Rowland K. Curtis' 1878 School Desk and Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1878
label: patent date
content: 1878-04-30
name: label: patentee
content: Curtis, Rowland K.
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent Office
label: inventor
content: Curtis, Rowland K.
notes: label: Description
content: Rowland K. Curtis from Wabash, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 202934 was issued on April 30, 1878.
label: Description
content: This patent was designed to simplify the construction of school desks and increase their strength. The front legs of the desk follow the direction of the grain of the wood. Brackets support the seat and brace the legs at their junction. The legs are made of a single piece of wood, creating the necessary support. The desk is made out of glossed oak with cast iron hinges. The seat is slatted and folds to the backrest. There are iron supporters under the seat, and the feet are made of iron. There is a lid that lifts up to reveal a storage area. The writing surface has a circular cut out to represent an area for an inkwell.
label: Description
content: Rowland K. Curtis was born in 1829. He worked at various building trades. In 1874 he was appointed superintendent of the Wabash School Furniture Company.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: Indiana, Wabash
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.65.0406
label: catalog number
content: 65.0406
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: patent number
content: 202,934
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: oak (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 10 1/4 in x 9 1/2 in x 10 in; 26.035 cm x 24.13 cm x 25.4 cm