Desk-and-bookcase
Maker
Unknown, American
Additional Title(s)
- Desk and Bookcase
- Boston Block-front Desk and Bookcase
ClassificationsDECORATIVE ARTS
Dateca. 1775
Mediummahogany, eastern white pine, and brass
Dimensions100 x 40 x 23 1/2 in. (254 x 101.6 x 59.7 cm.)
DescriptionLarge writing desk from Massachusetts
Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Gail-Oxford Collection
Label TextDesks and bookcases such as this were among the most monumental forms of furniture in 18th-century America. Listed in the household inventories of affluent attorneys, ministers, merchants, and sea captains, these impressive forms served as a tangible expression of its owner’s wealth and standing in the community. Made most frequently for men, they were used to write and file papers. With lockable drawers and concealed interior storage compartments, these desks were the forerunner to the home safe and the filing cabinet.Status
On viewObject number2016.11.8
