Bombé Secretary Desk

Bombé secretary desks were immensely popular with ship captains and merchants in the 18th century. The 50 extant examples are all attributed to Boston-area workshops. Ledgers, ship logs, maps, bottles of spirits, and books were often kept in the pigeonholes and shelves in the upper cabinet, or case. Objects such as family papers, jewelry, money, writing implements, medicine, and spices would be kept in the nooks behind the hinged desk. Candles and textiles were the kinds of goods kept in the bombé (from the French verb meaning “to bulge”) drawers.