Rough Riding

I have had this horse sculpture for many years, and he sits atop a wonderful old desk in our family room. Unfortunately, I know nothing about the horse’s history. My gut says it is very old (around 1850), American made and Midwest in origin. It is composed of layers of wood that were joined in numerous ways, and from that chunk of wood, an artist hand carved the 3-dimensional horse in mid-stride. He is roughly 3 feet in length, and has seen some rough riding over the years.

I have no idea what it was designed to do. It is too small to be a carousel ride. Possibly it was a store display sign, as the wood is well weathered, with only slight remnants of white, red and brown paint. But what was it advertising? What were the deep channels across the back of the horse used for? It also has two metal rods (possibly handmade nails) cut off on its flat bottom. Given the trouble I have had over the years keeping him balanced atop my desk, I suspect he was mounted somehow using those now removed pieces of metal. (If you get the chance, ask my sons about the time they knocked the horse off the desk).

The desk – what a wonderful story that is! Husband and I were newlyweds, and went on an antiquing trip with another couple in 1989. Both couples were looking to furnish recently purchased houses, and I specifically wanted a large old desk. We headed to Indiana from Illinois, with one couple driving a car and the other driving a rented van to fill with our treasures. As this was pre-internet days of antiquing, I had called ahead to a few dealers to find those selling furniture. Our first stop was in a small town in northern Indiana. We were not optimistic about the “shop” as we drove through a 1950s subdivision and pulled up to an unassuming home. However, the old man walked us over to his garage, which turned out to have a large pole barn attached to the back. Literally the first thing we came across was this desk. There was much discussion regarding whether I should buy something immediately, and I recall I was dissuaded from the purchase and we drove off. Within hours I knew that was a mistake, and we backtracked and snagged this wonderful desk.

The piece has two 1893 Arm & Hammer calendars glued to the inside of one door. However, I believe it is much older than that, probably circa 1850s. It is considered a “plantation desk”. That said, I hate the term for the connotations it evokes of our Civil War history. Interestingly, though, the origin of the plantation style desk was not southern, but for rural post office work. Like most of this style, the base of the desk is deep, with a slant to it. These sometimes had a base that lifted, much like the school desks of my childhood, but this one does not. Instead it has a remarkably deep drawer on the right side, and a charming decorative cut out on the left to allow you to sit at it. It is made predominantly of walnut with a few other woods. The legs are hand turned, and there are wonderful cubbies and drawers behind the doors. The nails are handmade, but unfortunately, the keys for the locks are long gone. It would not be considered “fine furniture” but was clearly handmade with a purpose in mind. The fact that walnut is a northern wood, and that I bought the desk in Indiana from an “antiques picker”, I feel fairly sure it came from a rural town in Indiana, Michigan or Illinois. Antique pickers journey around to local auctions and estate sales to stock pile interesting pieces to sell to “big city” dealers…or young couples!

The desk moved with us 25 years ago to our current home on the old Quaker Oats Research Farm property. It feels fitting that the rural desk and well weathered horse reside together in our family room. Our horse-riding daughter could not understand why, as we had a large barn, she could not also have a horse. As our town administration had a conniption fit regarding the rental house on our property, it was highly unlikely we could add a horse to the mix. To say nothing of the cost. She is still grumpy that the large collection of Breyer horses I played with as a child in the 1970s got pitched by my mother. Her room in our home is most definitely decorated with horse art. Now that she owns a home, I keep hoping all those dust collecting tchotchkes will gallop off to her place. Thus far, no dice. I did manage to get her to take the ridiculous pile of horse gear won in show competitions, as well as the large container of “place” ribbons. The large tack truck is still stored in the barn, but I suspect someday this rough riding horse will retire to her place to live out its days in comfort.

I think this answers my question regarding the purpose of said horse! 1875 handcarved wood “glider” rocking horse