Bay Colony Antiques is proud to offer for sale this remarkable 18th century antique Pennsylvania Walnut slant lid desk. The desk has carved quarter columns flanking a set of 4 graduated drawers with molded faces. The interior has 4 standard drawers over 2 longer ones with a shell carved center door and 2 shell carved vertical letter drawers. When the right letter drawer is pulled out there is a hidden lock that when pressed to the right releases a lever unlocking the base panel under the center drawer that reveals a concealed drop well compartment. The compartment is quite small but was only designed to hold a few colonial coins or paper notes. The pull out letter slide has an old painted 8x8 game board on the side and some old pencil script.
We’ll attach a picture to the listing showing how the hidden drawer operates. The desk has two very well done repairs to the left side that are easy to glance over and has had some unusual maintenance work done to the drawers. Drawers are usually constructed with a thin piece of wood underneath the runners that wear out over time from the friction of the drawers being opened and closed. Whoever restored this desk close to 100 years ago chose to add a thin piece of metal where the drawer runners would be and they slide over inset wheels that have been installed in the transitions. All of the drawers actuate with ease and we applaud the ingenuity of the work. The desk measures 44 1/8” wide x 23 1/2” deep x 44 1/8” tall. When the lid is open the depth changes from 23 1/2” to 39 3/4”. The work surface is 39 3/4” wide x 28 1/4” deep.
