Antique Desk

Antique desks are beautiful and can add a touch of elegance and charm to any room. But, before buying an antique desk, you need to know about the various kinds of antique desks, where to find one, the cost and why they can be such an asset to your home.

There are various antique desks to choose from. For instance the traditional secretary style desks are attractive and have a comforting look. This kind of antique desk blends in with most other styles and they add a touch of elegance to any room.

The Victorian style antique desks are of course named after Queen Victoria. These antique desks are known by their pointy tops and are usually made from oak or mahogany.

In contrast, the Chippendale style secretary desks are different in character, with a ball-and-claw footing, cabriole legs and broken pediment scroll top that are placed on tall pieces. These kinds of desks are larger but still have a refined and classy look.

Another type of antique desk is the French style desk. In years gone by they were very ornate, costly and elaborate in detail. They still have many of the old characteristics and some still have the beautiful curved lines with gold plated finishings.

Most American antique desks can be categorized into several select sections. Here is a list of categories of antique desks:

The first category is The Pilgrim Antique Desk—(1640-1690). This was a desk that was big and heavy. The joints were held together with wooden pegs. These types of desks were made from oak or pine. Many of the Pilgrim antique desks that are still in use have been restored, and ornaments and rungs have been replaced. .

The next category of antique desks is The William and Mary Antique Desk—(1700-1730). Woodcarving and the dovetail joint are two eye-catching points on the William and Mary Antique Desk era desks. These kinds of desks were created in styles that were equal in proportion and had contrasting surfaces. The types of wood used for this antique desk were: pine, walnut and maple.

The Queen Anne Desk—(1725-1755) is a beautiful desk that was known for its scrolled form. This desk has hooped seats and cabriole legs. The wood used for this desk was cherry, mahogany and walnut.

Chippendale Desks—(1755-1790) are often created and show Gothic arches, Chinese motifs, and ‘C’ and ‘S’ form scrolls and claw and ban feet. Most of these desks are made from mahogany wood and have a great deal of ornate details.

You can tell if a desk is an antique by examining the desk and looking for any evidence that power tools were used in its creation, by looking at the paint and decorative work on the desk, by checking out the type of wood that was used, check out the inside of the desk drawers, and by speaking with someone about the history of the desk.

By taking time to thoroughly check out the desk–especially the inside of the desk drawers–if the desk is over 100 years old, it should feel dry–  you will be fairly certain that you will be buying an authentic, antique desk.