This famous "Wooton Desk" was patented "Oct. 6, 1874," and custom made in Indianapolis, Indiana. This spectacular complete office opens to reveal an interior with birdseye or curly maple including small drawers and cubicles or mailboxes in the doors. Called the "King of Desks," the drop front writing surface has new leather.
Inside are drawers and compartments of various sizes, above is a lift lid covering more slots for documents. Crafted of solid walnut with raised burl panels, there are deep moldings on all sides and the back. The restored finish is in excellent condition, preserving just enough mars, stains and shrinkage separations from age for antique character as shown.
Embossed cast iron hardware, double wheels and the mail slot are original. Inside is a glass door over the mailbox, there are various ink stains. Drawers have hand cut dovetail joints and turned walnut knobs. Worn green pasteboard file boxes are also original.
This desk was left open for most of the last 120 years, and the doors have warped and sagged from gravity and age, see photos. The latch still secures the desk closed, and carved walnut shims have been added to close the center gap.
The bottom of a drawer was signed by the final craftsman or "desk trimmer, Rue Jackson," who finished the desk on "June 29, 1885."
William S. Wooten ended production of these fabulous desks in 1885. They were exhibited at the American Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, and owned by luminaries including President U. S. Grant, Queen Victoria, John D. Rockefeller and Joseph Pulitzer. A similar desk has been in use at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, ever since 1876.
This desk measures 46" wide, 34" deep and 75" tall when closed, 91" wide when open, and the desktop is 29" high, with an adjustable angle.
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Item # 28639
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