William and Mary Slant Top Desk - Circa 1790

[Mullen Coins]

This is what appears to be an original William and Mary Slant Top desk.  Beautiful piece with a provenance to Abraham Tourtillot circa 1790  - the desk is signed on the underside of one of the drawers by A H Tourtillot.  We have research stating the Mr. Tourtillot fought in the Revolutionary War.  We have bill of sale from Ginsberg and Levy 315 Madison Ave, NY dated 12/28/1955 - A. Arnold signature  -  Still seeking addition paperwork for owner to see if we have anything more specific to add to the provenance.   Welcome opinions and thought on continued research.

[jacon4]

Hmmmm, well, even if 1790, it would not be a period desk as that was well into the federal period ( hepplewhite & sheraton) styles. I don't see any dovetails on drawer/case construction either, another clue that it is a revival piece.

[mart]

I would have said Federal just from the look of it !!  Something about this just does not say its curly maple as Rauville thought !!  Its too striped and too even !! There is little variation in any of it !!  It does not look like a natural grain !! I still think it was faux painted/grained !! Saw a few runs as well !!

[jacon4]

I still think it was faux painted/grained !!

Hmmmmmmm, it could be painted now that i look again. If it is, that could be a plus because paint can sometimes be a BIG DEAL. Still, I see no evidence that this desk was made in the federal era (1790-1830) because i see no dovetails and there should be, furniture in America was built by hand joinery until 1850 or so when steam powered machines started to dominate furniture construction. Naturally, almost every period/style had painted furniture, if this desk is painted, I am going to guess late victorian era.
The pic below is a period William & Mary (1690-1720) chest of drawers built in coastal Mass. around 1700, it is one of the very few American chest of drawers to survive with it's original paint intact

[jacon4]

Here is a period American W&M desk in tiger maple with an old if not original finish

[jacon4]

period american Chippendale tiger maple (1770-1790) desk, refinished. Notice how the drawer blades are dovetailed into the case sides. Sometimes the dovetails are "blind" on the case but they are always present on the drawer construction.

[mart]

True the fact that even if a later time period,, hand painted or grained as it appears to me can be a plus !!

[frogpatch]

It appears painted and grained to me also. Whatever the case it is a beautiful piece. I am surprised that it is not dovetailed even if it is later. I have 20th century pieces that are at least machine dovetailed.
 On second look however, the inside of the side boards, visible where the drawers are removed, seem the have the same grain running horizontally that matches the finished edge. Maybe it is a solid tiger maple piece. Whatever it is, it is a gorgeous desk. I also think there may be dovetails that are obscured in the picture. Why has the paint not worn off where the drawers slide?

[cogar]

I agree, ..... the drawer fronts are "painted" ..... because no one would use "cross-grain" cut board such as that ....... because it would easily "snap" in to ...... either accidently or on purpose.

The bottom drawer in the picture of the drawer sides loooks like there might be a dovetail there. But if not, the sides were surely "pegged" to the drawer fronts either via hidden dowel pins ...... or .... via drilled holes thru the drawer fronts with dowels or screws .... and which are now "hidden" via the grain painting.

Knowing they were going to "grain" paint it, then drilling thru the drawer front was the quickest and most accurate way to do it.

[jacon4]

Well, the pics are not very detailed, difficult to see much of anything. Although impossible to authenticate old furniture from photo's alone, good quality pics are required to reach almost any conclusions, these pics are from a phone cam? which means, I cant tell much.

Why has the paint not worn off where the drawers slide?
Good point and if painted, there should be dings, scrapes where wood underneath is visible, i dont see them which kinda brings us back to pics, good quality photo's are a must.

[KC]

A few questions for you Mullen Coins please:

How did the owners come to own the piece in Michigan? Any history on it here? (The Tourtillots were prominent in Maine, Massachusetts and Wisconsin.)

I have sent an inquiry to the Tourtillot family tree as well about the knowledge of an A H Tourtillot that would fit in that time frame.

[mart]

Would sure love to get my hands on this one !! If this is faux grained,, it is done with a thin base coat and stains and would soak into the wood to some extent !! It isn`t totally a surface application that would scratch or wear off !!

[Mullen Coins]

KC - This piece is one of many very nice antiques from one of my clients.  I purchased coin collection and antique guns - now helping with the antiques - I have posted images of a Simon Willard clock, Chappell Glass Chord, Stickley table, and others - all in attempt to learn more about each.   A collector at heart, my education continues!!