Secretary Bookcase

Photographer: David Young

This Secretary Bookcase is a reproduction of different period pieces. I took the best of the pieces I researched and included those elements. The bookcase portion was copied from The American Furniture In The Bybee Collection, page 59. Although I did not copy every element, I did incorporate some features. The secretary was copied from a picture of a Bonnet Top Secretary on the Eldred Wheeler website. The interior was also modified.

The reproduction is constructed of cherry with poplar used as a secondary wood. It has 4 hidden compartments. There are 21 drawers and 2 document drawers. Full dust frames separate the drawers in the secretary and each drawer has a mortise lock. Although this was not necessarily done at the time, I added those features. All the brasses and locks were from Horton Brass.

The desk was stained with a water based aniline dye, antique cherry. I applied 12 coats (brushed) of blonde dewaxed shellac with the final rub out with pumice and mineral oil, then rottenstone and mineral oil. I then applied 2 coats of paste wax.

The Secretary Bookcase was first designed in a 2D cad program so that I could check all dimensions before construction.