Chapter 1
Thrones of power in ancient times
Chapter 2
Secret drawers and hidden compartments
Chapter 3
The modern revolution of flat packs and plastic
YOUR GOAL
Master of The history of furniture
Ch 2 · Secret drawers and hidden compartments
schopenhauer Secret Furniture Compartments
Find the hidden key, / Slide it open, see, / All this history!
schopenhauer Victorian Davenport desks featured tiny secret compartments to hide private diaries and letters from prying eyes.
schopenhauer Traditional Japanese tansu chests were built with wheels and secret drawers to protect valuables during fires.
BETA
schopenhauer Unlock hidden drawers in antique furniture to discover the bizarre stories behind famous desks.
Fun Fact
Roentgen secret desks: An 18th-century Roentgen desk could open up to twenty hidden drawers with a single key turn.
Glossary
secretaire (noun)
A small writing desk, especially one with a hinged top that folds down to form a writing surface. In 1783, cabinetmaker Riesener built a lacquer secretaire containing concealed drawers for Queen Marie Antoinette.
A small writing desk, especially one with a hinged top that folds down to form a writing surface. In 1783, cabinetmaker Riesener built a lacquer secretaire containing concealed drawers for Queen Marie Antoinette.
Quiz
Which royal figure famously owned an intricate mechanical desk made by the Roentgen brothers?
Quiz
What was the main purpose of the secret compartments in Victorian Davenport desks?
Quiz
Which Korean dynasty popularized the bandaji chest with heavy iron plates and false bottoms?
Quiz
How were the hidden drawers in 18th-century mechanical desks usually activated?
Quiz
What is the name of the compact, slanted-top Victorian desk known for its hidden letter compartments?
Quiz
In what century did the Roentgen brothers create their famous mechanical furniture?
Quiz
What did Japanese merchants hide in the secret compartments of their wheeled tansu chests?
Quiz
Why did Japanese merchants use kuruma-tansu chests with wheels during the Edo period?