Desk and Bookcase

Object Name:

Desk and Bookcase

Object ID:

1942.008.14

Date:

1855-1865

Description:

Desk, bookcase, and cabinet, Rococo Revival style. Rosewood, rosewood veneer, walnut, and maple, ash, and walnut secondary woods. Made up of two cases: the upper case is a two-door bookcase with four adjustable shelves, and four glass windows; the lower case is a drop-drawer desk above, and a two-door cabinet with removable shelf below. Both cases are rectangular, with chamfered corners, and have decorative carvings on the corners. The upper case has wide cornice molding, but is missing the pediment (there are five peg holes on the top to receive the pediment). Carvings on the chamfered corners include acanthus leaves at the top, an egg-shaped carving with an oval surround in the middle, and another egg toward the lower end. In between the elements are applied moldings. The glass door openings are serpentine shaped. There are keyholes on both doors with brass liners; a steel lock is present on the right side, the left side is blind. There is also a brass pin-lock on the bottom of the left door. The shelves adjust by the placement of wooden (walnut) trapezoidal braces; the braces fit into the voids of a pair of vertical saw-tooth rails, found in each corner of the case interior. The shelves are a secondary wood (possibly ash), fronted with a one-inch strip of the primary wood. The Interiors of the bookcase doors are numbered "11" on the right door and "14" on the left. The back is made up of six vertically lapped slats. No markings seen on shelves. Back of bookcase maple as secondary wood. Bookshelf doors held in with brass hinges. The lower case desk consists of a drop-front desk above, and a 2-door cabinet below. The desk portion is a faux drawer, and can pull completely out like a drawer. There are two drawer pulls, each is a carved wooden grape leaf. Escutcheon is carved wooden oval; lock present. The drawer front drops to form a level writing surface. The drawer front is hinged on the ends, with machine turned brass hinges with a bulls-eye pattern (dovetail construction are rear of drawer). The writing surface is lined with black velvet (applied with adhesive), and edged with figured mahogany veneer. Above the writing surface are seven pigeon holes; the central one is 13" wide, the others ranged from 4 to 5" wide. Several unidentified wood blocks found in pigeon holes. The cabinet has two doors of panel construction. The fronts have serpentine carving mirroring the bookcase doors. Both door panels have a carved wooden cluster of grapes and grape leaves. The doors are attached with brass hinges (extensive damage to left door hinge area). Both doors have keyholes; brass lock on the right side, left side blind. There is a single removable shelf. Shelf brackets appear to be modern additions with modern nails. Shelf construction identical to bookcase shelves. (One piece of molding and two support blocks found in cabinet.) Bottom of cabinet covered with wide molding. Cut nails used in overall construction.

Material:

Wood
Metal
Glass

Dimensions:

H-93.5 W-53 D-16 inches

Provenance:

From old NHHS museum on North Main Street, Concord, where it was used for exhibiting objects.
Believed to have been part of the "black walnut set," which, according to Margaret H. Jewell, was "bought in 1864" and used in her parent's home on Beacon Street in Boston, where the Jewell family lived from 1863 to 1933. Location of bed, chests of drawers, and chairs from set not presently known.

Credit Line:

Gift of Margaret H. Jewell

People:

Jewell, Harvey (1820-1881), Jewell, Susan A. (1826-1903), Jewell, Margaret H. (1866-1970)