19 Century American Pioneer Walnut Wagon Seat

PRESENTING a FANTASTIC and HISTORIC Early 19C American Hepplewhite Virginian Secretary Chest with OUTSTANDING Provenance. This Secretary Chest was made in Virginia in the Early 19th Century, circa 1810. It is made of cherry, walnut and maple and is most definitely in the Hepplewhite Style of the period, with it’s original Hepplewhite brass drawer pulls. IT IS A REALLY INTRIGUING AND HISTORIC PIECE, ESPECIALLY, WHEN VIEWED IN CONTEXT WITH IT”S AMAZING PROVENANCE! This piece was originally owned by Major William Alexander Obenchain who ‘hailed’ from the State of Virginia. He was an engineer and was in the Virginia Corps of Engineers during the Civil War and served on General Robert E. Lee’s staff. It was acquired by him before the Civil War and we believe that this piece was on campaign with him during the War. We know for a fact that he fought at the Richmond Campaign in 1864, as we have, in our Collection, his original Field Map for that Campaign which ended the War. It has remained in family ownership ever since. It has come directly from the Family Estate, together with other VERY IMPORTANT items belonging to Major Obenchain and other IMPORTANT items that belonged to his wife, Eliza Calvert Hall-Obenchain. ALL these items contained in the Collection, are listed/posted individually on our Website. The top drawer is on retractable curved side hinge supports and pulls outwards and drops to reveal a secretary and writing area. The Bureau/Secretary Gallery has 6 drawers and 6 cubbies, a central tabernacle door with another drawer and 2 cubbies and this is flanked by 2 secret pull out compartments. The central tabernacle door has it’s original key and working lock. Closed, it is almost ‘flush’ like the rest of the drawers, with some very minor bowing through age. The 3 drawers underneath are graduated in size and it ends with a serpentine shaped base and sits on four hand carved legs with original metal casters, marked ‘Universal 3’. It has it’s original brasses and hardware throughout, save the addition to 2 contemporary replacement brass hinges to the drop down desk front, as the original hinges were broken, could not be repaired and were not supporting the weight of the drop down leaf. Some minor repairs but not noticeable. Otherwise, the piece is in it’s entirely, ORIGINAL condition! What makes this piece even MORE INTRIGUING and APPEALING HISTORICALLY, are the 2 ‘historic’ circular holes on the piece:- (1) in the back of the piece as seen in the photos. This hole is not symmetrical or fully round and appears to serve no purpose to the piece whatsoever. Sometimes, pieces have holes for wiring for lighting, put in them over the years, but this one never had such lighting or, indeed, any such explanation for this hole, AND (2) the rear hole is replicated, in the corner portion of the bottom drawer and someone (a very long time ago) has used a tin can top, to cover the hole in the back of the drawer. The tin can top is period to the Civil War Era and is embossed “Minimum Volume 1 Pint”. Our conclusion, is that (whilst we are, by no means ballistic experts) that these holes were created by musket balls, fired during one of the Major’s campaigns in the Civil War. It is entirely conceivable that this piece, being strapped into a covered wagon for carriage, would have been on it’s side. We are of the opinion that both holes, were caused or created by a musket ball entered the chest trough the base and back. We also believe that ‘the Major’, used what he had at his disposal on the battlefield, namely, a tin can lid to repair the hole in the drawer. SO THIS PIECE IS A VERY SPECIAL PIECE OF US HISTORY, INDEED! NOT ONLY IS IT AN EARLY 19th CENTURY AMERICAN PIECE, WITH A CONNECTION TO THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, THE CIVIL WAR, HISTORIC & IMPORTANT FIGURES IN THAT WAR AND IMPECCABLE PROVENANCE AND HISTORY! IT IS TRULY UNIQUE! William Alexander Obenchain. Born April 27, 1841 at Buchanan, Botetourt Co., Virginia. Parents: Thomas Jefferson Obenchain and Elizabeth Ann Sweetland. Entered VMI on July 18, 1859 as a member of the VMI (Virginia Military Institute...

PRESENTING A RARE EDITION hardback copy of The Epic of America by James Truslow Adams, Illustrated by M.J. Gallagher, Published by Little, Brown and Company of Boston in 1932. Con...

PRESENTING A FABULOUS Original hand-written Letter from Theodore Dreiser dated 19 Dec 1916 to Eliza Calvert Hall. The letter is entirely hand written with pen and signed by the re...

PRESENTING A UNIQUE AND IMPORTANT Original Scrap Book and Photograph of Major WA Obenchain, pertaining to Ogden College, Bowling Green, KY. The photograph is ‘new’ to the market and has never left family ownership until NOW! It is a previously, unseen image, of a significant historical figure, Major William Alexander Obenchain, who served on General Robert E. Lee’s Staff during the Civil War and was President of Ogden College in Bowling Green, Kentucky between 1883 – 1906. We are of the opinion that the photo was taken, whilst, Major Obenchain was President of Ogden College, and circa 1890-1900. It bears the stamp on the bottom right for “McClure of Lexington, KY”. Framed and under glass. The Scrap Book is his personal Collection of numerous and various newspaper article cuttings, letters, speeches and other historical items of memorabilia, MAINLY, relating to Ogden College (now part of Western Kentucky University), from the 1870’s up to 1918. Signed in ink, by the Major, on the inside of the front cover and hand-written annotations by him, throughout. It also includes newspaper article cuttings and other historical items of memorabilia personally relating to Major Obenchain and his family, including: Articles relating to the ‘Stone’ Criminal Trial in Dallas, TX in 1876 for the almost fatal shooting of his brother, James T Obenchain , Merit Certificate for distinguished academic achievement by Major Obenchain, from the Buchanan Collegiate Institute dated July 6th 1849, et al. Over 53 Pages of content! An EXCEPTIONAL and UNIQUE Collection that is ‘new’ to the market, has never been seen by the public before and has never left family ownership until NOW! A UNIQUE HISTORICAL RECORD OF OGDEN COLLEGE/WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY and BOWLING GREEN! William Alexander Obenchain. Born April 27, 1841 at Buchanan, Botetourt Co., Virginia. Parents: Thomas Jefferson Obenchain and Elizabeth Ann Sweetland. Entered VMI on July 18, 1859 as a member of the VMI (Virginia Military Institute...