Artist/Maker

Johann Frederick Belo Shop

Place Made

Date Made

1806-1825

Medium

cherry, poplar, pine, maple

Dimensions

WOA 44 3/4; DOA 23 5/8; HOA 91 1/2;WOA of cornice 48″

Accession Number

2679

Description

Johann Frederick Belo came to Salem in 1806 from Herrnhut, Germany. Much of the surviving neoclassical casework made in Salem is attributed to his shop. This desk has the unusual feature of a tambour desk closure.

Federal period cherry desk and bookcase of Salem origin, with poplar and yellow pine secondary woods. The straight-cornice bookcase is fitted with three exterior drawers in the lower rail; the desk lid is a heavy tambour, the interior fitted with a sliding writing surface. The cockbeaded drawers retain original brass, the lower edge of the bottom drawer being inlaid with stringing and sinuous-line inlay. The bracket feet are flanked by shaped skirting on front and sides. Upon arrival, the flat bookcase panels had been replaced with glass, the feet shortened several inches, and the writing surface cover, possibly leather, missing.

History

PROVENANCE: This piece descended in the family of Samuel Schulz of Salem (1786-1871).
RELATED NAME: Schulz family