ANTIQUE LATE 18TH OR EARLY 19TH CENTURY FEDERAL MAHOGANY & ROSEWOOD SECRETARY DESK With our absolute highest compliments Bay Colony Antiques takes the utmost pleasure in offering perhaps one of the finest secretary desks to appear anywhere in the American antique market with respect to scarcity and value. As we have endeavored to learn as much as possible about American history and the antiques and historical heirlooms of each period we always come back to the same conclusion which is that we love nothing more than the high style Chippendale and early Federal era antiques of 18th century Boston, Massachusetts. We are of course biased because our practice has been located either in or outside of Boston since the 1970's however we objectively feel that no other city produced more for the cultural heritage of America than John Winthrop's City on a Hill. With respect to the tradition of cabinet-making and fine furniture craftsmanship there has never been anyone nearly as influential as the father and son partnership of John & Thomas Seymour who operated a small firm in the city which would grow to employ some of the finest craftsmen this country ever produced. The scholarship around the Seymour firm is not absolute with only historical city records and rare labeled furniture as the only definitive sources. In our experience when ten self appointed Seymour furniture scholars are asked for consensus the only thing that can be agreed upon is each feels they are superior to the other nine. The prolific careers of the Seymour family and those in their employment will never be fully understood nor every piece that firm produced shall ever be properly identified. Moreover, the influence the Seymour's had over all aspects of Boston area craftsmanship and design is hard to quantify and fully articulate however the general inspiration taken from their works is regarded as The School of John & Thomas Seymour. This secretary desk is comprised of old growth Santo Domingan or Honduran mahogany with the finest cuts selected for veneers which adorn the front facing surfaces of the desk. Exotic rosewood veneer was selected to contrast the premium mahogany and provide additional vibrancy and elegance. Cherry lumber is used in select places such as the double blind doors which becomes apparent when the doors are open. Traditional native New England pine was utilized for the secondary case construction including the drawer boxes and the backboards. The princely sum of $38.00 was originally paid for the desk as noted in the oxidized inscription on the back of the desk. This would have been a fair price for such a fine desk comprised of the best materials sourced from half a world away but still outside the reach of a common patron of the day. The upper desk section features double blind doors which open to reveal ten vertical compartments over three small drawers typically used to store writing implements. We note the apparent shrinkage age splits upon the surface of the upper secretary doors. This is much preferred to the alternative which is that an antique restorer strips the original veneer off the doors and replaces it as best they can. This became a common practice particularly in the 1960's and 1970's often done to pass off the restoration as original or as an enhancement to fool collectors into believing that a piece is rarer or more valuable than it truly is. We take no pleasure in telling people that their prized antique has modern elements which substantially detract from its fair market value and unfortunately have had to do so many times. All wood is susceptible to changes in humidity and will invariably develop seasoning splits so any true collector should embrace these aspects versus perceiving them to be something that should be covered up or changed. Any object that is centuries old will need care and from time to time the light touch of a trained restoration expert. Remarkably the desk has retained the original brass hardware elements including the sophisticated lion head brass pulls. Quite often brass was stripped off antique desks as it has spiked in value periodically through history and in times such as the American great depression and WWII was sold off for scrap metal. This desk is worthy of any historical institution or collection of important antiques and we have no doubt that one day it will be housed alongside other antiques of distinction and significance. It is truly our pleasure and honor to care for this remarkable piece and we will be privileged to place it a new home where it will be preserved and treasured for years to come. WELCOME We are a wholly owned family business in our third decade of continuous operation. We have a large inventory of fine antiques ranging from Early American, Federal, Chippendale, Empire, Centennial, Victorian, 20th Century custom mahogany, Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern antique furniture along with decorative arts from across the globe. All the items we offer to the general public are high quality estate pieces. We do not offer goods with significant flaws or defects. We completely avoid items with issues. You can expect the items we sell to have reasonable wear and tear. Due to the large volume of goods we deal in we cannot describe items in minutia. We do our best to give you an accurate condition report in our description of the items. We have expert woodworkers and re-finishers on staff to service any piece of furniture we offer. We represent all merchandise in absolute good faith and to the very best of our ability. Please ask all questions, including, but not limited to, shipping costs prior to purchase. All items are sold as is and from their location. If you would like to find out about any number of our services, including appraisals and restoration, please ask us about our website for more information. We deliver within a 250 mile range of zip code 01105 for a low cost flat rate. We specialize in New York City and Boston deliveries at extremely reasonable rates. For items requiring shipping beyond our delivery zone, we offer freight or “Ground Services” shipping, depending on the size of the items. We ship anywhere within the Continental United States. Items will require packaging and palletizing for freight shipments. The buyer is responsible for the cost of materials only for this service. We perform this service without the cost of labor as an appreciation for your patronage. Freight class shipping is the fastest and most cost effective method of shipping large items. We can reach anywhere in America with a large shipment within 7-10 business days. We buy materials in bulk to save you excessive costs. The materials required for proper crating of items for their safe transit is so specialized we may need up to 7-10 business days to make sure we get absolutely what is required & do the best job possible. We go the extra mile by designing premium customized furniture crates for the ultimate protection of your purchase. We ship from our facility with a loading dock on a major trucking artery. This and our “volume shippers” discount creates a substantial lower cost for you. The least expensive method of shipping is business to business with loading docks. Next is a business without a dock and the last option is shipping to a resident. We are sending your shipments with freight carriers. They are not furniture movers who bring the items into your home. You are provided with curbside delivery of your shipments. We can get you special services in certain cases, but you are responsible for telling us you require them and for the extra cost of these services, if you instruct our shippers to provide services beyond curbside deliveries. We are responsible for any additional services and charged for these services. We absolutely maintain our right to collect the costs of these charges for services we did not authorize or were prepaid for. MERCHANDISE PICK UP AND STORAGE All our customers are welcome to come to our facility to pick up their purchases free of charge. You can expect friendly help in loading your purchase in your vehicle. We ask that you come ready to transport your purchase by having ample pads or blankets to protect your item in transit. We don’t like to send nice people off with things tied to roof racks. We also do not desire to charge storage fees, but we are holding some purchases for over three years now and are under no contract to. We are not a storage facility. We are happy to hold your items for a reasonable pre-agreed upon period. Beyond or absent any specified contract a $50.00 dollar per week storage fee will apply. ON-LINE SALES/TERMS OF USE All Massachusetts residents are subject to the 6.25% sales tax unless you possess a valid resale number from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We do not accept returns so please, ask all questions prior to submitting an offer or purchasing. We have a zero tolerance policy for non-paying buyers. Any offer we accept is a binding sale and subject to the conditions herein. Massachusetts General Law applies to all sales. Bidding on and purchasing any item is under the acknowledgment of the buyer and is consent to the contractual agreement set forth herein. This agreement is in full force and effect on any item purchased through our Ebay store and on items purchased through us and our gallery. We strive to make your on-line buying experience as easy and pleasant as possible. We accept all major credit cards and are delighted to answer any questions that you may have or provide services you may need. |