Desk
ca.1770-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Mahogany pedestal desk with kneehole, drop-front secretaire and hinged adjustable top; three small drawers either side of kneehole each with a drop handle with octagonal plates and a brass keyhole escutcheon; above the kneehole a large drawer runs the full-width of the table and is faced with six false drawers; the entire drawer is pulled forward and the top half of this section drops down to reveal a full-width recessed section with three compartments at each side, each with a hinged lid (the hinge located on the outer side of each compartment); the rearmost compartments have removable wooden linings and the lids of all the compartments are decorated with inset borders of ebony and boxwood stringing; above this recessed section lies a sliding tray covered in red leather and fitted with an adjustable reading/writing stand; at the back of the desk the secretaire section is faced with 5 false drawers.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 14 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | joined mahogany with ebony and boxwood stringing, and brass fittings |
| Brief description | Mahogany pedestal desk with kneehole, drop-front secretaire and hinged adjustable top; three small drawers either side of kneehole. Above the kneehole a large drawer runs the full-width of the table and is faced with six false drawers. English, ca. 1770-1800, made by Gillow & Co for Edward Fletcher (1763-1848) |
| Physical description | Mahogany pedestal desk with kneehole, drop-front secretaire and hinged adjustable top; three small drawers either side of kneehole each with a drop handle with octagonal plates and a brass keyhole escutcheon; above the kneehole a large drawer runs the full-width of the table and is faced with six false drawers; the entire drawer is pulled forward and the top half of this section drops down to reveal a full-width recessed section with three compartments at each side, each with a hinged lid (the hinge located on the outer side of each compartment); the rearmost compartments have removable wooden linings and the lids of all the compartments are decorated with inset borders of ebony and boxwood stringing; above this recessed section lies a sliding tray covered in red leather and fitted with an adjustable reading/writing stand; at the back of the desk the secretaire section is faced with 5 false drawers. |
| Credit line | Given by Major Gerald W. Browne |
| Object history | Said to have been acquired in ca.1790 from Gillow by Edward Fletcher (1763-1848), after his retirement from the East India Company's service, for his house in Park Lane or for offices of Alexander Fletcher & Co., Bankers, founded by him, of Little Street, Helen's, EC3. |
| Production | Reason For Production: Commission |
| Bibliographic reference | For a similar desk see 'Connoisseur', 78, article on Sir Walter Scott's Gillow desk from his house in Castle Street, Edinburgh. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.28:1-1950 |
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| Record created | March 19, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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