Portable desk
1840s
Classification
furniture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Rogers Denckla
Accession Number
1975-48-1-a/c
About this artwork
Stand (a), the top inlaid with mother-of-pearl and black checkboard, decorated with gold 'S' curve supports with stretcher on bases with wheels, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with gold.
Art Historical Context
This elegant portable desk from the 1840s exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of mid-19th-century American furniture Crafted as a wheeled stand, its top features intricate inlays of shimmering mother-of-pearl in a striking black checkerboard pattern, by ornate gold 'S'-curve supports, a connecting stretcher, and wheeled bases. These luxurious details suggest it was designed for both functionality and display, allowing easy mobility—perfect for a writing nook in a parlor or travel. In the antebellum era, such pieces reflected America's growing prosperity and fascination with opulent European...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...