The columns flanking the drawers of the lower section of this desk give it a strong architectural character in keeping with the Late Classical style that was popular in the 1820s and 1830s. Texas German cabinetmakers continued to work in the style—now often called Biedermeier—long after its wider popularity waned. The slant front of the desk opens to reveal a central compartment surrounded by small drawers, each decorated with and outline of inlay.

Adapted from Lonn Taylor and David B. Warren. Texas Furniture: The Cabinetmakers and Their Work, 1840–1880. Vol. 1, rev. ed. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press, 2012.