The Irish Museum of Time has received a remarkable 300-year-old piece of furniture. The early 18th-century Irish walnut and marquetry is believed to have been created by German asylum seeker John Kirkhoffer in Dublin, sometime between 1725 and 1730.
Only four secretaries from the eighteenth century are known to exist; the other three are housed in museums in the United Kingdom and the United States. The secretaire, donated by donor David Boles, is one of those four. Before being displayed at the Irish Museum of Time, conservator David Marshall meticulously repaired it by removing any unnecessary French polish and past repairs.
Unfortunately, there are very few surviving examples of furniture from that time period because many of the timbers used in Ireland were highly sensitive to humidity and woodworm. According to Waterford Treasures, an investigation should be done into the design and building techniques utilised to make items like the donated secretaire. It is hoped that some Irish decorative arts students will study the Waterford example and contrast it with similar pieces found in other international museums.
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