Albert E. Roberts's 1868 School Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1868
label: patent date
content: 1868-06-23
name: label: patentee
content: Roberts, Albert E.
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: inventor
content: Roberts, Albert E.
notes: label: Description
content: Albert E. Roberts from Des Moines, Iowa, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 79145 was issued on June 23, 1868.
label: Description
content: This combined wooden desk and seat has a folding lid for the desktop that enables students to pass between the desks easily. There is a box for books featuring a lid with a slate surface and a portfolio underneath the desk. It is made up of a double seat with an armrest in the middle. "A. E. Roberts" is painted on the back of the seat. Letters designating model parts are pasted onto the model for reference. There are remnants of a leather envelope behind the seat. The backrest and seat are flat, and there are no curves for body support. The legs are wooden and flare outwards. There is also a leather pouch attached to the back of the backrest. The pouch attached to the backside of the backrest has been ripped off and worn.
label: Description
content: Albert E. Roberts was born in 1842 and became a manufacturer of school furniture. He lived in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1870. The collection contains three desk patent model's Mr. Roberts.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: Iowa, Des Moines
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.65.0344
label: catalog number
content: 65.0344
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: patent number
content: 79,145
objectType: label: Object Name
content: school desk
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: steel (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 11 1/4 in x 11 in x 6 1/4 in; 28.575 cm x 27.94 cm x 15.875 cm