Furniture
The new House Chamber was not only meant to create more room and provide better ventilation. The whole endeavor of the Capitol extension was also motivated by a desire for an updated space with fashionable interior design, reflective of the growing size and stature of the United States.
The Walter Desk: 1857–1873
About this object The manufacturing of the 1857 furniture spread up the East Coast to Boston, where the Doe, Hazelton Company made all 262 desks for the new Chamber’s grand opening.
Furnishings for the Chamber, designed by the Architect of the Capitol Thomas U. Walter embody the idea of the growing nation. Made in the Renaissance revival mode, a historical revival style fashionable in the Victorian period, the 262 oak desks and chairs were both sturdy and ornate. The profusion of decorative details was not just an expression of the period’s prevalent taste for flamboyant embellishment. The concept of Manifest Destiny—the nation’s ambition to expand westward across the continent—is illustrated on the desk fronts, which are decorated with a carved globe with “America” emblazoned across it. A shield with stars and stripes is carved above the globe, on the top rail, emphasizing the Union.
About this object The more practical Klipper desks stayed in use for more than 25 years. Although they lacked the intricate, symbolic details of the Walter furniture, they retained the useful features.
The Klipper Desk: 1873–1901
As space became increasingly scarce, the Chamber’s furnishings became increasingly practical. The 1870 census added 42 Members to the House, so the desks needed to be more compact. Also, the elaborate and symbolically adorned Walter furniture fell short on practicality—from the beginning, Members complained about the inability to turn around in the chairs. So, in 1873, the House ordered 304 oak desks from Klipper, Webster and Company and matching, swiveling cane chairs from W.B. Moses Co. The fabric-surface desks opened up for storage, like the previous desks. However, simplicity prevailed in the ornamentation. The architecturally detailed legs terminated in scroll feet, and the lower shelf was enclosed by a decoratively perforated panel, but they were otherwise unadorned.
The Segment Form Desk and Beyond: 1901–1950
About this object The House Chamber of 1908 used highly space-efficient segment form desks. With the House Office Building opening that same year, even this model’s time was short. Rows of upholstered seats replaced the desks in 1913.