A handsome Federal mahogany and inlaid cylinder secretary desk and bookcase, coastal Massachusetts, probably Boston, circa 1810.

A handsome Federal mahogany and inlaid cylinder secretary desk and bookcase, coastal Massachusetts, probably Boston, circa 1810. This handsome Federal desk, with a raised gallery and glazed bookcase cabinet in agreeable proportions with high quality materials was produced in a fine Boston or Salem cabinet shop. The desk, which has a pleasing surface and mellow old color, is mounted with a gallery of arched splats between inlaid plinths with sapwood cross banding. Each plinth is mounted with a brass finial, the outer two with eagle and ball form and the center in the form of a Phoenix on an urn. This book case rests above a bank of three short drawers above two long drawers with lightwood fronts and sapwood cross banded borders. Below this is a cylinder roll desk lid veneered with a vibrantly grained mahogany panel with a lightwood border and a cross banded edge. The cylinder opens two a pull out writing surface below two banks of three short drawers centering four cubbies with shaped valences The cabinet below the desk has two short drawers above on full length drawer. Each drawer has a cock bead surround and lightwood front with a cross banded edge and an inlaid ebony diamond-form keyhole escutcheon. The drawers are flanked with a rectangular frieze interrupted by a geometric inlaid border, all above bamboo style turned and tapered legs.

Dimensions:

 Height including finial 91”; Width 36"; Depth 22”