Dear Lee,

A desk-bookcase made between 1780 and 1795 by John or Thomas Townsend has been donated to the Cleveland Museum of Art. It was made for Oliver Wolcott Sr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The museum estimates its value at $2.2 million.

The large piece of furniture descended through generations of four families directly to the donor’s late wife, the daughter of Dorothy Draper (1889-1969), the famous decorator. Dorothy had it in her New York apartment until 1965, when she moved to Cleveland to live near her daughter, Penelope “Penny” Draper Buchanan. Penny’s husband, Daniel Buchanan, is a retired art history professor. He donated the desk in honor of Penny and Dorothy.

Penny taught third graders, including you [Lee is my son], in the 1960s. I was teaching math to the same students. Although I was writing about antiques at the time, Penny never mentioned that she owned some family pieces of Americana.

I am going to the museum next week to see if the piece looks familiar. I must have seen it long ago in her house. Penny and her relatives took good care of the piece, never dented a foot with a vacuum cleaner, never lost a piece of hardware, and probably never altered it at all.

I wonder what other rare antiques were in plain sight in her home. In the 1960s, I’d have assumed they were just good copies. I do remember—I think—a print or maybe an original oil painting of an Andy Warhol soup can in her kitchen. I had never heard of him and thought the picture was odd but amusing. Unfortunately, I never asked about it.

It’s always in good taste to admire interesting decorating or collections when you get a chance. And often the owners will be happy to tell you all about their treasures.