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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18th Century Dutch Marquetry Walnut Bureau

A splendid Dutch walnut marquetry bureau c. 1760. Well constructed in solid walnut with attractive b...

19th Century Oak Kneehole Desk

A charming light oak kneehole desk, English, Circa 1880. This solid oak desk is finished all round...

French Neoclassical Office Set by Mercier Frères – Desk, Cabinet & Chair

An exceptionally rare and complete French Neoclassical office suite by Mercier Frères, dating from t...

Inlaid Mahogany Carlton House Desk

A fine inlaid mahogany Carlton House desk, beautifully crafted in the classic Georgian style with an...

Antique Regency Mahogany Desk Chair

A fine antique Regency mahogany desk chair dating from around 1830, beautifully constructed with ele...

Edwardian Mahogany Kidney Shaped Desk

A fine Edwardian kidney shaped desk in a beautiful mahogany, circa 1900. The desk features a new han...

19th Century Satin Birch Heal And Son Desk

A great satin birch desk circa 1850 by Heal and son, London.   A really good quality piece as you...

Flame Mahogany Writing Desk

A splendid French mahogany writing desk from the Napoleon III period. Of generous proportions and ve...

Early 19th Century Mahogany Cylinder Desk

Early 19th Century Mahogany Cylinder Desk   This elegant early 19th century mahogany cylinder desk...

A Superb Regency Rosewood Writing Table

A Superb Regency Rosewood Writing Table. This fine piece of English furniture is raised on turned an...

Revolving Height Adjustable Beech Office Desk Chair

RESERVED This Revolving Height Adjustable Beech Office Desk Chair with its curved back and generous...

French Painted Kneehole Desk

Very good French painted five drawer kneehole desk, black leather top, side extentions, original wor...

Super French Oak Partners Library Desk

A very good French freestanding oak three drawer library desk, dummy drawers to the rear, green leat...

Large 19th Century French Empire Flame Mahogany Cylinder Desk

An exceptionally fine French Empire ormolu-mounted mahogany Cylinder-Bureau from the mid 19th centur...

Outstanding Quality Antique George II Figured Mahogany Bureau Bookcase

Outstanding quality antique George II figured mahogany bureau bookcase having an outstanding quality...

Walnut kneehole desk

A wonderful mid 18th century kneehole desk in walnut in lovely condition throughout. One long drawe...

Mahogany twin clerks/banking desk

  Superb twin desk and we feel a true when will you find another one item. Circa early 20th...

Antique Victorian Mahogany Freestanding Pedestal Kneehole Desk With Fitted Stationery Drawers & Writing Slides

A superb antique Victorian freestanding mahogany pedestal kneehole desk of exceptional quality and i...

Antique Kingwood Parquetry & Ormolu Mounted Bureau Plat in the Louis XV Style

A late 19th century, circa 1880, kingwood serpentine-shaped bureau plat, decorated with parquetry in...

Chippendale Style Flame Mahogany Writing Desk

A bold and impressive writing desk in the style of Thomas Chippendale. Dating from the early 20th ce...

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.