A Federal Parcel Gilt Mahogany, Holly and Ebony Breakfront Gentleman's Desk-and-Bookcase

Ebenezer Eustis, Salem, Massachusetts, 1808

Height 95 x width 64 x depth 20 inches.

Property from a Prominent Midwest Estate

Provenance:

John Wheelock (1754-1817), second president of Dartmouth College, son of Eleazar Wheelock (1711-1779), founder and first president of Dartmouth College;

Wellington family;

gifted to Frances Hunt Weston, January 1, 1894;

thence by descent to her nephew Payson G. Weston, Bloomfield, New Jersey;

Bernard & S. Dean Levy Inc., New York, November, 1993.

Exhibited:

Art Institute of Chicago, American Art of the Colonies and Early Republic, July 17-September 12, 1971, cat. no. 59, illus. p. 48.

In overall good and stable condition. Retaining an even, early finish throughout, though it may be later than the original finish. Old scuffs, marks and scratches consistent with age and use. Age cracks visible in areas, with some associated repair and discoloration. The drawers are now lined with felt. The two rear legs appear to have been cracked and reglued at the base, but they are structurally secure. The drawer pulls, while seemingly early, are replaced and there are associated patches to the drawer fronts where the posts were previously set. The upper section has been wired for electricity. The turned finials, while showing age, may be early replacements. Tooled leather writing surface is replaced. There was an old break to the center of the crest that was a crack, which has since been reglued. Shelves within the cupboards are likely replaced.

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Please email for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Ben Fisher

Managing Director, Furniture and Decorative Arts

[email protected]312.447.3270

Mr. Fisher rejoined the firm in 2019 after working as a specialist in the American Furniture and Folk Art department at Sotheby’s New York. His areas of expertise include 18th, 19th, and 20th century American, Continental, and English furniture, decorative and folk art. Before coming to Hindman in 2013, Mr. Fisher worked in European Furniture and Decorative Arts in Philadelphia. He began his career working for a prints dealer focusing on works from the 16th through the 20th centuries.

Leah Vogelpohl

AVP, Specialist, American Furniture, Folk, and Decorative Arts

[email protected]513.666.4960

Ms. Vogelpohl joined the firm in 2013 as a cataloger in the American and European Furniture and Decorative Arts department. She became a department specialist in 2017, focusing on American decorative arts and silver. She received a BA from the College of Charleston and an MLITT in Art History from the University of Glasgow.

American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts

A Federal Parcel Gilt Mahogany, Holly and Ebony Breakfront Gentleman's Desk-and-Bookcase

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