Serpentine Desk
Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), 1801-1808, signed at least five times and inscribed in numerous places including "Shearer Joiner Martinsburg", walnut throughout with yellow pine and oak secondary, interior elaborately fitted with two frieze drawers, each with three shells and false triple fronts centering a removable prospect section, the case with four serpentine long drawers set with original brass bail handles and flanked by stop-fluted quarter columns on robust original ogee bracket feet, 47-5/8 x 49-3/4 x 23-3/4 in., refinished, fallboard likely replaced, otherwise generally good condition, very minor loss at one rear foot, scattered surface wear, some cracks and shrinkage gaps, also inscribed "Rebuilt by E.J. Vilwig, Winchester, Va. 1922" (the rebuilding seems limited to the fallboard as the desk appears to have good integrity otherwise). Notes: Literature: See Elizabeth Davison, [The Furniture of John Shearer, 1790-1820,] catalog number 12.. Provenance: Property of the High Museum of Art, sold to benefit the Acquisition Fund

refinished, fallboard likely replaced, otherwise generally good condition, very minor loss at one rear foot, scattered surface wear, some cracks and shrinkage gaps, also inscribed "Rebuilt by E.J. Vilwig, Winchester, Va. 1922" (the rebuilding seems limited to the fallboard as the desk appears to have good integrity otherwise)