Hello: My 95-year-old grandmother recently passed away, and we are beginning to go through her belongings and could use your knowledge. Among a house full of items is this secretary hutch/desk that is 70 by 13 by 38 inches. Are you able to help us?
Dear L.C.: Some people call these “side-by-sides”; others call them Larkin desks.
The latter is due to John D. Larkin, who founded the Larkin Soap Co. in Buffalo, New York, in 1875. The company’s initial product was named Sweet Home soap.
Larkin was aided by his first salesman and brother-in-law, Elbert Hubbard, future author of the essay “A Message to Garcia” and one of the founders of the American arts and crafts movement. It was Hubbard’s idea to include a “premium” with Larkin’s soap.
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At first the giveaways were just cards with the company logo, but they soon morphed into colorful pictures that could be traded among housewives. The idea grew until a free handkerchief came with Pure White soap and a free bath towel with Ocean Bath soap.
Side-by-side desks were popular Larkin items, but there is no way to be sure this example was made by Larkin unless there is an attached label because so many other furniture companies made similar pieces.
Still, side-by-side units with desk, bookcase and mirror carry the Larkin name whether the soap company actually made them or not.
The unit was probably made in the 1900 to 1910 timeframe and is still a useful piece of household equipment.
But its popularity has greatly declined with collectors over the past couple of decades or so. There was a time when a nice golden oak side-by-side desk/ bookcase such as this one would have sold at auction for as much as $800.
Sadly, we are talking about 2005 with that number. Now, similar units are selling at auction in the $175 to $300 range, which we believe is too low and may rise again in the near future.
This article was originally published Oct. 7, 2019.
