Featured Memo from the Desk of Ghopper

Nope, victorian era, 1870 or so, davenport desk that was passed in N.O. auction last year.
Posted it in pushing for a baize writing surface!
https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/american-carved-walnut-davenport-desk-c-1870-the-_D414B5C83F

American Carved Walnut Davenport Desk, c. 1870, the arched three-quarter galleried back splash behind an inset baize writing surface enclosing a birds eye maple interior fitted with drawers and cubby holes flanked on the proper left side by four deep drawers with leaf form handles, H.- 37 1/4 in., W.- 22 in., D.- 23 1/4 in.

 

Now here we have an example of a John Adams era baize writing surface, the portable desk TJ used to write the declaration of independence in 1776.
At the Smithsonian, the nation's attic, worth a visit if in the DC area.
BTW, Adams & TJ HATED each other!
The baize maybe sun faded but, it's still there!

Mr. Jefferson's Writing Box

"Jefferson designed the desk while a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1776, and had it built by a Philadelphia cabinetmaker. The "writing box," as he later called it, is of mahogany, and of modest size: 9 3/4 inches long by 14 3/8 inches wide by 3 1/4 inches deep. There’s a folding board, lined with green baize, attached to the top—when it is opened, the writing surface grows to 19 3/4 inches. A drawer in one end of the desk has space for paper, pens and a glass inkwell. The whole is about the size of an attaché case—barely larger than the first generation of laptop computers in our own day. But this 18th-century think pad, at least, earned the name."

11 photos of the desk at this link
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_513641

 

I was thinking about the desks that got loose from the House of Representatives. They redecorated in 1857 when the place was rebuilt and gave/sold the desks to the people using them. The 1857s are different again. Can't find an image right now except for the later ones. Someone on the Roadshow had John Q's House chair.

 

Yes, I have seen a few US House of Representatives chairs for sale from time to time, can't recall desks although pretty sure there have been some.