Slant-front secretary is circa 1880
Q: This is a photo of an antique desk that my wife purchased from a senior neighbor many years ago. The old varnish was removed and two coats of clear satin finish were applied. It stands about 79 inches tall, 45 inches wide and 20 inches deep. The desktop folds down, and inside are pigeon holes for storage. There are brass pulls on the drawers, and all the drawers are decorated with geometric carvings.
Can you tell us anything about the history of our desk and its current value? A: You have an example of a factory-made Victorian Eastlake slant-front secretary that was made in the fourth quarter of the 19th century. The Victorian era consisted of several substyles of design. Eastlake furniture was made between 1870 and 1890. It was the Industrial Revolution and the new technology in tools and machines that brought an end to furniture made by artisans and cabinetmakers. Furniture designs produced in the mid-19th century were curvilinear and heavily ornate. English architect and designer Charles Eastlake wrote the book “Hints on Household Tastes in Furniture, Upholstery and Other Details” in 1868. He was a reformer who encouraged a return to furniture made with straight clean lines and without fussy ornamentation. Most Eastlake furniture was made from oak, ash, butternut, cherry, maple, chestnut and black walnut. Constructions were usually decorated with shallow incised and stylized carving, pressed-brass bail handles and reeded pilasters.
You didn’t mention what wood was used to make your secretary. Based on your photo, it might be ash, butternut or maple. The upper portion with the glass doors was used for books.
Your secretary is circa 1880 and would probably be worth $800 to $1,200.
Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. Box 247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters. Eastlake period of design was a Victorian substyle.
English architect and designer Charles Eastlake was a reformer who encouraged a return to furniture made with straight clean lines and without fussy ornamentation.