Reproduction of First John Goddard Secretary ever Built Antique Mahogany Carved Purchased in 1946 Start Price USD 8,999.99 Current Price USD 8,999.99 Time Left 19 days 18 hours 26 minutes Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, October 29, 2008 End Time Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Location Roanoke, VA See more about 'Reproduction of First John Goddard Secretary ever Built' Description The receipt hidden inside the secretary states that it was purchased in 1946. That it is an exact replica of the first John Goddard Secretary ever built. It is a stunning piece. Email for more info or pictures,  hartwelldesign@aol.com .       John Goddard, of Newport, Rhode Island, was celebrated for his Secretary Desks. These pieces were referred to, by collectors, as Rhode Island Desks for many years, until they were finally identified as all being the work of Goddard of Newport. They are of mahogany, with block fronts. They are charac terized by the shell carving on the front of the writing-leaf, on the doors of the bookcase compartments above, and on the pigeon-hole drawers of the interior; also by Goddard's fondness for the broken-pediment top with flame finials. John Goddard married into the Townsend family and probably served his apprenticeship under job Townsend. This latter craftsman was in business with his brother, Christopher. But Christopher's son, John Townsend, excelled both of them, especially in his block-front chests of drawers and secretaries, in which field he nearly excelled the master, Chippendale. He, with John Goddard's son, Thomas, carried on the GoddardTownsend association almost until his death in 1858. Goddard and Townsend (or Townsend-Goddard) is an interrelated group of craftsmen with their name lent to a style of New England furniture made in Newport, Rhode Island in the 18th century. The furniture is named after Townsend and Goddard families, who were cabinentmakers in Easton's Point in Newport. The families were related through marriage. John Townsend (1733-1809) and John Goddard (1724-1785) were among the most famous of the artisans and many of their works were signed. The furniture often featured a uniquely American blend of alternating convex and concave blocks and shells. Twenty-one members of successive generations of these two intermarried families worked as cabinetmakers over a period of 120 years, selling their products not only in New England but also in the coastal trade and in the West Indies. A single mahogany secretary bookcase made by Christopher Townsend (John's father) in 1740 sold at auction in New York for $8.25 million. John Goddard made a famous six-shell desk-bookcase for Providence merchant Nicholas Brown. It was sold by the Brown family in 1989, for-- $12.1 million -- a record for a piece of American furniture at auction. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Boston Museum of Fine Art, Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art and Preservation Society of Newport County own works of Goddard-Townsend. Place a Bid!