James Smith's 1871 School Desks and Seats Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1871
label: patent date
content: 1871-08-15
name: label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: patentee
content: Smith, James
label: inventor
content: Smith, James
notes: label: Description
content: James Smith from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for an improved school desk. Patent no. 118161 was issued on August 15, 1871.
label: Description
content: This wood and iron model is a double desk, with four individual seats. The two desk tops and the seats, despite having a bench-like backrest, are individualized and divided so that each seat can fold up. The backrest is composed of ten slats. There are two springs on the back of each desk for extra back support. The desk is attached to the back of the backrest with storage. It has an iron frame and metal hinges. A brass plate on the patent model states: "School Desks, James Smith, Richmond, Ind." Another silver colored plate has "School Desk James Smith, Richmond, Ind." engraved on it.
label: Description
content: Ezra Smith, Asa Smith, and James Smith owned Ezra Smith & Co., where they manufactured various types of school furniture.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: Indiana, Richmond
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.65.0420
label: catalog number
content: 65.0420
label: patent number
content: 118,161
label: accession number
content: 249602
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: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: ferrous (steel) (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass plating (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: silver plating (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: bronze (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 5 1/4 in x 7 in x 11 in; 13.335 cm x 17.78 cm x 27.94 cm