Prickett Desk 2011

n two sections; the upper case with molded swans-neck bonnet-top pediment with circular openings terminating in carved pinwheels surmounted by three finials, the outer two being urn and corkscrew and the center being urn and ball, all above a free standing carved shell with three carved pinwheels centering the tympanum, above two hinged arched doors with conforming “tombstone” raised panels, the stiles of each door with applied fluted pilasters with separate molded plinths and capitals, each arched door opening to two concave carved fans with twenty- one lobes above eleven valanced letter-holes of various sizes, the dividers with shaped front profiles, above a central section with one adjustable shelf flanked by three banked outer compartments all with candle slides below. The hinged desk lid opens to a stepped down interior centered by an arched raised panel prospect door concealing a bank of three blocked drawers capped by a carved fan, flanked by half- column turned pilastered document drawers, a series of three valanced letter-holes separated by serpentine edged partitions, that conform to those in the upper case, and a bank of three drawers, two blocked and the top drawer blocked and fan carved, all over a tier of four cyma-shaped blocked drawers, over two long straight drawers with horizontally convex fronts. The lower swelled bombé case with four conforming graduated long drawers, each with cock-beaded surrounds and retaining their original willow brasses, above a base molding centered by a shaped dropped pendant with an applied carved scallop shell, all on four cabriole legs, with highly developed elongated knee return blocks, ending in ball and claw feet. Height: 96 ⅛ "; width: 40 ⅝ " at top of base, 44 ⅛ " at swell, 38 ¾ " at middle of top section; depth: 20 ₁³ ⁄₁₆ " at base before swell, 22 ¾ " at swell, 11 ¼ " at middle of top section. 4 I T HE R ARE AND I MPORTANT C ABOT -P AINE -M ETCALF B OMBÉ D ESK - AND -B OOKCASE Workshop of Nathaniel Gould Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1780