Bookcase
- Object Name:
- Bookcase
- Object ID:
- 1983.002.32
- Place of Origin:
- New Hampshire (probably)
- Date:
- 1840-1850
- Description:
- Bookcase. Upper portion of what would have been desk and bookcase. Pine, painted and grained yellow-brown finish, to look like maple (top and right side are unpainted). Two door case, with locks, and fully divided interior. Case is crudely made overall, but with a decorative finish. Top of case has square molding, which forms a cornice, on all sides, including the back. Top board extends beyond case on all sides. Doors are panelled with mortise and tenon construction (doors appear to be more carefully made than the remainder of the piece), and held on with iron hinges. Brass lock on each door, which lock into a center divider. Locks are marked "LEWIS McKEE / & CO." at top and "TERRYSVILLE / CONN." on bottom. Interior of case has a yellow wash. Interior of case divided into upper and lower sections. Upper's height measure 9.5" and lower is 16.75". Each section is divided into narrow pigeon holes with wooden dividers that range in size from 1" to 3.5". Dividers are only 3.5" to 4" deep. Back is made of two vertical panels of barn board with vertical beading every 6". Four nails (cut nails with hand-wrought heads) on top, which probably held a paper label; another set of nails with missing paper label on the front. Two cutouts on right side, function unknown. "61-99" written in red on back left corner. Nail joinery using cut nails. A few hand wrought nails also present.
- Material:
- Wood
Pine
Metal
Iron - Dimensions:
- H-28.625 W-38.5 D-14.875 inches
- Provenance:
- Bookcase was found at the Frost Homestead, Durham, NH. Manuscripts of Sawyer Woolen Mills were stored in the bookcase when acquired (these manuscripts are at NHHS).
Bookcase was possibly part of the office furniture used at Sawyer Mills, Dover, NH (1824-1899). Sawyer Mills was created by Alfred I. Sawyer, donor's great uncle, and passed to donor's great grandfather, Jonathan Sawyer (1817-), and grandfather, Charles Henry Sawyer (1840-1909). - Credit Line:
- Gift of George F. Sawyer and Charles H. Sawyer
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