Bruce Wolverton's 1876 School Desk and Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1876
label: patent date
content: 1876-10-31
name: label: patentee
content: Wolverton, Bruce
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: inventor
content: Wolverton, Bruce
notes: label: Description
content: Bruce Wolverton from Rohnerville, California, received a U.S. patent for an improved iron and wood school desk. Patent no. 183877 was issued on October 31, 1876.
label: Description
content: This school desk was made of iron and a dark wood. The seat and top can be raised or lowered independently. The folding desk is attached to the backrest, and the backrest and folding seat have almost no curve. A metal pole runs horizontally across the bottom of the desk for support.
label: Description
content: Bruce Wolverton was born in 1853 while his family was crossing the prairie. In 1875 he moved to California to teach. He left teaching to join the ministry. He then became the first Superintendent of City Schools for Spokane, Washington, where he served from June 1888 to February 1889.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: California, Rohnerville
topic: 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.65.0401
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: catalog number
content: 65.0401
label: patent number
content: 183,877
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: painted gold (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 8 1/2 in x 10 in x 10 in; 21.59 cm x 25.4 cm x 25.4 cm
label: Measurements
content: seat: 4 in; 10.16 cm
label: Measurements
content: back desk: 4 in; 10.16 cm