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Attributed to Thomas Seymour

Lady's Writing Desk, ca. 1795-1800

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Attributed to Thomas Seymour, 1771-1848, American
  • Attributed to John Seymour, ca.1738-ca.1818, American, cabinetmaker

Culture

American

Title

Lady's Writing Desk

Year

ca. 1795-1800

Medium

Mahogany, pine, light and dark wood inlays, ivory, brass and enamel hardware

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • brass (alloy),
  • brass (alloy),
  • pine,
  • ivory,
  • mahogany veneer,
  • mahogany,
  • enamel

Dimensions

109.9 x 94.6 x 48.3 cm (43 1/4 x 37 1/4 x 19 inches)

Place

United States of America

Type

  • Decorative Arts,
  • Furniture

Credit

Estate of Martha B. Lisle, by exchange

Object Number

71.075

Projects & Publications

Publications

American Furniture In Pendleton House

Read Online

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Making It In America

October 11, 2013 - February 9, 2014

Made in Boston, this lady’s writing desk includes highly popularized French design elements, such as tamboured doors, elegant proportions, and slender tapered legs, and reflects the influence of the French Neoclassical style on late 18th-century and early 19th-century design, known in America as the Federal style. Federal furniture is characterized by intricate inlays, a skill at which New England cabinetmakers excelled. The drawer fronts are framed by thin strips of inlaid light wood, a technique known as stringing, while the legs and stiles are inlaid with cascading bellflowers. Further embellishments include the precisely formed ivory keyhole escutcheons and the royal blue and white enameled brass handles.

Focus on Form

April 1, 1998 - May 21, 2000

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Lady's Writing Desk with the accession number of 71.075. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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