Desk and Bookcase

Object Name:

Desk and Bookcase

Object ID:

1972.080

Creator:

Young, Joseph

Place of Origin:

New Hampshire, probably Barrington or vicinity

Date:

circa 1790

Description:

Storekeeper's Desk, used in Barrington and Madbury, NH, at stores operated successively by at least three members of the Kingman family from the late 18th century through the 1860s. Pine and basswood (or birch), painted and grained (brown and black). Made up of three units: 1) a slant-top desk, hinged at top of desk surface; 2) a stand for the desk, which includes one long drawer; and 3) a base with four legs. The bookcase has both a vertical and horizontal divider in center, dividing interior into four compartments. Horizontal shelf is adjustable. This section has a painted and grained finish on all visible surfaces including all faces of the shelves as well as the backs. Very top of case has also been painted and grained. Dovetail construction. Back is made of two horizontal boards with rough-sawn surfaces nailed in place. Bottom is painted and there are splattered paint spots on this bookcase portion. Desk portion: on surface where bookcase fits is pencilled in cursive letters, "oung". Other fainter portions of the inscription may read "Josh" (the ending h being subscript), possibly an abbreviation for Joseph, and "Y," which makes the last name "Young" (there was a joiner named Joseph Young (c.1730-after 1790) who lived in Barrington and was associated with a branch of the Young family known to have been related to the Kingmans). This flat top is 9.75" wide with molding on edge to hold bookcase portion in place. The desk is a slanted writing surface with tacks along upper edge to hold a piece of fabric in place. This slant front is held on with two hinges at top and opens from bottom. It is a single pine board with breadboard ends that are made of a different wood (probably basswood). Wrought-iron spring-type lock and lock plate. The escutcheons are missing. Interior of desk has three tiers of compartments. Top tier has five pigeonholes with decorative edging. Second tier is five drawers. Third tier has three pigeonholes. Three of the top five drawers have original small wooden drawer pulls. Two have replacement larger wooden drawer pulls. Drawers range in width from 7.5" to 8.75", and are 4.75" in height. Drawer fronts are basswood (or birch). Drawers are of dovetail construction. From left to right, first drawer has marked in chalk an "X" and the number 5; second drawer has inside an uncut lock plate and a pair of keys as well as some screws. It has a chalk mark "X" and 4 (all markings are on back side of back panels). Third drawer has "X" and 3 for markings; inside are lamp parts, an uncut lock plate and a glass bottle stopper. Fourth drawer has inside a number of tiny brackets and screws and is marked with a "2", which appears on both sides as well as the back. Fifth drawer has written on front in pencil, "PEPERMENT". It also has an "X" and the number 1 on back and a "1" in chalk on one side. There appear to be shadows in the open space of items (possibly tools) that may have been stored there. Fair amount of dust and insect debris inside desk. On front vertical panel are various scratchings that appear to have been made by a compass: 11 small circles with dots in the center and a larger circle made into a flower pattern. Tack holes on all edges of slant front, presumably to help hold the fabric in place. Desk case is of dovetail construction and back is nailed on with rose-head nails (particularly large rose-head nails on underside of desk). Base has one large drawer that is missing the lock and escutcheon. The drawer also has shadow marks of things once stored there. Bail handles are missing. Drawer is also dovetail construction. "X" chalk mark on back of drawer. Stand appears to be mortise and tenon construction with rose-head nails. The legs are square in cross-section. The stretchers are rectangular. All pieces are grain painted on all sides.

Material:

Wood
Pine
Basswood

Dimensions:

H-80.25 W-44.5 D-26.25 inches

Provenance:

Family history of use in the Kingman store, Madbury, NH. The desk was probably also used at an earlier time in the Kingman store in Barrington, NH. Two account books (in Mss. collection) that accompanied this acquisition indicate the Kingman family operated stores from the late 18th century until the 1860s and that the store changed its location around 1825 from the Green Hill District in the northeastern part of Barrington to the intersection (about ten miles away) in Madbury between the road from Madbury to Dover and the road to Durham.
Donor is a descendant, and resided on the Kingman (Laton) property in Madbury, until selling land to UNH (sale was finalized in 1972; now known as the Kingman Farm). The building housing the store in Madbury apparently no longer exists. This desk was in the Madbury homestead until the house was cleared out in 1972.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase

People:

Wentworth, Dorothy Laton (1916-1999), Kingman, John (1747-1807), Kingman, John (1786-1854), Kingman, Charles Henry (1827-1868), Young, Joseph (c. 1730-after 1790)

Subjects:

Stores and shops, Desks