A. J. Hull's 1870 School Desk and Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1870
label: patent date
content: 1870-02-01
name: label: patentee
content: Hull, A. J.
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: inventor
content: Hull, A. J.
notes: label: Description
content: A. J. Hull from Sterling, Illinois, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 99440 was issued on February 1, 1870.
label: Description
content: This model is made of wood and cast iron. It improves the school desk in its use and combination of washers and projections. "A.J. Hull- Sterling, Ill" is painted on the backrest. The seat is closely slatted and folds straight down. The backrest is flat and therefore offers no lower back support. The desk is attached and the lid does not lift up; however, there is storage underneath the desktop. There are metal hinges on the seat. The legs flare out, and it sits on a metal base.
label: Description
content: Aaron J. Hull was born in 1833. With F.T. June, he ran Novelty Iron Works, which later became Sterling School Furniture Company. A prolific inventor, Hull moved from desks to pumps in the late 1870s.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: Illinois, Sterling
topic: label: general subject association
content: Education
label: classified
content: Patent Models
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Education
label: See more items in
content: American History Education Collection
label: See more items in
content: Cultures & Communities
label: See more items in
content: Patent Model School Seats and Desks
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CL.65.0373
label: catalog number
content: 65.0373
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: patent number
content: 99,440
objectType: label: Object Name
content: model
label: Object Name
content: desk model
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 7 1/2 in x 10 1/4 in x 8 1/2 in; 19.05 cm x 26.035 cm x 21.59 cm