from the other letters, probably short for Timothy). Lower right hand drawer has four leather strips tacked to front, Each strip forms three loops and the leather strips are painted same greenish-gray. Leather stripes are tacked to desk interior on both sides and form loops and are unpainted.
Drawers: Below the drop front are four graduated drawers the heights of which measure from top to bottom 4.75", 5.25", 5.75", and 6" respectively. The escutcheons (all blind) and pulls are pressed brass ovals; pulls have bail handles, each marked "A 20". All the brasses are replacements. Drawers are all dovetail construction, with rosehead nails at the back.
The second drawer has chalk inscriptions on the bottom, including numbers and possibly a name.
Case: The case is of dovetail construction (dovetail ends visible on case top). Drawer openings are lined with beaded edges. Bottom board present; no dust boards. Bracket feet in the Chippendale style with serpentine carving. The back is made of two pine panels place horizontally and nailed in place (one board is particularly large, measuring 26.5" x 36.5").
The piece has been refinished extensively, except the rear portion of the desk interior, and is structurally in very good condition.

Material:

Wood
Metal
Leather
Birch
Cherry
Brass
Pine

Dimensions:

H-44.125 W-38.5 D-19.75 inches

Provenance:

Desk has a history of ownership in the Hartshorn family of Lyndeboro, NH, and vicinity. Desk has the name "Timo" in chalk, perhaps for Timothy Hartshorn (1793-1868).
Given in memory of Myrtle R. Wells by her children. Myrtle was the daughter of Elizabeth Hartshorn Richards.

Credit Line:

Gift of Jane Wells Gamsby, Elizabeth A. Wells, Richard H. Wells, and George G. Wells, in Memory of Myrtle R. Wells

People:

Hartshorn, Wells, Myrtle R. (1886- )