Antique Desks
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French Louis XVI Style Painted Desk
$2,500.0030"H x 45"W x 32.50"D
Dimensions: 30” H x 45” W x 32 ½” D
A unique Louis XVI style painted desk made in France. This painted desk has a carved wooden frame with pronounced rounded corners and a worn inset faux-leather top. Below the writing surface are two paneled drawers with turned knobs. The desk legs are carved with floral motifs and rosettes with a stylized H-shaped stretcher raised on original casters. Be sure to view the detailed images to see the current condition of this Louis XVI style desk.
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Dutch 18th Century Birch Secrétaire á Abattant
$2,650.0048.50"H x 42.88"W x 35.13"D
Dimensions: 48 ½” H x 42 ⅞” W x 35 ⅛” D
An impressive 19th century birch secretary made in the Netherlands circa 1800. The exterior is simple in design, celebrating the beautifully figured burl and bookmatched birch wood. At the top the cabinet has a carved bone escutcheon plate opening with a functioning lock and key to a fold front desk. The writing surface is simple and utilitarian compared to its more formal fitted interior. Inside you’ll find fifteen drawers with ebonized turned knobs and one storage cavity with a working lock and key. Below the desk are three large drawers with rounded brass drawer pulls. All locks are in working order and share a single key. Cleaned and polished, this antique is ready for your immediate use. Be sure to view the detailed images to see the current condition of this antique secrétaire á abattant.
When the desk is in use the writing surface is 30”H , the total depth is 35”
When the desk is not in use, the total depth is 20 ½” -
French 19th Century Empire Desk
$2,500.0029.50"H x 57"W x 29.50"D
Dimensions: 29 ½” H x 57” W x 29 ½” D
A classically designed Empire style mahogany desk from France. This desk has a new inset green leather top embossed with brass tooling and banding around the perimeter. A more worn leather topped slide extends 14 ½” from the both sides, giving the desk an 85 ⅝” width when extended. Below the writing surface you’ll find four drawers including a center drawer. On the left side are two stacked drawers and on the right is a single double-stacked drawer to mimic the design. The interior is fitted with removable storage compartments to reveal a hidden bottom. One key is present to work the left drawer’s functioning lock. Empirical embellishments are featured on the tapered legs and the whole rests on brass paw feet. Cleaned and polished with a French paste wax, this antique is ready for your immediate use. Be sure to look at the detailed images to see the current condition of this desk. Knee clearance: 24”
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French Louis XVI Drop Front Desk
Original price was: $1,995.00.$1,595.00Current price is: $1,595.00.39.63"H x 32.13"W x 29.25"D
Dimensions: 39 ⅝” H x 32 ⅛” W x 29 ¼” D
A petite drop front walnut and inlay French desk. The top compartment has a slanted top which folds forward to become a flat writing surface. The cabinet is fitted with open shelves and four drawers. Below the writing surface are three drawers all with inset geometric inlay banding. The whole is raised on tapering partial fluted legs. Be sure to view the detailed images to see the current condition of this unique antique desk.
The writing surface is 30” H
Total depth with the desk in use is 30” -
French Petite Drop Front Desk
Original price was: $2,100.00.$1,680.00Current price is: $1,680.00.39.63"H x 32.25"W x 16"D
Dimensions: 39 ⅝” H x 32 ¼” W x 16” D
A petite drop front walnut and inlay French desk. The top compartment has a slanted top which folds forward to become a flat writing surface inset with green leather and a gilt perimeter. The cabinet is fitted with open shelves and four drawers. Below the writing surface are three drawers all with inset geometric inlay banding. The whole is raised on tapering partial fluted legs. Be sure to view the detailed images to see the current condition of this unique antique desk.
The writing surface is 29 ½” H
Total depth with the desk in use is 29 ½” -
French Petite Mahogany Writing Desk
Original price was: $2,200.00.$1,700.00Current price is: $1,700.00.29.50"H x 37"W x 20.13"D
Dimensions: 29 ½” H x 37” W x 20 ⅛” D
A petite mahogany desk with an inset leather writing surface from 19th Century France. The worn leather top is in antique condition with embossed gold tooling. A single drawer is housed within the apron, featuring a brass keyhole and functioning lock and key, raised on long tapered legs ending in brass caps. Knee clearance: 24”. Be sure to view all the images for a closer look at the details and current condition of this petite writing desk.
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French 19th Century Solid Oak Desk
$2,200.0028.13"H x 47.50"W x 25.88"D
Dimensions: 28 ⅛” H x 47 ½” W x 25 ⅞” D
A primitive solid oak desk made in France. The table top is full of patina with long boards ending in breadboard ends. There is one center drawer in the apron over turned oak legs. An H shaped stretcher base gives character and support. Cleaned and polished with a French paste wax this antique is ready for your immediate use. Be sure to view the detailed dimages. Knee clearance is 22”
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Late 18th Century Venetian Rococo Style Writing Desk
$3,200.0043.25"H x 41.25"W x 22.25"D
Dimensions: 43-¼”H x 41-¼”W x 22-¼”D
A wonderfully painted and patinated Rococo style writing desk, made in Venice towards the end of the 18th century. Carved by hand, the desk features an aged painted finish that is simply marvelous. Festive individuals can be found frollicing front and center on the desk’s fold-down-front. Scrolled filigree details are painted all over, creating an overall element of whimsy that gives the desk its light and airy presence. Shaped legs lift the desk to a comfortable writing height. The front will unfold to reveal the desk’s interior. It can be secured with its functioning lock. Inside, you will find two small drawers as well as a number of pigeon holes and cubbies to store away various sundries. A hidden compartment is found in the work surface and slides open to reveal a secret space for hiding special valuables. The interior is finished with spectacular painted details that create an even finish that is cohesive throughout the entire antique.
