Art Institute of Chicago

Desk and Bookcase

Artist unknown (American, 18th century)

Date

1700–35

Medium

Walnut and white pine

Culture

Boston

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Pieces such as this desk and bookcase were multifunctional practical storage units used in the management of business and personal affairs. Most of the compartments on this desk have locks in order to safeguard the household possessions. The larger drawers of the desk held expensive linens and other textiles, while the small drawers on the interior of the desk section held everything from one’s personal papers, money, and jewelry to shoe buckles and snuff boxes. In a time when the modern idea of banks did not exist, a locking desk was the safest place for one’s valuables.

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