The Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson William and Mary walnut secretary, Philadelphia 1710-1730

According to the letter on the inside of the upper short drawer dated November 18, 1856;
Elizabeth Fergusson at Graeme Park
Elizabeth lends piece to the Parson Nathaniel Irwin household
Upon her death she bequeaths it to Elizabeth Steadman (a relation)
Ms. Steadman continues to loan the escritoire to the Irwin household
Upon the death of Mr. and Mrs. Irwin, Mrs. Steadman loans to Samuel Hart, Esq. the executor of the Irwin estate
Mrs. Steadman dies living in the home of Samuel F. Smith
Mr. Hart attempts to purchase from Mr. Smith, but instead is gifted the piece
John McAllister
Miss Janet C. McAllister.

The top board of the lower section bears an illegible pencil inscription, part of which reads John McAllister.  The uppermost left short drawer in the upper section bears a copy of a letter from Samuel Hart, Esq. of Doylestown, Pa to John McAllister detailing the provenance of the piece.

A useful form of household furniture, this secretary served the functions of a desk, writing surface, storage compartment and display area for ceramics and metalware. Made of figured walnut and elaborately finished with an applied bead molding, large bulbous turned feet and an interior of cubby holes and drawers, the secretary is the product of a highly competent early Philadelphia cabinetry shop. It is a rare survival of American William and Mary furniture and one of the earliest Philadelphia secretaries known today.

William M. Hornor illustrates it as plate I of the Blue Book Philadelphia Furniture (Washington, 1977), describing it as “the most interesting early secretary” once owned by Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson, the daughter of the Philadelphia physician, Dr. Thomas Graeme of Graeme Park, built about 1728 by Governor William Keith.  Elizabeth (b. 1737) noted her “Walnut Press & Drawers” in 1772 “In the Entry on the 2d Story” of her Philadelphia townhouse. The desk was later owned by John McAllister, the noted Antiquary, and then by Miss Janet C. McAllister.

A similarly fashioned secretary at Colonial Williamsburg was made by Edward Evans in 1707 (see Jack Lindsey, Worldly Goods, 1999, fig. 194, p. 134).  A related chest sold at Christie’s, Important American Furniture, Prints, Folk Art and Decorative Arts, October 12, 2001, sale 9746, lot 88 may have been made in the shop of John Head (act. 1717-1745) of Philadelphia. For additional related examples, see a desk and chest sold in these rooms, Important Americana, June 21, 1996, sale 6866, lot 263, and January 28-31, 1987, sale 5551, lot 1304, a fall-front desk at Colonial Williamsburg illustrated in Sack, Volume I, no. 2, p. 3 and a chest of drawers in Sack, Volume VIII, P5564, p. 2068.