David I. Stagg's 1866 School Desk and Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1866
label: patent date
content: 1866-10-16
name: label: patentee
content: Stagg, David I.
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: inventor
content: Stagg, David I.
notes: label: Description
content: David I. Stagg from New York received a U.S. patent for an improved seat and desk. Patent no. 58908 was issued on October 16, 1866.
label: Description
content: This model functions as a seat and desk or simply as a seat. This is accomplished by a design allowing the desk to be placed to the side. The desk is made of a dark, unpolished, red-tinted wood with brass tacks and a junction for the desk that is on a metal rod. There is storage available under the seat. here are no curves for back support, and the seat is on a completely wooden foundation. It is meant to accommodate both children and adults.
label: Description
content: David I. Stagg was born September 6, 1816 in Patterson, New Jersey. For fifty years he served as an apprentice and journeyman in the New York school system. In his last post he served the New York City Board of Education as Superintendent of School Buildings, overseeing school construction from 1872-1886. The museum owns four of his school desk patent models. He died May 11, 1886.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: New York, New York City
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.65.0421
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: catalog number
content: 65.0421
label: patent number
content: 58,908
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: Measurements
content: overall: 6 in x 6 1/2 in x 7 3/4 in; 15.24 cm x 16.51 cm x 19.685 cm