Description:
Miniature slant front desk in cherry, which was originally mahoganized, and white pine. The desk descended in the Gay family of Farmington, Connecticut. Capable craftsmen built miniature furniture for use and enjoyment by children; they did not construct "salesman's samples" since most cabinetmakers were not itinerant, and a full-sized product, partially made in the shop or already in the home of a happy patron, was a better, practical endorsement of style and technique than a miniaturized adaptation. Adults also used miniature furniture to protect valuables and papers (rarely spices). The drop front lid, with its large fan-shaped carving, conceals an interior cabinet with open pigeon holes and drawers. The body has an extension with a brass pull on each side to support the lid; three graduated long drawers, each with three fan carvings; and fluted ends above a molded base supported on four ogee bracket feet.
Label Text:
Capable craftsmen built miniature furniture, such as this slant-lid desk, for use and enjoyment by children. This example, a rare survival with a history of ownership in the Gay family of Farmington, Connecticut, was likely commissioned for a young boy. In the 18th century, desks were commonly associated with predominantly male activities, including business or mercantile endeavors, and thus this miniature furniture form would have been an appropriate gift for a young boy. In this context, the desk not only functioned as a toy, but also introduced a boy to the types of activities and work he might one day pursue.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+60.124 |
