Secretary Desk, 1760-1780
THF2620 / Secretary Desk, 1760-1780
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Artifact Overview
American businessmen and merchants in the mid-18th century used secretary desks as home offices. These large desks provide a writing surface, shelves for books and a storage space for papers -- perhaps even a secret drawer for important documents. Placed in a parlor or other public room, this secretary projected the owner's wealth and social status to visitors.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Bureau-bookcase
Date Made
1760-1780
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Made by an unknown maker in Hartford County, Connecitcut
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Fully Furnished
Object ID
57.76.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Cherry (Wood)
Brass (Alloy)
Color
Brown
Gold (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 45.5 in (Base)
Width: 40 in
Depth: 22.5 in
Height: 42.5 in (Top)
Inscriptions
Carved on back: JWL
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Related Content
SetDesks for Every Need
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The importance that nineteenth-century Americans put on the technology of education is indicated by the hundreds of patents on school furniture between 1860 and 1900. Desks designed to be in rows facing the teacher reveal the teacher-centered classrooms of the era. These cast iron and wood school desks and benches were manufactured in Buffalo, New York, in about 1900.