Desk with hutch belonging to Etta Moten Barnett
date: label: Date
content: 1870-1930
name: label: Manufactured by
content: Unidentified
label: Owned by
content: Etta Moten Barnett, American, 1901 - 2004
notes: label: Description
content: This is a carved wood desk (a) and detachable hutch (b). The desk and hutch are made of light-colored wood that has been carved and lacquered black. The front and sides of the desk (a) are covered with Asian-inspired style carvings of mythical creatures, flora and fauna. The front and sides of the desk has a scalloped skirt. The back is plain. The front of the desk has two small pull draws with carved wood handles. The four legs are curved and carved with abstract floral designs. The underside of the desk has tan paint splashed on the proper left side of the skirt. There is a white sticker with a reddecorative border with text that reads "MADE IN JAPAN." The hutch (b) is designed to sit on the top surface of the desk, flush with the back edge. There are three holes on the underside of the hutch presumably used to attach the hutch to the desk surface. The hutch has a high back with an uneven, scalloped edge. On are carvings of dragons and other mythical creatures against a stylized mountain and swirling clouds. Under these carvings is a shelf running the length of the hutch of varying heights. There is a small cupboard at each end of the hutch with a door that locks. Under the higher part of one of the cupboards is taller than the other; this cupboard also has a small drawer under it. Between the two cupboards are vertical stalls for holding letters. Both cupboards’ doors and all moldings are carved with mythical figures and designs. There are numerous chips and areas of loss in the lacquer throughout the piece.
place: label: Place used
content: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: Actors
label: Topic
content: Black interiors
label: Topic
content: Broadway Theatre
label: Topic
content: Humanitarianism
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Etta Moten Barnett Archive
label: Classification
content: Furnishings, Housewares, and Décor
label: Exhibition
content: Forces for Change: Mary McLeod Bethune and Black Women's Activism
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 050
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: A2022.13.1.1ab
objectType: label: Type
content: cupboards
label: Type
content: desks
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: wood with lacquer
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (a: desk): 30 9/16 × 35 7/8 × 24 in. (77.6 × 91.1 × 61 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (b: hutch): 23 5/8 × 34 15/16 × 8 1/4 in. (60 × 88.7 × 21 cm)