A Fine and Rare Queen Anne Veneered Maple and Pine Slant-Top Desk, Possibly Rhode Island or Massachusetts, c.1730
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
Height: 40 in. Width: 25 in.
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 Miller
Dear 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
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