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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Walnut Secretaire Queen Anne

A lovely walnut and pollard oak Queen Anne period secretaire en abbatant circa 1710 -1720 . This pi...

Victorian Walnut Davenport Desk

The Victorian Walnut Davenport Desk is an antique piece crafted from walnut, with a rich brown colou...

Solid Oak Carved Pedestal desk

This Solid Oak Pedestal desk has not been seen since 1979, as it has been in a garage covered up due...

Walnut Kneehole Desk 1720

George I walnut kneehole desk circa 1720. This desk has a really lovely top with quarter cut veneer,...

Kneehole Desk In Walnut And Burr Oak

Burr oak and walnut kneehole desk with slide and writing slope. The draws and top are in burr oak wi...

Early 18th Century Walnut Bureau

A Fine Queen Anne Walnut Bureau with well figured fiddleback walnut veneers. The fall opens to reve...

A Rare And Early Georgian Kneehole Bureau

A rare early Georgian Kneehole Bureau of a wonderful colour and patination.Having a well figured fal...

Victorian Gothic oak pedestal desk

We are delighted to offer you this Victorian Gothic oak desk that was made circa 1885.The Victorian...

George II walnut bureau

An early 18th century George II walnut veneered bureau. The bureau has five cross banded oak lined...

Edwardian mahogany panelled pedestal desk

Here we are pleased to offer you this high-quality Edwardian mahogany panelled pedestal desk. It wou...

Edwardian inlaid ladies desk

This Edwardian inlaid mahogany desk was made circa 1900. The red inset and gilt tooled writing surf...

Antique walnut kneehole

Here we are pleased to offer you this Antique walnut kneehole that was made in the 19th Century. Kn...

Edwardian Inlaid Mahogany Oval Writing Table

A very good Edwardian period inlaid mahogany oval shaped writing table. Decorated throughout with bo...

Victorian oak revolving desk chair

This Victorian oak revolving desk chair was made circa 1870. The horseshoe shaped back-rail is abov...

Chippendale revival mahogany desk

This superb Chippendale revival mahogany desk was made in one of the finest workshops of the period...

Victorian Rosewood Kidney Shaped Writing Table

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

Regency Mahogany Kneehole Desk

Exceptional quality Regency mahogany kneehole desk having a figured top over a pull out writing surf...

Edwardian inlaid mahogany pedestal desk

This Edwardian inlaid mahogany pedestal desk was made circa 1900. Interestingly, it has a Druce & c...

Ebonised Ormolu Mounted Desk

19thc ormolu mounted pedestal desk .the black tooled leather top with bold ormolu edging above three...

Victorian inlaid rosewood writing table

This Victorian inlaid rosewood writing table was made circa 1880. The desk stands on tapering legs...

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.