Fine American Chippendale Ball and Claw Antique Slant Front Desk, Massachusetts

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About the Item

EXCEPTIONAL AMERICAN CHIPPENDALE MAHOGANY SLANT FRONT DESK OVER CLAW FEET Salem or Boston Massachusetts, c. 1770-90 This very fine American Chippendale desk almost certainly originates from the Salem or Boston work centers in Massachusetts during the last quarter of the 18th Century. The dense and beautifully grained solid mahogany was clearly selected with great care, the smooth and undulating lines of the boards understated and subtle, flowing from one drawer to the next and ultimately into the slanting desk surface. The desk top is constructed with a solid horizontal plank flanked by groove-and-tongue vertical strips, lifting smoothly over period replaced brass hinges and resting on the projecting lopers with original brass knobs to reveal a large writing surface and gallery of nine small drawers and four scalloped cubby holes. The drawers are each inscribed for where each belongs in the scheme of the desk, in pencil 1-9, and each is hand dovetailed with chamfered bottoms rabbeting into the drawer frame. The center drawer features a wonderful sunk 18-lobed shell carved design flowing into the two drawers below it, a design common to these work centers, each drawer face carved out of a solid piece of mahogany. The case is crafted of solid single boards of mahogany along each side, dovetailed into the pine case bottom and through-dovetailed at the top. The back is constructed of three large pine boards laid horizontally and half-lapped, behind which a pine support runs perpendicular to the boards, dovetailed at both ends with a screw through the bottom. Carved solid molding runs along the bottom of the case with an applied scalloped skirt pendant at the center, reinforced from the back with rounded glued blocking. Each drawer is graduated, each below larger proportionally to the one above, sliding in and out of the beaded frame. The sides of the drawer frame are channelled with raised beading, a detail that is seen on high-grade work from Massachusetts. They exhibit tight well-formed dovetailing at the front and backs, the bottom boards running perpendicular to the case, chamfered along the edges and rabbeting into the frame; pine runners are added to supplement the wear to these sides, the drawers otherwise remaining in their original state with a series of rosehead and cut nails affixing the back edge of the bottom to the frame. Each drawer has replaced batwing hardware with holes close to the original holes, along with replaced locking hardware. There are no dust boards between drawers. The blades between each drawer are beaded to simulate cockbead molding, joining the case with exposed dovetails on either side. The case rests over four bird-talon claws and sharp-cornered knee'd feet, executed in a form commonly regionalized to Eastern Massachusetts, and flanked on each corner with scalloped returns. Each foot has it's original blocking, undisturbed and in solid outstanding condition. Uniquely, even the rear feet feature the four claw design, though the finishing work on the ball at the back side was less elegantly executed than the rest of the feet. Less refined desks of Massachusetts will often feature only bracket rear feet, or when they possess all four carved feet the rear legs will regularly only have three rough claws instead of four to save on labor. This desk has attention shown in every square inch of the case, even the unappreciated areas where time spent does not necessarily pay off for the craftsman of the day. This is clearly a desk that was executed for a demanding and affluent client. A very fine work of art with originality in almost every facet of the desk, this is an investment grade antique American desk for anyone passionate about Eastern Massachusetts and American Chippendale as a whole. It is a fine desk that will be cherished in your family for generations to come. Materials: [primary] Mahogany; [secondary] Eastern White Pine Inscriptions: Shell carved drawer and the drawer below it penciled "M" at the back of the frame, possibly indicating M for "middle" as these are in the middle of the gallery. Most tiny drawers inscribed with correlating numbers on the bottoms, 1-9. Inside of the desk upright post has a pencil inscription, appearing to read "Joho". Literature: American Case Furniture: in the Mabel Brady Garvan and Other Collections at Yale University, Gerald W.R. Ward, fig. 158 (several other very similar examples are available in the same chapter) Measurements: 44" wide at the feet, 40 3/8" wide at the case; 22 1/2" deep at the feet, 20 5/8" deep at the case; 43 3/8" high to top of case, 32 1/2" high to desk surface Condition Report: Refinished in the last century, some sun-fading to surface, minor dings/abrasions/scratches throughout and old surface filling is visible in the deep swirling mahogany grains; surface overall is quite rich and very attractive with a mild cognac color. Pulls are period replacements in nearly the same holes as the originals. Hinges and locks replaced, one drawer lock absent - no key. All drawers have some hairline cracking and color fading, nothing particularly noteworthy. Runners added to underside of drawers to supplement frame. One backboard removed and shellacked during the 19th century - all backboards original, reattached with screws as the cut nails probably lost grip. Left loper with a pieced repair. Untouched feet. We have 96 additional images available on our website for your review - a link is available upon request.

Dimensions:
Height: 43.38 in (110.19 cm)Width: 44 in (111.76 cm)Depth: 22.5 in (57.15 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Mahogany,Pine
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
18th Century and Earlier
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1770
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading.
Seller Location:
Shippensburg, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 211CKJ26F1stDibs: LU105901355682

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