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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Office Furniture
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Antique 18th Century Quality Burr Walnut Floral Marquetry Inlaid Bombe Shaped Bureau

Antique 18th century quality burr walnut floral marquetry inlaid bombe shaped bureau having a fantas...

Antique 18th Century Quality Mahogany Floral Marquetry Inlaid Cylinder Bureau

Antique 18th century quality mahogany floral marquetry inlaid cylinder bureau having a fantastic qua...

Antique William and Mary Outstanding Quality Burr Walnut Inlaid Marquetry Double Dome Bureau Bookcase

Antique William and Mary outstanding quality burr walnut inlaid marquetry double dome bureau bookcas...

Antique French Kingwood, Rosewood & Tulipwood Ormolu Secretaire Chest, c.1890

A fine late 19th century French secretaire chest, dating to circa 1890, veneered in kingwood, rosewo...

Victorian Mahogany Desk

Victorian mahogany desk, standing on reeded legs with brass cup castors, brown leather, in very good...

Large Victorian Mahogany Partners Writing Table

A fine large Victorian mahogany partners writing table, circa 1840, in the style of Gillows. The tab...

Antique French Kingwood Parquetry Freestanding Ormolu Lady’s Writing Desk Bonheur Du Jour

A beautiful antique freestanding French lady’s writing desk, or bonheur du jour, dating to circa 188...

Victorian Walnut & Leather Pedestal Desk

A neat 4ft Victorian walnut pedestal desk in showroom condition, with a new hand dyed green leather...

Early Victorian Mahogany Partners Writing Table

A generously sized early Victorian writing table, presented in excellent showroom condition. Crafte...

19th Century French Parquetry Writing Desk

A splendid late 19th century French writing desk in the Louis XVI style. Of fine costruction in love...

Victorian Inlaid Burr Walnut Davenport

A lovely mid Victorian period inlaid burr walnut davenport desk. Beautiful burr walnut veneers inset...

Small & Very Pretty French Marquetry Writing Table

Super quality French marquetry writing table with single end drawer and pull out writing slide with...

Rare Antique Regency Mahogany Secretaire Sideboard Writing Desk

A rare and exceptional antique Regency mahogany secretaire sideboard dating to circa 1815, beautiful...

Victorian Mahogany Revolving Desk Chair

A very good late Victorian period revolving desk, or office, chair. Well constructed in solid mahoga...

Super Burr Walnut Queen Anne Bureau

A very nice four drawer Queen Anne burr walnut bureau, leather writing surface, in excellent overall...

Victorian Burr Walnut Pedestal Desk

Victorian Burr Walnut Pedestal DeskA handsome Victorian burr walnut pedestal desk, circa 1870, measu...

Antique Walnut Queen Anne Style Bureau Bookcase

Afine quality Edwardian Queen Anne style walnut bureau bookcase, featuring a glazed upper section ab...

Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Style Parquetry & Ormolu Cylinder Desk c1869

A superb mid-19th century French Louis XVI style cylinder desk, made circa 1869, veneered in kingwoo...

A Rare William & Mary Burr Elm Bureau Bookcase

A rare William & Mary burr elm bureau bookcase. Of small proportions and in lovely and remarkably or...

Victorian Kidney Shaped Rosewood Writing Table

A splendid mid-Victorian period kidney shaped writing table, or desk. Of very good construction with...

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.