Look at the wood. Many secretary desks from the 1700s and 1800s feature exotic woods like rosewood, tulipwood, and kingwood.
Examine the construction.
Look for a manufacturer mark or label.
What are old desks called?Butler’s Desk
Often referenced as a butler’s chest, this is a type of drop-front desk, fairly short and compact but substantial and square in shape. The interior contains several small drawers, cubbyholes, and letter slots surrounding a central door.
What were old desks made of?In fact, a Bible box—a plain wooden container with a flat or slanted lid, which held the Bible and important papers—was the earliest desk.
How much is a Wooton desk worth?“The Wooton desk, for anybody collecting late 19th century furniture, this is one of the ultimate pieces you would have.” Melchert asked for $14,500 and ultimately got pretty close to that with a final accepted offer of $13,500.
How do I find a vintage desk? – Additional Questions
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How do I identify a Wooton desk?
A brass handle and brass plaques, including one proudly proclaiming Wooton’s name and the desk patent date, decorated the doors. Each desk consisted of three parts: the central portion, with a drop writing board, and two paneled doors that swung out on brass hinges.
How can you tell a real Davenport desk?
There is generally a row of drawers down one side, with false drawers on the opposing side, and the top is surmounted by a brass or fretwork gallery. Made to be freestanding, davenports are finished and polished on all four sides.
How do I know if my desk is an antique?
Technically, an antique is a piece of furniture with special value because of its age, particularly those pieces embellished with fine artistry. The age factor is subjective: general antique stores label objects 50 years or older as antiques. Fine antique dealers consider objects 150 years and older to be antique.
What does a davenport desk look like?
A Davenport desk is a writing table that features a hinged top and a number of drawers or compartments, allowing a significant amount of storage relative to the amount of space the piece occupies. It usually has elaborately carved legs and is often made from rich, dark woods like walnut or cherry.
Why is a davenport desk called a davenport?
The term ‘davenport’ is first noted in Gillows’ Cost Books in the 1790s. Gillows were a prosperous cabinetmaking firm operating out of Lancaster and London from the 1730s to the 1840s. The term appeared in the phrase ‘Captain Davenport, a desk’ next to a design of it. This became one of their most famous inventions.
What is an antique davenport?
An Antique Davenport is a great, compact writing desk for your modern day living room office or study. Named after a Captain Davenport the desk emerged in the early 1800s.
What type of furniture is a davenport?
davenport, in modern usage, a large upholstered settee, but in the 18th century a compact desk having deep drawers on the right side and dummy drawer fronts on the left side.
Why is it called a captain’s desk?
This desk, also called a ship’s captain’s desk, was originally made for a man known only as Captain Davenport, who originally commissioned it from the Gillows of Lancaster company near the end of the 18th century. This type of desk was extremely popular in the 19th century and especially in the Victorian era.
Why is a davenport?
What Is a Davenport? If living in North America, a davenport most often is referring to a large lounger sofa. The British term means writing desk, instead. “Davenport” was originally the name of a series of sofas made by the Massachusetts furniture manufacturer A. H. Davenport and Company.
Why is a couch called a divan?
Divans received this name because they were generally found along the walls in Middle Eastern council chambers of a bureau called divan or diwan (from Persian, meaning a government council or office, from the bundles of papers they processed, and next their council chambers).
Is it a couch or a sofa?
In the United States, the words “couch” and “sofa” are generally interchangeable. That means either word is used to describe this piece of furniture, which a person can sit or lie down on.
Why did they call couches davenports?
In some parts of the U.S., a davenport is an especially fancy sofa, while in others it’s one that can be converted into a bed. The name comes from a 19th century Massachusetts furniture maker, A.H. Davenport and Company. The family name Davenport goes back to a town in Cheshire, England.
What were couches called in the 1800s?
“Couch,” derived from French in the 1300s, meant a bed for most of its history, though by the 19th century it denoted something like a chaise-longue with a low back and one end-piece. “Davenport,” meaning the same as “sofa,” is a late 19th-century term, probably taken from the name of an American manufacturer.
What were fainting couches used for?
A fainting couch is a form of a daybed with a raised back and a curvy wooden frame. This piece of furniture was used for relaxing or taking naps throughout the day so as not to mess up a freshly made bed.
Is there a difference between a davenport and a couch?
Today, a couch is a piece of furniture large enough to lie down on that’s bigger than a loveseat, which is built for two. In essence, a davenport describes a piece of upholstered furniture big enough to lie down on that was made and named by the Davenport Furniture Company in Massachusetts, according to Creators.
What was a Chesterfield?
Definition of chesterfield
1 : a single-breasted or double-breasted semifitted overcoat with velvet collar. 2 : a davenport usually with upright armrests.
