This is an intriguing and elaborate early slant top desk. First things first, many of these desks with bracket feet fail over the years, and/or have replaced parts. I had Allen Miller inspect it, although I could have relied on the Levy provenance as they do not handle questionable material. He found it was in “good structural condition, retaining all its major components.” The brasses however, have period replacements which is not unusual for a piece which is now almost 300 years old.
What attracted me to this piece is the amount of creative inlay incorporating not only the coveted mariner star inlay on its lid, but also unusual artistic floral inlays around the cross banded border. The drawers, similar to the lid, have cross banding with inset burl veneers. In short, this desk is a show stopper.
The interior is beautifully inlaid and constructed with a secret pull out compartment behind its cross banded inlaid prospect door.
The construction of this desk includes the use of cherry and chestnut. This would point to its origin in Rhode Island rather than New Hampshire, which was originally believed due to its relationship to a celebrated high chest in the historic Warner House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
This desk was part of the famous Biddle collection and handled by Robert Skinner, founder of Skinner‘s Auction, and then by the Levy Gallery and finally appeared in the sale of the Jill and Mickey Baten collection who probably acquired it directly from the Levy‘s. There were others that had their eye on it, and there was competition for it. As a passionate collector, if I was going to have a really eye appealing rare inlaid Queen Anne desk with all its parts, and no alterations, I was going to have to pay up for it, and I did!
Provenance: Adams Family, New Hampshire Charles H. West, Charlestown, New Hampshire; Robert W. Skinner; Bernard & S.Dean Levy, Inc.
Auction History: The Jill & Mickey Baten Collection
An e-mail regarding this desk by Brock Jobe of Winterthur:
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Brock Jobe <BJobe@winterthur.org>
Date: Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 4:16 PM
Subject: RE: Desk
To: Stanley Weiss
Cc: Alan MillerDear Stan,
Thanks so much for the images of the desk. I had seen the piece at Ron’s during the preview. I was fascinated with it and loved all the secret drawers. So glad to know that you got it. Ron linked the desk to the Sherburne family high chest that we illustrated on the cover of the Portsmouth book. That high chest is now in the Warner House in Portsmouth. The family that had owned the chest for years gave it to the Warner House perhaps 15 years ago. It would be interesting to compare the drawer construction of the two pieces. I don’t believe that they are all that similar but regardless of that, the desk is really intriguing. It strikes me as a particularly important early example. I don’t know of another one quite like it. I would love to study it in more detail. I didn’t have the chance to go over it that thoroughly at Ron’s.
Thanks so much for hosting the docents from Winterthur. I happened to see two of the group today at Winterthur. They raved about your kindness and hospitality.
With best regards,
Brock
Height: 40 in. Width: 25 in.
Revised Wed, Aug 20, 7:14 PM