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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: antcindy on May 20, 2018, 11:43:34 AM
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I have a beautiful well maintained Secretarial Desk with Book case on top.
Have spent much time getting opinions and have had some antique specialist give me great ideas based on what I do know.
This particular piece looks so much like the one that is a reproduction on of the furniture sites..I even reached out to see if they could tell me who they copied as it is so very similar except mine has more detail on top.
Been told that it is most likely from England
Screws seem to be hand ingraved at top.
What I have that I thought would be the clincher is the hinges all have a crown stamped in them...each one stamped in a spot...but not exactly the same spot....I thought for sure that would be a clue. I was told to reach out to vintage hardware people for ideas and both i received that they had never heard of that and it sounded extremely rare...which of course makes me even more excited:)
Drawers all have a little shrinkage in bottom....and each have a lip at back end of about an inch to make them more secure is my guess.
The carvings on the top are what I consider lima beans and crocks which no one is exact but very well done.
Have not identified wood as I really thought the hardware would shed some light...so any ideas at all on where to continue my search for answers is appreciated....see attach photos. btw..nothing is missing I just did not have one drawer in when I took the whole item.
Thanks everyone ...new member Cindy
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Very nice looking piece.
I can’t tell via the picture, but is there a door to cover writing area when not being used?
Via the 3rd and 4th picture it looks to me to be made of walnut.
Drawers made with the bottom panel extending out past the back panel is fairly common …… but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a drawer that was made with the lower inside of the drawer sides having a 1” +- “extension”.
Looks like maybe, via the picture, the drawer “bottom panel” might be mortised into said “extensions” …….. rather than into the lower edge of the side panels.
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Cogar,, looks more like mahogany to me !! I do not see the typical figuring that walnut usually has !! Maybe you can see something that I missed ?? The crown would surely say English to me !! Can you post a pic of the crown on the hinge ??
Also need to see the dovetail joints on the drawer front !!
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Looks like mahogany with a lighter than usual stain. To me it looks like a conservative Federal-era design but with rococo revival elements as well, i.e. the piercework in the pediment/crown. I'm thinking ca. 1850-70.
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Now I see what Cogar saw,, That is walnut interior !!
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Welcome antcindy!
Interesting piece. I agree with grasshopper that it has several elements to it.
I can't tell from the pictures where a lid to cover the writing area would be retracted if in fact there is one. Could you please answer that antcindy?