Senate Chamber Desks

This mahogany writing desk was made specifically for use in the Senate’s legislative chamber in the U.S. Capitol, and is one of 100 desks that are similarly constructed and used daily by senators. It is one of the four made by the Senate Sergeant at Arms Cabinet Shop due to the admittance of Alaska and Hawaii into the Union. This desk features two shaped and fluted legs, a bookshelf supported by mahogany spindles, a drawer, a hinged writing top with storage, and a removable wooden tray for writing tools. Decorative enhancements, including mahogany veneers and circular roundels, evoke the designs of the original 48 desks created for the Senate in 1819 by the New York cabinetmaking firm T. Constantine & Co. The metal grilles on the feet are decorative, and were added to help the new desks visually match the older desks, which retained the grilles from an earlier ventilation system used in the Senate Chamber. Over the years, many senators have inscribed their names in the interior of the desk drawers, making each drawer a unique way of linking current and past desk users. Desk occupants can change every two years with a new Congress, and are based on seniority.