James Russell's 1871 School Desk and Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1871
label: patent date
content: 1871-07-25
name: label: bequest
content: Hoffman, John
label: patentee
content: Russell, James
label: inventor
content: Russell, James
notes: label: Description
content: James Russell from Plymouth, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 117467 was issued on July 25, 1871.
label: Description
content: This model has two separate seats that fold up, with a backrest connected like a bench. There are two attached desks behind the back rest that both have lids that can lift up. The wooden bench seat and desk are made of a dark wood with metal hinges. The desktop is divided to make a pair. The bench on the desk front is split in the same manner as the desktop. There is storage underneath both desks for books. The seats fold up individually, though the back rest is connected like a bench. The model includes original patent tags.
label: Description
content: James Russell was born in 1821 and became a carpenter in Plymouth, Indiana.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: Indiana, Plymouth
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
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Bequest of John R. Hoffman
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1983.0508.07
label: accession number
content: 1983.0508
label: catalog number
content: 1983.0508.07
label: patent number
content: 117,467
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: 8 1/4 in x 11 1/2 in x 8 1/4 in; 20.955 cm x 29.21 cm x 20.955 cm