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Antique Questions Forum / Re: 19th Century Business Man's desk

« on: September 22, 2009, 06:03:46 pm »

Thanks for all your comments.  I may be now looking for a secret compartment!
The green felt is one of several replacements in my Dad's recollection.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: 19th Century Business Man's desk

« on: September 21, 2009, 07:39:27 pm »

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.  I have attached four more pictures one of the side, the drawer, maker's writing and one of the front.  This is my first time on this site.  As far as I know, the desk has not been refinished at least not since it came into my Dad's home 32 years ago.  The room had a lot of lights on when we took the pictures making the finish look new. There are some repairs and modest modifications.  I replaced the green felt which was an earlier replacement. The desk top appears it was designed for replacing the felt on a regular basis.  My father remembers a professor who had the desk back in the 1930's when my Dad attended Indiana University.  I remember it in my uncle's business office and in his home up to 1977.  It is a family heirloom and I am not interested in selling it.  I did a websearch and could not find out anything about the cabinet maker who I believe was just an individual and not a company.  I did find information on the original owner from an 1884 history on Monroe County, Indiana on the web. This is the same county as the professor and my uncle lived in when it was in their possesions.   I saw a number of these types of desks all varied in some way in the old Illinois State Capitol Building which was restored to the 1860s.  This desk was made in 1876 per the information on the bottom of the small very top right hand drawer.  The drawers are dovetailed.

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Antique Questions Forum / 19th Century Business Man's desk

« on: September 20, 2009, 09:54:53 pm »

Can anyone tell me what type of desk this is called see the attached pictures?  It is from 1876 dated and signed by the cabinet maker, listing his price, and the man who the desk was made for on the bottom of a drawer. The first owner was a local minor politician and disabled civil war veteran. The desk is 6 ft wide, 38 inches deep, and 67 inches high.  It come in two pieces with the bottom piece having a sloped writing surface covered in felt and the second piece is one piece with two cabinets for filing papers.  The piece is finished on all four sides and made of hardwoods other than oak.  I would like to know more about these desks and an estimate of its value or how I could get a value.  It is hard to move around.