Relevant categories: Desks
At Canonbury Antiques we have a wide range of antique style desks and writing tables. A desk is such a central part of any room or home interiors scheme, particularly if you are going to be sitting at it for long hours, perhaps in a home office set up. Hence, why not buy a quality high end desk that is large, solid and sturdy and built in England to centuries old traditions? Many of these desk are available to view in our Hertfordshire antiques showroom so please let us know if you'd like to make an appointment to view.
We carry various styles and types of desks in different woods to match your existing furniture, mainly walnut and mahogany. Classic English desks include:
Partners Desk Victorian Desks Regency Desks Carlton House Desks Gillows Desks Pedestal Desks
Other styles of desks we also carry include:
American Presidents Desks French Desks - Roll Top Bureau Plat Bureau Du Roi etc Boulle Desks Art Deco Desks
Partners Desks
A partners desk has drawers and cupboards on both sides so that two people can sit opposite each other. This type of desk was first introduced in England in the 1800s to accommodate banking partners so they could sit opposite each other at work. Typically it would be senior bankers who wanted to work closely whilst retaining the high end status of a pedestal desk. They were also commonly used in lawyers practices for solictors and their clerks.
Partners desks range in style and wood. They will have working drawers and cupboards on both sides. Sometimes there might be drawers on one side of the pedestal and a cupboard or filing cabinet on the other side. On pedestal desks these can be moved around so you could have the drawers on both sides. You can also get dummys partners desks which have faux drawers and cupboards - these would be designed so that the desk looks good from all angles. That's the good thing with partners desks, they can be displayed in the centre of a room and admired from all angles.
Carlton House Desks
The Carlton House desk has to one of our favourite pieces of classical English furniture and it there's a fantastic story around its creation. The original Carlton House desk was designed by George Hepplewhite in the 18th Century for the Prince of Wales. It gets its name from Carlton House - the lost London palace - which was the then London residence of the Prince.
The desk is very practical as, like a bureau a gradin - the design has a U shape around the writing surface where there are assorted small drawers, cubby holes and the two side boxes which generally open upwards. Drawings of the original desk appear in Hepplewhite's famous design manual Cabinet Maker and Upholsterers Guide. They also appear in Thomas Sheraton's equally famous The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book. the cabinet-making and furniture firm of Gillow also included one, with a drawing, in their in-house Cost Books in 1797. Further classical references include the tapered legs and architectural form.
Gillows Desks
The Gillows desk is perfect for modern interiors as the design is very clean and minimal. Thin fluted legs and a refined narrow top really add an understated air of elegance to this piece.. Gillows were famous English furniture makers working in Lancashire in the 1700s. Our range of Gillows desks include mahogany and walnut desks.
Pedestal Desks
Pedestal desks - also referred to as knee hole desks - are another English design classic, particularly in the George II era. The two pedestals to either side support the main top writing surface. The two pedestals will have drawers on one side and as they come apart from the top are easy to move around. We carry a range of pedestal desks in various woods and styles, including Victorian, Regency and art deco.
Presidents Desk
Our Presidents Desk is an exact replica of the desk found in the Oval Office and sat at by the President of the United States. This piece is a model of a desk that was given to the President of the United States by the Queen of England in 1855 - please see the commemorative plaque that is located at the back of the desk and you can get a history of the piece. You can blow the picture up and read the interesting inscription. The original desk was made from reclaimed wood from the sunken Royal Navy boat HMS Resolute - hence the desk is also referred to as a Resolute desk.
The desk is beautiful - you can see how intricate the hand carved details are including the large eagle with the shield, snake, leaves and arrows to the back panel in the knee hole. The back panel opens out. Then there are the host of other intricate designs weaved into the desk, including rosettes, leaves, flowers, scrolls, swags and other emblems.
This is a true partners desk as both sides feature an open out cubby hole with lock and various drawers. The table top is large and covered in tooled leather with gilded circumference. This would make a great piece for your office, home or otherwise.
French Desks
We carry a range of French antique style desks in various styles, including Empire and Louis XVI. Nothing beats the style of French antique furniture and the desks are no exception. For a home office set up a bigger bureau plat with large writing surface really works well. Other types of French desks include:
Roll Top Desks Bureau Du Roi Bureau Du Dame Kidney Bean Desks Bonheur Du Jour Bureau Plats:
Art Deco Desks
We are big fans of the art deco era at Canonbury Antiques - there's something about the clean and minimal design ethos that lends itself so well to contemporary interiors. These art deco desks have a symmetrical look and unfussy design. We have art deco style desks in knee hole and partners form in various woods including our favourite blonde walnut.
Desk Accessories and Chairs
Of course a desk is nothing without the correct chair to sit at it with. Our favourites have to be the leather captains chair with deep button leather. The perfect desk chair - comfortable to sit at, the back and arms are cushioned, it's on castors so easy to move around and of course it swivels, plus it has an adjustable height. The perfect chair to sit at for all those long hours of work and toil. Come and view these desks and everything else in our Hertfordshire antiques showroom
Please enjoy some videos of our antique desks via the Canonbury Antiques YouTube channel:
Carlton House Desk in Satinwoo...
Regency Mahogany Kidney Desk D...
Walnut Gillows Desk Writing Ta...
Victorian Mahogany Partners De...
Art Deco hall tables are a unique and stylish type of furniture that is practical and a beautiful addition to any home. With their sleek lines, geometric shapes, and bold colors, these tables are instantly recognizable and highly sought after by collectors and design enthusiasts alike. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Art Deco hall tables, their history, and how to incorporate them into your home décor.
If you are in the market for a new desk, settling for something ordinarily boring is not an option! Invest in a stunning French bureau plat to experience enhanced creativity and efficiency levels! These antique writing desks have been famous in France since the 17th century and were initially used by aristocrats and high-ranking officials. They offer a level of sophistication and elegance that is hard to match!
Are you looking you a good way to decorate your home? Bronze crane statues are some of the most desirable antiques you can purchase today. Created to depict cranes in their natural settings, these statues are great for placing anywhere inside the home.