Antique Secretary Was Desk of Patrick Henry

By Jay-Bee

Antique Virginian furniture, as such, "just ain't" quoths our Franklin Street dealer-collector, "for the reason that Virginia was an agricultural settlement and not given to the handicrafts," but---,

Few indeed are the persons, however much they may be sticklers for authenticity, who would deprive a cherished possession of Patrick Henry of the right to assume the title of "Virginia antique." Such historic lineage carries with it the same sort of poetic license which countenances the bestowing of the "colonel" and "captain" flourishes so dear to our Southern salutatorians.

All of which is merely by way of introduction to an old, old "secretary" or combination writing desk, bookcase and drawers which is housed under a Richmond roof, the possession of descendants of the great orator and patriot.

The secretary, of early American style, is made of solid mahogany, a massive piece of furniture, standing nearly eight feet tall. The upper portion holds shelves for books encased in two glass doors. The glass in the doors is decorated with mahogany holdings designed like hour-glasses and diamonds. One door, injured in transit, has been restored, the other is the original.

The desk part, as is characteristic with the early style, is contained in the top "drawer" which pulls open, and the front lets down for a writing base. Pigeon-holes and small drawers are contained inside and it is easy to imagine the fiery orator of this country's youth sitting at the desk engrossed in the household bills that were a bugaboo of his life.

Original Knobs Were Wooden Not Glass

The single bit of anachronism noted in the old piece of furniture is the substitution of glass knobs on the drawers for the original wooden handles. This was done by the present owner after several of the wooden knobs had become split or broken off. With the ancient desk in daily use, utilitarian motives rather than esthetic were the order of the day and the glass knobs were more easily procurable.

The front of the desk has a thin veneer of dark wood over the mahogany, and the drawers carry a fine beading around their edge.

The entire piece is severely plain with practically no ornamentation except in the door moldings of the bookcase.

Alexander Spotswood Henry, son of Patrick Henry, inherited the secretary from his father, and it remained in the Lynchburg home of the former for several decades. Later it passed to Alexander's daughter, Sarah Winston Henry, who became the bride of Dr. George Cabell Carrington of Halifax Courthouse, Va.

Now it is the prized possession of Mrs. Richard Bruce Carrington of 1008 West Forth-third Street, Forest Hill, widow of the great-grandson of Patrick Henry.

Old China From the Baltimore Carroll's

Mrs. Carrington uses the bookcase of the old secretary to display to advantage some rare old china plates which came into her possession from the estate of former Governor John Carroll of Maryland. The old plate was made in England and carries the old English "C" of he Carroll name prominently in the center of the pieces.

Yet another treasured bit of antiquity prized by Mrs. Carrington is the bedroom suite which belonged to Patrick Henry's granddaughter, Mrs. William Clark of Banister Lodge, Halifax County. The heavy mahogany bedstead and marble-topped bureau were bought in Paris and became the property of the same woman who once owned the golden harp that was presented to the Confederate Museum by Mrs. Robert Williams.

The antique bureau is of very dark mahogany and while not as large as most such pieces, being rather of the washstand type, gives an impression of great weight.

Marble Top Carved to Match Bow Front

The blue-veined Italian marble top has been carved to match the bow front and the cut-in ends of the bureau proper. It supports the small mirror and two shallow drawers which form a base for the mirror uprights which are carved in elaborate candle-flame designs.

On the two ends of the front are half round columns and the ends of the drawers are beveled. One of the outstanding novelties of this antique piece is the fact that there has never been any sort of drawer pull on the front. The sole means of opening the drawers, which are flush with the front of the bureau when closed, is the large key, each drawer having a separate lock.

Other relics of the famous Henry and Carroll menages which have come down through the years to Mrs. Carrington include some valuable old portieres which she is still using in her Forest Hill home, and some rare and ancient chinaware depicting Martha Washington and Mount Vernon in delicate colors.