Premier Auction
Sat, Dec 4, 2021 09:00AM EST
Lot 668
Rare Kentucky Attributed Federal Walnut Desk and Bookcase
Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $100 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $200 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
possibly Mount Sterling area or Adair County, Kentucky, 19th century, backboards with painted inscriptions in two places "B. G. ? Hill/Mt. Sterling, KY", walnut construction throughout with walnut, cherry, and ash secondary, upper case with herringbone inlaid cornice over interlacing line inlaid pediment, over two barber pole inlaid figured walnut doors, each centering a hound and bird lightwood figural inlay, interior with three adjustable shelves, lower case with barber pole and conch shell patera inlaid fallboard opening to fitted interior with cubby holes and six dovetailed drawers, two inlaid document drawers centering a prospect door opening to additional drawer, above four graduated barber pole inlaid long drawers, flanked by chamfered corners with whisky jug and trailing vine inlay, set on thick base molding with turned feet, 90 x 43 x 20-1/2 in.
Provenance: Private Collection, Greeneville, Tennessee
Note: For two related pieces from Adair County, Kentucky, see Lacer and Howard, Collecting Kentucky, 1790-1860, which illustrates a walnut corner cupboard with distinctive, figural inlay (pg. 172-173) and a sugar chest with decanter and goblet inlay. Among the other distinctive details of the present example are the "whiskey jug" urns that issue the trailing vines. While the turned feet are slightly anachronistic, they appear to be original to the case, dating it to perhaps circa 1820s.
Condition
good integrity overall, one upper door with two repaired broken out hinges, minor shrinkage to door panels, fallboard with replaced hinges with associated distress and repairs, brasses replaced and locks missing, upper drawer of lower case with distress at dovetails, minor loss at one rear corner of base molding, some finish wear and sun fading, some distress at front of base molding to case, scattered corner and edge bumps, one associated small loss to herringbone inlay, upper case lacking one sliding dovetail attachment for connection to upper case (caution - upper case needs to be screwed down to lower case for safety), patches at some escutcheons
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