John P. Allen's 1865 School Desk and Seat Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1865
label: patent date
content: 1865-03-28
name: label: patentee
content: Allen, John P.
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: inventor
content: Allen, John P.
notes: label: Description
content: John P. Allen from Richmond, Indiana, received a U.S. patent for improvements in a school desk. Patent no. 46980 was issued on March 28, 1865.
label: Description
content: This desk is attached onto the back of the seat, and there are metal dividers between the seats to separate the desks. The design makes the desk sturdy so that it can stand without being fastened to the floor. The backrest and seat join for lower back support, but there are no curves in the design. Decorative ironwork assists in connecting multiple desks. "Allen inventor, Richmond, Indiana" is written on a silver plate that is mounted on the backrest. There is storage provided underneath the desktop, but the top does not lift up.
label: Description
content: John P. Allen formed a partnership with George H. Grant to manufacture Allen’s self-supporting school desks. When Allen died in 1868, Joseph Marchant became a partner. Marchant was succeeded by Joshua Nickerson and William Wooten, and the firm became known as the George H. Grant & Company.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
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
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CL.65.0358
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: catalog number
content: 65.0358
label: patent number
content: 46,980
objectType: label: Object Name
content: model
label: Object Name
content: desk model
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: ferrous metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paint (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plating (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 5 1/2 in x 8 1/2 in x 10 1/2 in; 13.97 cm x 21.59 cm x 26.67 cm