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�ǿ����޴�ý University student Cristina Freire, a senior History major with a concentration in Public and Digital History, spent her summer uncovering the history of a 19th-century Chinese writing desk as part of a prestigious research fellowship.

Freire was selected for the highly competitive C. Dallett Hemphill Summer Internship through the McNeil Center for Early American Studies (MCEAS), an organization that supports undergraduate research across institutions, including �ǿ����޴�ý University. As part of the eight-week fellowship, she conducted research at the in Philadelphia, one of the oldest historic homes in Germantown.

Her project focused on a Chinese writing desk purchased around 1840 by Wyck caretaker Ann Haines from Philadelphia merchant Nathan Dunn, who had lived in China and curated one of the first exhibitions of Chinese objects in the United States. The desk is an example of lacquerware created for export during the Qing dynasty.

Through her research, Freire explored archival collections at institutions including the American Philosophical Society, the Library Company of Philadelphia, and the Quaker Archives at Haverford College. Her work examined not only the craftsmanship and global trade of lacquered furniture, but also the ways museums preserve and interpret historical objects.

“Working in local archives is challenging but incredibly rewarding,” Freire said. “I often felt like a detective, uncovering overlooked clues and piecing together the story of the desk.”

As part of her fellowship, Freire presented a virtual lecture, “The Secrets of Wyck’s Chinese Writing Desk,” and curated a mini-exhibition and interpretive tour featuring Chinese export objects from the Wyck collection.

Visitors can explore these collections at the Wyck House in Philadelphia, and Montclair students are encouraged to consider applying for future MCEAS fellowships and workshops. For more information, please contact Steffi Dippold at dippolds@montclair.edu.