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French 19th Century Lady’s Work Table
$1,495.0028.13"H x 20.25"W x 13.88"D
Dimensions: 28-⅛”H x 20-¼”W x 13-⅞”D
This petite work table from 19th century France is full of charming elements within a compact design. Details allude to this piece serving as a correspondence and sewing table. Unlocking what seems to be a drawer actually allows the top to hinge open and reveal an antique mirror plate affixed to the underside and pre-sectioned organization with a built in pin cushion. The key for lifting the top has a lovely tag with engravings saying ‘Table à ouvrage’ meaning work table and ‘Rez de Chaussee Ch.bre No.1 Bis’ which translates to Ground Floor Bedroom No. 1 Copy on the flip side of the tag. The lower drawer features a writing surface inset with worn black leather and tooled with gold that slides back to reveal a paper and stationary storage compartment. Three inkwells made of brass and glass fit perfectly beside the writing surface. Two keys are included. A concave stretcher connects the column-from legs and provides lasting support. Some minor repairs have been made to the mahogany veneer. Make sure to view the detailed images to get a closer look!
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English 19th Century Pine Auctioneer’s Cash Desk
$3,650.0029.5"H x 36.75"W x 26.75"D
Dimensions: 29-½”H x 36-¾”W x 26-¾”D
This is a simple English 19th century pine shop counter from an auctioneer in Alsace! Complete with a hole for accepting cash payments inside the drawer. The desk is flanked with tall open storage spaces which would have held ledger books. A very smart design is finished on the sides and the front with a diamond design.
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French 19th Century Oak Jeweler’s Bench
$3,200.0034.88"H x 31.75"W x 28.63"D
Dimensions: 34-⅞”H x 31-¾”W x 28-⅝”D
This specialized oak desk was made in France. Used by jewelers, the desk’s lifted surface brings the table towards the artist, minimizing reach, and saving their aching backs. The work surface has a three quarter wood gallery and raised surface across the front. This raised edge keeps jewels and gems from rolling off the surface, when being worked. The desk is equipped with two drawers. The top drawer has a small brass knob and a single compartment. The lower drawer sits just below and has multiple compartments for keeping tools and precious stones. It is somewhat disguised without a pull and moves with the top drawer when it is open and closed. The desk is constructed with mortise and tenon joints, and wood pegs. Sometimes a simple design, well executed, is perfection.
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French 19th Century Louis XVI Writing Table
Original price was: $2,200.00.$1,765.00Current price is: $1,765.00.29.5"H x 41"W x 26.25"D
Dimensions: 29-1/2″H x 41″W x 26-1/4″D
This lovely Louis XVI-style grey-painted writing table, dated 1886, is from France and features a spring-loaded writing surface and shaped adjustable support which is signed “Angers/Guimont/Brossard/1886” and monogrammed with a carved and conjoined “CL.” The writing surface, when flat, is inset within the desk’s surface which features lobed corners above an apron outfitted with a single drawer and supported by round fluted and tapering legs on toupee feet.
Shop Vintage & Antique Desks
Antique desks are a classy addition to homes, offices, or the now popular hybrid, home offices. They create a centerpiece in any room, and antique desks have unparalleled style and durability you won’t find in their modern counterparts. The allure of this type of vintage furniture lies in its elegance, as well as its traditional and cultural appeal.
At Fireside Antiques, we have a diverse inventory of antique desks guaranteed to suit your preference and home design. We typically source our collection of on buying trips to England and France. Currently in stock, we have old pieces made by skilled artisans from as far back as the early 19th century.
Unparalleled Appeal and Function
Historically, people used desks as surfaces for writing and reading scrolls, parchment, or other manuscripts. They often had inclined surfaces for optimal use, and they had several compartments, slots, and hooks for storing pens, ink, and other writing implements.
Due to the bulk of scrolls and other manuscripts from centuries past, most antique desks were typically large so that they could accommodate these documents and materials. More recently, desks have gone beyond their practical function and are now considered hallmarks of quality interior decoration.
Artisans typically made them with different woods, including mahogany, birch, oak, cherry, and walnut. The styles of the antique desks we stock vary and include pedestals, fold ups, fold downs, foldouts, roll tops, and more. All of them come in different dimensions, colors, and finishes, and often feature storage compartments.
Find an Antique Desk for Your Home
Whether you collect antique furniture and are looking for a new addition to your collection or you want to purchase a desk for its practical uses, we have a perfect fit for your living space. We carry pieces of superb quality, each one carefully carved to fit your unique taste.
Our desks come in attractive colors with gorgeous finishes. Apart from being works of art, they are durable and can serve you for years to come. As much as our pieces are antique, they’re perfect for studying and exploring the modern world. Relax at your desk in the comfort of your home or office and allow these pieces to inspire you.
Antique desks from Fireside Antiques connect you to the past and allow you to enjoy the present. Antique desks are useful in all homes, offices, and anywhere else you want to experience an old-world feel while you work. We have an extensive collection of antique desks, and you can browse them all on our website.