Featured Child’s toy or salesman sample?

Child’s toy or salesman sample?, this is one of my favorite Fines. I picked it up at a thrift store in Wilton manors called Poverello‘s it was amongst their Halloween things , it is 11 inches high by 16 inches long by 9 inches wide and the knobs are stone or ceramic when you open it little slats slide out to hold the desk part up it’s a great little piece I hope you guys love it as much as I do

 

Based on size, I'd guess it was meant to be a jewelry box, rather than doll house furniture. Here's another one about the same size.

 

I don’t think it was meant to be small for doll house I mean just made as a toy for a child to play with using

 

Due to the "Shotty" quality it looks like somebody made a "One of a kind" in their garage/woodshop from a mishmash of pieces/parts as a jewelry box for the wife.

 

It's a miniature slant lid desk, those slats that pull out to hold the desk lid horizontal are called lopers.

 

Having the slant lid in place of another drawer seems to me totally inconsistent with a jewellery box. You can never have enough drawers on a jewellery box.

 

I call it "Woodworkers Discretion" - when you are in your wood shop building things you are not set to a "Standard".
I just see modern shiny brass hinges.

 

Unless you only need one..............

 

Maybe you gents can manage with one, but the ladies...

 

For ME, I think it's a wee bit crude for a Salesman's Sample........just sayin', but I HAVE been known to be wrong!!! BUT, I don't think it's a child's play thing either!! OR for a doll house!!!!

 

Ive seen miniature furniture that was made as accessories to larger size dolls. One of my biggest regrets was not buying a victorian bedroom set for a doll at an estate sale. I think this oh so charming piece was made by some loving grandpa around 1900 in his home shop . He was no artisan ,but far better than I would be. I love it.

 

I agree with you. It does have lots of character and I like it. The wood at least looks like it has some good age to it. I also don’t think it was made as a jewellery box..I think it’s just something somebody made in his garage woodwork ‘shop’

 

Agrees, miniatures have been built for hundreds of years, sometimes you see 18th-19th C. examples at auction.
Whether built at cabinet shops by apprentices to sharpen their skills or home shop woodworkers these pieces are charming. If professionally done, they can fetch some serious money at auction.

 

Here is an English 18th C. slant lid desk miniature in oak, not exactly giving it away at 8700 GBP (called bureau in the UK)
https://www.richardgardnerantiques....se/antique-18th-century-miniature-oak-bureau/

 

That's some serious large hardware on that wee desk, James!

 

Indeed, it's got a seriously large price tag as well!

 

Humorous how they used the full-size escutcheons and pulls!

 

Shotty or not , I’m glad I found it

 

Mini Furniture, Why?
https://www.incollect.com/articles/mini-furniture-why

There are all sorts of reasons for these miniatures to be built, to pass an exam to be a master cabinetmaker, advertisement in the cabinetmakers window, dollhouses, toys, samples, home shop woodworkers, BLA BLA BLA.
There are a blue million reasons why they are made but they all have one thing in common, charm. There are collectors who specialize in collecting these furniture forms and, the better examples get quite pricey.

You did well for a thrift shop and, your slant lid desk is very charming! which is why they are collectible in the first place.

 

I also think a doll's desk (they would have to be taught to write first), and it is perfectly charming. Great find.