Desk and Bookcase 1800 - 1805

This Desk and Bookcase was made in the late 18th or early 19th century, probably in Boston, by Thomas Seymour. Built from mahogany and other wood, with glass, it demonstrates highly skilled woodworking techniques. Notice the striking grain of the mahogany. It is a dense, reddish-brown wood known for its durability, workability, and beautiful figure. These qualities made it a favorite for fine furniture making. The gothic arches on the doors are created by carefully cutting and shaping the wood, with glass fitted to keep dust out, and books in. To make a piece like this involved a lot of labor. First, the mahogany had to be harvested, processed, and transported. Then, the maker used hand tools such as saws, planes, chisels, and carving tools to shape the wood, and assembled the piece using joinery techniques like dovetailing and mortise-and-tenon joints. Finally, the surface would have been finished, perhaps with varnish or wax. The amount of hand-work, and the imported wood, made this a luxury object then, and now.