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December 2020 - Antique Shoppe - 5
2020 Art & Antiques Show Virtually Venice
Benefiting Wolfson Children’s Hospital
Enjoy a glimpse of Venice and more during the Virtual 2020 Shaw; antique wholesaler, author of Soul of the Home.
Art & Antiques Show sponsored by: The Women’s Board of • Venetian Fare Cooking Demonstrations by Black
Wolfson Children’s Hospital Sheep Restaurant Group, Brick Restaurant, Catering by Hang Your
Available from Jacksonville to Venice and all places in Liz Grenamyer, Chef’s Garden, Prati Italia and SAVOR… Shingle
between on your computer or mobile device, the Show premiers Jacksonville. in
Friday, December 4, 2020. Everything will continue through • Tablescapes by Jacksonville hostesses Paula Skitsko,
Thursday, December 10, 2020 at www.artandantiquesshow.com Katie Borghese, Kathy Long, and flowers by Ann Evans. The
Highlights of the Show include: • Innisfail Captain Bobby Scherrer shares the intriguing Antique
• Atlanta Interior Designer Charles Chewning presenting history of the storied yacht commissioned in 1939. Shoppe
his celebrated restoration of Venice’s historic Gritti Palace. • Visits with garden designer and lifestyle expert P. Allen (352)
• Fascinating Conversation moderated by Margot Shaw, Smith and New York event planner Rebecca S. Gardner. 475-1679
Founder, and Editor-In-Chief, Flower Magazine, author of • Amore Children’s Fashion Show featuring current and
Living Floral, with Interior Designers: Elaine Griffin; author former patients of Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
of Design Rules and Katie Ridder; author of More Rooms, For more information about The Women’s Board of Wolfson
Inspired By Color, and A House in the Country, Sean Scherer; Children’s Hospital and the 44th Annual Art & Antiques Show,
artist, antique dealer, author of Kabinett & Kammer, Tara visit womensboardwch.com and artandantiquesshow.com

The design of the desk has been around in its current form since the
Q Questions & 18th century. Only very minor details such as construction techniques and
& Common Sense Answers drop front support technology have changed. The basic desk is known as a
“slant front” or “drop front” desk. When a bookcase is added to the basic
A with Fred Taylor desk it is called a “secretary” or “bookcase secretary” but not all drop

fronts have them.
As to the variations you found in price – that
I read with great delight an article reflects the age and quality of the individual
Q. you wrote about imaginary names artifacts. And again I emphasize that the form
of furniture. I just recently purchased a slant itself is much older than the name. It is the name,
front desk which, by all my searching across “Gov. Winthrop”, that is less than 100 years old,
the internet, would be branded with the name not the form. A very nice American slant front
“Governor Winthrop.” It is in fantastic shape and desk without a bookcase top, with fitted interior
I love it. However, in comparing all the styles I with document drawers and prospect door,
saw on the Internet (which there were dozens in gadrooned skirt and ball & claw feet front and
this category) to my own, I did not find an EXACT back, circa 1770, recently sold at auction at Grand
match. You stated in the article that the Winthrop View Antique Auction for $6,100 plus buyer’s
Furniture Company of Boston began making this premium. On the other hand you will find any
type of desk in 1924. Any idea how long they number of 20th century desks that sell or have
made them or what the clues are to how old one been sold for just a few hundred dollars on eBay.
of them would be? Also, did they all begin life Clues to the history and value of your desk
with a cabinet on top of the desk as a unit? I do will be found in the construction details and
not have a cabinet on top for comparison so that the overall quality and style. Your slant front
makes it more difficult. The price ranges for these desk is from the Depression era – late 1920s to
types of desks is quite a spectrum on the Internet late 1940s. One clue is the very conservative
ranging from $300 to nearly $4000. Do you think nature, depth and detail of the ball and claw
that is a fair spectrum considering that the desks foot. That subdued style of carving was done in
are less than 100 years old? the Depression era. The desk is made of ribbon
I am attaching five photographs. The key holes This very nice slant front desk is from the Depression era. striped mahogany veneer over a lumber core
for the desk front and four drawers (the one key The term “Gov. Winthrop” referred to a specific model plywood base (explained and illustrated in my book
opens all) appear to be original and it does not made by Winthrop Furniture Co, not the form itself. “HOW TO BE A FURNITURE DETECTIVE”). The small
look like there were ever any face plates over them inner door is called a “prospect” door and the
as I have seen in many pictures. The internal little removable columns are called “document drawers”.
door has it’s own key, again with no face or evidence there ever was one. The whole inside is said to be a “fitted interior”. The Chippendale batwing
There are five drawers across the bottom. The drawer pulls appear to be drawer pulls are indeed mounted upside down. I can see the shadow of
mounted the opposite (upside down) from what I see of other desks on the the former position in your close up photo of the hardware. They should
Internet but do not appear to me to have ever been altered. The hinges be turned over.
for the drop front appear to be standard flat three screw types while many Your desk would probably sell at auction in the $500 - $750 range.
that I see on the Internet have some longer type of hinge. I am mostly Thanks for the photos. Enjoy your desk.
interested in the history of the piece as I have no plans to resell it ever!
Thanks in advance and I would appreciate any advice you have. Dan M. Send your comments, questions and pictures to me at PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or
Dan - I am glad you enjoyed my article about some of the imaginary email them to me at info@furnituredetective.com
Visit Fred’s website at www.furnituredetective.com and check out the downloadable
A. (and imaginative) names applied to furniture. (It is #104 – FLIGHTS “Common Sense Antiques” columns in .pdf format. His book “HOW TO BE A FURNITURE
OF FANCY – IMAGINARY NAMES from my syndicated series “COMMON DETECTIVE” is now available for $18.95 plus $3.00 shipping. Send check or money order for
SENSE ANTIQUES”. I will be happy to send it to any readers who request it $21.95 to Fred Taylor, PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423
by email.) I think if you go back and read the article carefully you will see Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, “IDENTIFICATION OF OLDER & ANTIQUE FURNITURE”, ($17.00 +
that I did not state that the Winthrop Furniture Co. began making this type $3.00 S&H) are also available at the same address. For more information call (800) 387-6377
of desk. They introduced the 1924 model year with a new variation of the (9AM-4PM Eastern, M-F only), fax 352-563-2916, or e-mail info@furnituredetective.com. All
basic design and used a play on words for the description. items are also available directly from the website, www.furnituredetective.com