• Additional view of object
Feb 28, 2020

Concealed Drawer for a Globe Work Table (Globustisch)

Concealed Drawer for a Globe Work Table (Globustisch)

c. 1810–15

Part of a set. See all set records

Austria, Vienna, early 1800s

Burl walnut veneer, mahogany, ebony, satinwood, gilt wood, painted wood

Overall: 5.3 x 5.3 x 5.5 cm (2 1/16 x 2 1/16 x 2 3/16 in.)

Weight: .02 kg

Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift 2020.199.i

Location

not on view

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Did you know?

The top half of the globe rotates upward to reveal hidden compartments for sewing tools, threads, and unfinished fabric pieces.

Description

Work tables resembling globes were the usual form for a lady's sewing or writing table around 1800 in Austria. Combining moving parts, secret compartments, and highly finished decoration, these tables were also a way for the cabinetmaker to show off his skill. The tripod supports and temple-like architectural quality of both the exterior and interior decoration reflect the fashionable taste for neoclassical style, or Biedermeier as it was called in Austria, where Vienna was the center of such elaborate furniture production.

See also
Collection: 
Decorative Arts
Department: 
Decorative Art and Design
Type of artwork: 
Furniture and woodwork
Medium: 
Burl walnut veneer, mahogany, ebony, satinwood, gilt wood, painted wood
Credit line: 
Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift

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