Design for Writing Table #2 with Five-Cubbyhole Back Unit

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

This elegant design for a writing table, created by the A.N. Davenport Co around 1900–1905, offers a glimpse into early th-century American furniture craftsmanship Titled *Design for Writing Table # with Five-Cubbyhole Unit*, it features a back unit with five cubbyholes, ideal for organizing letters, documents, and desk essentials in a home study or office. As a furniture design drawing or blueprint—though the exact medium remains under study—it reflects the era's emphasis on functional yet refined domestic furnishings. Produced during a transitional period in American design, when mass production began blending with artisanal quality, A.N. Davenport Co. was a prominent Massachusetts firm known for high-end pieces. This work highlights the planning stage of furniture creation, showcasing how manufacturers visualized form and utility before crafting wood, hardware, and joinery. Its presence in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, gifted by The Lake St. Louis Historical Society, underscores its value in preserving industrial design history. Though research is ongoing, this piece invites us to appreciate the ingenuity behind everyday objects, bridging architecture, functionality, and aesthetics in turn-of-the-century life. Visitors might imagine it in a bustling Gilded Age parlor, holding the correspondence of a budding industrialist.