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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Burr Walnut Queen Anne Style Writing Desk

A lovely queen Anne style burr walnut writing desk from the early 20th century. Very well constructe...

Good Quality Inlaid Satinwood Writing Desk in the Sheraton Revival Style

This Good Quality Inlaid Satinwood Writing Desk in the Sheraton Revival Style, offers practicality a...

Oak Revolving Adjustable Height Office Desk Chair

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

Inlaid Rosewood Bonheur Du Jour

A late Victorian period inlaid rosewood bonheur du jour, or writing desk. Well constructed in solid...

Inlaid Mahogany Writing Desk by Collinson and Lock

A very fine quality writing table by the prestigious London firm of cabinet makers, Collinson and Lo...

Edwardian Inlaid Mahogany Kidney Desk

A fine quality Edwardian period kidney shaped desk. Well constructed in solid mahogany with attracti...

Queen Anne Style Burr Walnut Writing Desk

A good early 20th century burr walnut writing desk in the Queen Anne style. Well constucted in solid...

Flame Mahogany Chippendale Style Writing Desk

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

Georgian Mahogany Secretaire Bookcase Attributed to Gillows

A fine quality George III figured mahogany secretaire bookcase attributed to Gillows of Lancaster &...

Edwardian Compact Walnut Pedestal Dsk

This Compact Walnut Pedestal Desk offers a good-sized working space with a relatively small footprin...

Oak Pedestal Bankers Desk with Leather Top

This exquisite Oak Pedestal Bankers Desk with Leather Top combines elegant design with functionality...

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.