Orlando D. Case's 1879 School Desk and Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1879
label: associated date
content: 1870
label: patent date
content: 1879-06-10
name: label: patentee
content: Case, Orlando D.
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: inventor
content: Case, Orlando D.
notes: label: Description
content: Orlando D. Case from Hartford, Connecticut, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 216307 was issued on June 10, 1879.
label: Description
content: This model is made of medium-brown wood with ornate, bronze-colored metal supports. The seat and backrest are curved for back support, and the seat folds up for compatibility. A spring mechanism held the seats securely, preventing them from slamming. There is storage under the desk, and the model is screwed into a wooden base. This design hooked slats to the iron base and secured them with screws to compensate for shrinkage and expansion of the wood.
label: Description
content: Case was born in 1826. For over 50 years he ran O.D.Case & Co., a publishing company that also manufactured school furniture.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: Connecticut, Hartford
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.65.0409
label: catalog number
content: 65.409
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: patent number
content: 216,307
objectType: label: Object Name
content: model
label: Object Name
content: desk model
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (desk and seat material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (support material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 11 in x 7 3/4 in x 5 1/2 in; 27.94 cm x 19.685 cm x 13.97 cm
label: Measurements
content: desk: 7 3/4 in x 5 in; 19.685 cm x 12.7 cm
label: Measurements
content: seat: 7 3/4 in x 4 in; 19.685 cm x 10.16 cm