18TH CENTURY ANTIQUE BOSTON CHIPPENDALE BLACK WALNUT OXBOW SLANT LID SECRETARY DESK
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With our highest compliments we're proud to offer for sale this wonderful 18th century black walnut antique Chippendale oxbow slant lid secretary desk. A true collectors piece this desk has remained relatively untouched the past 200+ years. The desk is in what appears to be it's first surface with a wonderful patina in a dark walnut tone. This slant lid is finished with an old natural varnish long before the time of aniline dyes and synthetic stains. The desk features a finely executed oxbow form, indicative and practiced throughout eastern Massachusetts, standing on powerful Chippendale ball and claw feet. The base molding is crisp, balanced, and executed to perfection. This clearly was crafted by one of Boston's finest cabinet makers with exquisite attention to detail. We've seen similar desk associated with Benjamin Frothingham and other institutional level cabinet makers. The desk has massive 21" wide single plank walnut sides joined with dovetails to the case. The desk has a total of 8 original Chippendale bat wing brasses and 5 escutcheon plates. The top drawer follows the same oxbow serpentine pattern with a blocked top. The top drawers brasses are curved to contour the chest. When looking at the desk straight on this creates a tombstone design running along the drawer faces. Small details and embellishments like these are what make the chest sing when others just seem to plod along. The top 3 drawers retain their lock, the lid lock has been removed and the bottom drawer never took one. The drawers are constructed with all hand cut dovetails and New England white pine secondaries. The lid opens to reveal a rare interior configuration with one swinging door and a complex pigeon hole system over an amphitheater carving. We note a split in the interior, the hinges on the lid were replaced at some point in it's life, and some drawer panels were expertly reworked. If these were a true issue we simply wouldn't offer the piece. We always practice our full disclosure policy and will bring to light any alterations no matter how insignificant they may be considering the age and importance of the piece. From somebody who loves period furniture and especially 18th century Boston examples this desk really got us excited. This desk is 45" wide x 24" deep x 44" tall. When the lid is open the writing surface is 33" tall.
