Large in scale, imposing in form, this secretary-bookcase retains the palette of richly contrasting woods seen in earlier, more delicate Baltimore Federal furniture on view nearby. John Needles adopted French Restoration-inspired elements including a flattened arch in the cornice architrave, pilasters at the sides of the bookcase section, shortened freestanding columnar supports in the base, and four bulbous melon-reeded feet topped with leaf carvings. He gave the piece, labeled with his shop address at 54 Hanover Street in Baltimore, to his first daughter, Mary, possibly as a wedding present.