This desk marked number one is currently in the collections of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. The original owner was presumably Carl Shurz, Secretary of the Interior in 1880 and at some point the desk given to Winfield Scott Smith, his personal secretary. Smith passed the desk to his daughter and was subsequently acquired from her estate in 1966 by Irvin Cohen. This desk marked one would be lent by Mr Cohen to the Smithsonian for Silvio Bedini while he was researching his book Relic of Revolution: The Declaration of Independence Desk to compare with the Jefferson original and help put the 1880 fac-similes in historical context. After Mr Cohens death the desk was purchased from his estate and donated to the the collections at Monticello.
This desk is unique in a couple ways; it has no inscriptions affixed and shares the same number as the 1880 reproduction in the authors possession.
Previous researchers have presumed other likely provenances but the author with the knowledge and tools unavailable to them believes the above narrative the most likely one.
Images will be published when available
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