The seller has resisted the temptation to show the desk from exactly the same angle as the period picture. Perhaps the wood grain is clearly visible in one of the many photo's and books about the Man behind the MG Marque.
quote:Originally posted by Westbury I see that the desk has effectively been sold with one bid already in and with 3 days and 11 hours left to the end of the auction.Chris
Yes chris, I too had a sleepless night or two, like maybe some of us! But in the end reason triumphed - - - (Wouldn't the club office be the ideal place for Cecil's desk?) Gerhard
Yes, it would be good if it was bought by the Club. Apparently the desk has a label marked ‘MG1’ described as being the first piece of furniture bought by the Company. Comes with the original sales catalogue.
It certainly looks quite like the genuine desk but more of those period photographs would help.
"as featured in many photo's and books about the Man behind the MG Marque " Where are these photos and books ?
Was this desk unique or to a pattern which featured in a catalogue?
"Every piece of office furniture in the factory was fitted with a factory plant tag - This one has the tag 'MG 1'. as it was the very first item of furniture purchased when the MG Motor Company started !!" . Presumably 'MG 2' is the chair and 'MG 3' is a coat and hat stand?
Since this desk was "purchased when the MG Motor Company started" it would have been delivered to the original premisses in Oxford. Would that have been 1923?
Does anyone know what label appeared on Kimber's other desk seen in this picture? 'MG 1 b' perhaps?
Anyone interested in helping finance the club’s acquisition of the desk? I’ll chip in It is a bit big to fit in the archive but could easily take up station in the Thornley room.
It is interesting to see how distressed the brand new desk was in the original pictures. I guess Cecil Kimber was working particularly hard at that time. Has the desk improved with age?
Does the side piece curve down slightly in the old picture?
Does the top overhang the edge more in the modern picture than the original? It seems to cast no shadow in the black and white picture.