Sylvanus Cox and William W. Fanning's 1873 School Desk and Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1873
label: patent date
content: 1873-01-21
name: label: patentee
content: Cox, Sylvanus
label: patentee
content: Fanning, William W.
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: inventor
content: Cox, Sylvanus
label: inventor
content: Fanning, William W.
notes: label: Description
content: Sylvanus Cox and William Fanning from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk and chair. Patent no. 135089 was issued on January 21, 1873.
label: Description
content: This model consists of a wood and iron combination folding seat and desk. The brass desk supports have Gothic arches. The seat has dark and light wood slats with a curved, smooth bench and back support. The desktop is made of wood and features a groove for writing utensils. The cutout for an ink well would have been an option. It is attached to the back of the bench and has a folding mechanism to reduce noise. The brass base supports and legs form two birds with beaks touching. There is a small brass label on the desktop. The Cox and Fanning design was become one of the most attractive desk designs of the nineteenth century.
label: Description
content: There were a few men with the name Sylvanus Cox living in Indiana when this model was created so we do not have specific information about the inventor. William W. Fanning was a carpenter who lived in Richmond, Indiana. He was born in November 1843 and died February 20, 1909 at age 65 in Richmond, Indiana.
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: Indiana, Richmond
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
label: Exhibition
content: Inventing in America
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CL.65.0386
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: patent number
content: 135089
label: catalog number
content: 65.0386
label: patent number
content: 135,089
objectType: label: Object Name
content: model
label: Object Name
content: desk model
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
label: Object Type
content: model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: oak (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 8 1/4 in x 6 1/4 in x 8 in; 20.955 cm x 15.875 cm x 20.32 cm
label: Measurements
content: seat: 1/4 in x 5 3/16 in x 3 1/2 in; .635 cm x 13.208 cm x 8.89 cm