Rare 300-year-old piece of furniture donated to Waterford museum

A rare 300-year-old piece of furniture has been donated to the Irish Museum of Time. 

The eighteenth century secretaire donated by benefactor David Boles is one of just four known to exist, with the other three held in museums in the United Kingdom and United States. 

It has been lovingly restored by conservator David Marshall, who removed inappropriate earlier repairs and French polish before its display at the Irish Museum of Time. 

It is believed to have been made in Dublin in approximately 1725/30 by German asylum seeker John Kirkhoffer I. 

Irish furniture-making blossomed during this time with the arrival of artisans from Germany, Holland and France, who crafted beautiful pieces with exotic, native and imported timber such as American walnut. 

Unfortunately, because many of the woods used in Ireland were very susceptible to both dampness and woodworm, the number of surviving examples of furniture from the period is very limited.  

According to Waterford Treasures, research should be undertaken into the design and methods of construction used in the creation of pieces such as the donated secretaire. 

It's hoped that some students of Irish decorative arts will take on the task of studying the Waterford example to compare it with those in other international museums. 

Speaking about the secretaire, benefactor David Boles said, “It will not only rhyme but also chime with history in the company of the early 18th-century Irish walnut and marquetry long case clocks already on display.”