Featured Is this an Eastlake Secretary Desk?

Thanks for taking a look, it is very tall around 87" not sure if its a hutch of sorts or a
desk? Have more photos if needed.

 

Nice dovetails on that. Is this called pin and cove?

 

What a great piece ! Id call it Eastlake,but Brad is way better at that than I am.

 

Eastlake yes, and those dovetails (pin and cove, yes) are usually pinpointed to 1880's. I guess it could be a secretary, though I've never seen one that doesn't have a fold out or pull out desk surface so I wonder how useful it would be (and whether height is right).

I actually wonder if it might be a marriage, since the width of top and bottom is different, the join is lacking a moulding and just looks cut off, and it looks like the pulls are different too. Are the dovetails exactly the same on top and bottom drawers? How are the two pieces joined and what does it look like with the top removed?

 

they are not joined, the top just sits on top of the base, and if its marriage it has been this way for years and years as the top has a lot of wear. The pulls are different, the dovetails are identical top and bottom.

 

Actually, It's a "Knapp" joint, named after it's inventor, pin & cove is one of it's nicknames.
"The Knapp Joint, also known as Pin & Cove, Pin & Scallop and Half Moon, is a visually unique style of antique joinery. It is a particularly interesting joint to us at Furnish Green because we don’t see it very often, and there’s a reason for that; it was only in use for about 30 years.

The Knapp joint was developed during the late Victoria Era in post-Civil War United States. It was patented by Charles Knapp of Waterloo, WI in 1867. This type of joint was a significant advancement in furniture construction as it was made by machines whereas the dovetail joint had to be done by hand. The rate of production went from 20 drawers per day to 250!

This joint is the first known mechanization for making drawers in the industrial revolution age. The Knapp is a very strong form of drawer joinery but was only utilized from 1870 until about 1900, when it basically fell completely out of use. It was replaced by machine cut dovetails, which are still mass produced in factories today."

 

Transitional piece from Renaissance Revival to Eastlake. Circa 1875. May very well be a marriage. Note that the drawer pulls do not match. Do the drawers in the top also use the Knapp joint?

 

Yes Brad, the knapp joint are on both pieces.

James thanks for the education!

 

Since both use the Knapp joint, probably as made with some replacement pulls.

 

Agrees, I think it is a marriage.
This is an Eastlake Bookcase isn't it? that's been placed on top of a similar era table?

 

Since both pieces have the Knapp joints and the back of the table part is unfinished similar wood to the back of the top part, I am thinking this is as made. It is not a form we often see, but not unheard of.

 

Thank you James. I always appreciate your detailed and thorough approach to information. Furniture is something I want to learn about, so I can make better decisions when I purchase.

 

Now that I have said this, I can't find another example

Somewhat similar with a drop-front for more writing surface.

 

Here we go ….. a bit older example


Currently on ebay…...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mitchell-R...ry-Writing-Desk-and-Bookcase-86-/232224682582

 

One of the better "lesser known" furniture makers. Price seems a bit optimistic to me even considering the maker.