Description:
Tambour desk with an upper and lower case, which has been attributed to John or Thomas Seymour, working in Boston 1793-1813. According to a note in the file from Edwin K. Boggs who was the great-great-grandson of Capt Archibald Anderson and Rebecca Fessender of Boston, dated April 25, 1994: "This tambour Secretary was brought from Boston, Mass to Warren Maine by Capt. Archibald Anderson in 1812 on the Brig Alonzo. The above mentioned was the son of James and grand son of Archibald Anderson of Bannockburn, Scotland. Capt Archibald married Rebecca Fessender of Boston in 1803; she being the owner of the desk. Her parents were ship builders and were considered wealthy for those times. It might also be of interest ot know that this same Brig Alonzo commanded by Capt Archibald Anderson carried on trade between Madrid Spain and Boston found leaving port a Stowaway aboard; He was a boy about twelve years of age and was brought to Warren Maine and here he was given employment by the Capt. He later married and to this day Many of his posterity are to be found in New England. This desk has been located for 132 years within fifty feet of the spot that Mr Ellerton M Jette the present owner first saw it. Four generations have cared for this desk during that time." There is a demi-lunette along the upper case edge, black and white stringing around three sides, over two tambour slides with brass pulls, flanked by inlaid columns, which cover interior drawers with brass ring pulls and pigeon holes. The folded-edge edge writing surface which folds out has a replaced wool baize, and is supported on two slides with small round brass pulls. The lower case has bands of inlay in a striated pattern on each side; three graduated drawers outlined with a light banded inlay and with ivory escutcheons and brass pulls impressed with a five-petal flower; a band of half-lunette inlay around the botton edge on three sides; and tapered legs with square boxes of inlays on three sides and terminating in spade feet which have a peculiar squared "block"above the taper. There is a pencil inscription at the juncture of the upper and lower case: "Cleaned off and repaired in November 1907 by Thomas H. Norton Warren ME." The upper right inner drawer has a chalk "3" two times on inner surfaces. There are pencil reckonings on the left inner surface. The two side panels have chisel stab marks; each is marked with "II."

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+53.094.3

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.