Carpenter’s Workbench

Artist/Maker
Petersen, Karsten
Place Made
Salem, North Carolina
Date Made
1800-1825
Medium
maple, oak, poplar
Dimensions
HOA 30 3/4; LOA 98; DOA 43 1/4(w/ t.vise
Accession Number
773.2
Description
A cabinetmaker’s workbench in the European style, with L-shaped shoulder vice, tail vice, and tool tray. Drawer underneath top, base with tusk tenons on stretchers. The tail vise screw is stamped, K. Petersen. Almost identical to #773.1 and 4120 although it does not have the extra row of dog holes in the front edge of the bench. May be the earlist of the Petersen benches, as it lacks this feature and has slightly less developed lines. Crosshatched marks on bench dogs may match the construction marks left on bench #773.1
History
Was probably made by Karsten Peterson.
Dovetail angle of drawer runner (sliding dovetail) probably matches Ely Carpenter plane.
RELATED NAME: Peterson, Karsten (owner, possible maker)
Artist Biography
ARTIST BIO: Karsten Petersen was born in Wichkrug by Flensburg, Schelswig-Holstein, Prussia on April 21, 1776. Although little is known of his background or training, evidence suggests that he may have lived in Denmark for several years. In 1806, he immigrated to Salem from Gnadau via Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. After a brief period in Salem during which Petersen worked in the Single Brothers’ joiner shop and studied English, he and Johann Christian Burkhardt traveled to Georgia to work as craftsmen among the Creek Indians on the Flint River. Petersen and Burkhardt returned to Salem in 1813 and Petersen set up first a turner shop and later a cabinetmaking shop on what had formerly been the Brother’ slaughter house lot. In 1816, Petersen married Suzanna Praezel. They had five children. Their two sons, William and Edward trained in their father’s shop and took the shop over when Petersen died in 1858.
Credit Line
Old Salem Collection