Antique Office Furniture

Working from home becomes a genuine pleasure when your desk has been standing since Gladstone was in office. Our dealers stock antique pedestal desks, writing tables, bureau bookcases, filing cabinets, captain's chairs, partners' desks and library tables in mahogany, oak and walnut.

Antique office furniture was built for daily use over decades, if not centuries. The result is a quality of construction and materials that makes modern office furniture look decidedly temporary.

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Antique French Walnut Marquetry Inlaid Freestanding Writing Desk Bureau Plat Leather Top

A beautiful antique French walnut freestanding writing desk of exceptional decorative quality. The s...

Antique Gillows Mahogany Secretaire Bookcase Georgian Astragal Glazed Library Cabinet

A rare and highly desirable antique Georgian mahogany secretaire bookcase by the renowned makers Gil...

Chippendale Style Carved Mahogany Writing Table

A bold and impressive carved mahogany writing table in the manner of Thomas Chippendale. Of generous...

Antique 17th Century Quality Oak Bureau with Outstanding Interior

17th century antique quality oak bureau boasting an outstanding interior and having a quality oak fa...

Antique Georgian Mahogany Partners Library Writing Desk With Leather Slide

An antique Georgian mahogany partners library writing desk with pull out leather writing slide and d...

Antique Victorian Burr Walnut Floral Marquetry Piano Top Davenport Desk

An outstanding quality antique Victorian burr walnut floral marquetry piano top Davenport desk havin...

Petite Georgian Mahogany Bureau

A charming bureau circa 1800 of petite proportions. Mahogany construction of great colour. The inte...

Antique Pair of Victorian Carved Mahogany Spider Web Back Desk Chairs

A stylish pair of antique Victorian carved mahogany desk chairs with unusual circular spider web bac...

Antique Victorian Burr Walnut Davenport Desk Writing Table Stationery Cabinet

A superb quality antique Victorian burr walnut Davenport desk with satinwood inlay and an exceptiona...

Chippenale Mahogany Library Writing Desk

Superb Chippendale mahogany two drawer writing desk or library table,brass swan necked handles, tan...

Antique Exceptional 18th Century George I Figured Walnut Bureau Bookcase Secretaire Cabinet

A superb and highly important antique George I figured walnut bureau bookcase dating to the early 18...

William 4th Freestanding Mahogany Desk

A very good William 4th style Victorian mahogany four drawer writing table, with brass castors amd b...

Quality Oak Pedestal Desk

Super quality jacobean oak nine drawer pedestal desk, with brown leather top, in excellent overall c...

Louis XVI Style Mahogany, Satine & Parquetry Desk by François Linke, No. 484

A French Louis XVI style mahogany and satiné parquetry ormolu-mounted writing desk, dating to the ea...

W.R. Simkin Solid Oak Knee Hole Desk

The W.R. Simkin Solid Oak Knee Hole Desk is a stunning antique piece crafted from oak. With a classi...

Fine Quality Antique Edwardian Freestanding Mahogany Inlaid Cylinder Desk By Maple & Co. London

Fine quality antique Edwardian freestanding mahogany inlaid cylinder desk by Maple & Co. London havi...

Fine Quality Antique Victorian French Kingwood Bonheur Du Jour Desk

Fine quality antique Victorian French kingwood bonheur du jour having a quality shaped gallery top w...

Outstanding Quality Antique George III Mahogany Inlaid Bureau Bookcase

Outstanding quality antique George III mahogany inlaid bureau bookcase having an outstanding quality...

19th Century Mahogany Table

A lovely slender two drawer early 19th century mahogany hall or writing table. With ash lined drawer...

Antique Dutch Marquetry Walnut Bureau Bookcase Desk Cabinet

A fine antique Dutch marquetry bureau cabinet in walnut, beautifully decorated throughout with intri...

Working at an Antique Desk

The rise of home working has transformed the market for antique office furniture. A Victorian pedestal desk with leather-lined top, brass handles and deep filing drawers does everything a modern desk does, but with the added satisfaction of working at something genuinely well made. Partners' desks, designed for two people to work facing each other, are magnificent pieces that make a statement in any study or office.

Kneehole desks are more compact and suit smaller rooms. Carlton House desks, with their distinctive U-shaped gallery of drawers and compartments, are the Rolls-Royce of writing desks and highly sought after. Davenport desks, small and slope-topped, were designed for correspondence and work perfectly as laptop stations.

Office Chairs

The captain's chair, with its curved back and arms on a swivel base, was the standard office chair of the Victorian and Edwardian periods. They remain supremely comfortable and are well suited to long hours of desk work. Look for examples with the original leather or consider having a worn seat re-upholstered.

Desk chairs on castors, library chairs and reading chairs all serve office purposes and can be found in a range of styles and sizes to suit your space and working habits.

Technology and Antique Desks

Modern technology integrates well with antique desks. Cable management can be discreetly handled through existing holes (originally for inkwell holders) or through the back of the kneehole. Many antique desks offer more drawer space than any modern equivalent, which is useful for storing chargers, papers and stationery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most antique pedestal and partners' desks have generous surface areas that easily accommodate a monitor, keyboard and other equipment. Measure the desk surface and kneehole height before purchasing if you plan to use a large monitor. A laptop works comfortably on virtually any antique desk.

A partners' desk is a large double-sided desk with drawers on both sides, originally designed for two people to sit opposite each other. They are typically made in mahogany with leather-lined tops and are among the most impressive pieces of antique furniture available.

Captain's chairs and desk chairs from the Victorian and Edwardian periods were designed for long working days and can be very comfortable. Many have adjustable height mechanisms that still function well. Try before you buy if possible, and consider a cushion if the original upholstery is firm.

A Davenport is a small, compact desk with a sloping top that lifts to reveal storage, and a column of drawers down one side. They were first made in the late 18th century, reputedly for a Captain Davenport, and were popular throughout the Victorian period as ladies' writing desks.