Jefferson's Tall Desk

This is a copy of Thomas Jefferson's Tall Desk from Monticello. The original was built between 1770 and 1785 by an unknown craftsman. I constructed my desk from information gathered at the Woodworking in the 18th Century conference held at Williamsburg, VA in 2010. The desk is mahogany with poplar and white pine secondary; hardware is brass. All six legs are on small brass casters.

The front drawer, when extended, rests on legs revealing a felt covered writing surface with a drawer beneath. The slant top can be adjusted to several different positions using a wooden ratchet mechanism. Finish is oil and lacquer.