This secretary was handled by Margaret Riordan, a highly respected dealer located in Stonington, Connecticut, who handled the very best of Colonial paintings and a limited amount of stand out furniture. This secretary was advertised in a full page ad in Antiques Magazine, Jan. 1975. Margaret was noted for her fine sense of style and having a great eye.
This secretary is composed of a very highly figured tiger maple throughout. It has a very subtle oxbow shaped set of drawers, all of the solid and all is supported on french feet, also of solid. The uppercase above the desk itself is short and composed of a scalloped frame with inset panel, again all of tiger maple. A related desk with the same short uppercase and door configuration is illustrated in American Furniture 1620 to the Present, by Jonathan L. Fairbanks, p.307. The secretary is attributed to William Lloyd, Springfield, Massachusetts.
Generally an important provenance would come first before any description, however, it might take away from the piece itself which is in itself a fine provincial Colonial desk which happens to have a nationally recognizable ownership. This secretary has such: it descended in the family of Francis Scott Key who, during the War of 1812, wrote the poem that became the US national anthem, which starts “Oh say can you see …”.
It was always treasured in the family and is in fine original condition, including its original brasses.
When it came up in 1992, I wasn’t shy and acquired it. I felt it belonged in our collection of notable secretaries.
Revised Aug 30, 2025 11:11 AM