Writing Desk

Q: Back in the 1970s, my mother’s friend gave her a desk with a pull-down door that serves as a writing surface. The desk appears to be made of different types of wood and has a lot of carving, inlay and appliqued designs. There’s a metal plaque on the back that says “Furniture of Lasting Elegance and Worth, Detroit Furniture Shops, Detroit, Michigan.” I can’t find any reference to this maker online or in reference books. Can you help?

A: Detroit Furniture Shops is listed in a 1922 Detroit directory as a store that buys and sells furniture, not as a furniture manufacturer. It was located on Riopelle Street in the Forest Park neighborhood.