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At Canonbury Antiques one of our favourite pieces has to be our Presidents Desk, which is an exact replica of the famous desk as found in the Oval Office in the White House.
The desk is a true partners desk - people can sit on both sides - and it is hand crafted from mahogany with intricately carved details. There is a long and illustrious history to the desk which has come to symbolise the special relationship between America and Great Britain over the years. The desk has lived in the Washington White House since 1880 - when Queen Victoria first sent the desk as a gift to the president and people of the United State. The only time the desk was not in the White House was in 1963 when President Johnson sent it to the Smithsonian, where it remained until President Carter returned it to the White House where it has been ever since in the Oval Office.
(Above photo - Look at the wonderful carving on this mahogany Presidents desk )
The Presidents Desk is a beautiful work of art and perfect for the home or executive office set up. The writing surface is big and covered in tooled leather with gilt embossing. It features intricate hand carved panelling on all sides with rosettes, floral motifs and an American email on the back of the desk on the panel that goes between the knee hole section. The desk comes in three sections - the top and the two side pedestals - so it is easier to move around and into smaller spaces and rooms. You can switch the two pedestals around so you can have both drawers on one side or turn it around and have a filing cabinet and a drawer on one side to suit your taste.
(Above photo - The Resolute Desk in situ in the Oval Office of the White House )
The original Presidents desk was made out of timber from the British Royal Navy ship named HMS Resolute - hence some people refer to the desk as a Resolute desk. One of the first missions for HMS Resolute was an Arctic exploration - which the ship was specifically designed and outfitted for - to find the explorer Sir John Franklin who had left the UK on a Arctic exploration in 1845 never to be seen again. In this mission in 1850 HMS Resolute became trapped in ice neart the north shorte of Viscount Meliville Sound (near Dealy Island) in the Baffin Bay area between Canada and Greenland. HMS Resolute became incased in floe ice which was flowing from east to west and the captain ordered for the ship to be abandoned.
(Above photo - President Obama leaning against the desk )
In 1855 the abandoned ship was found adrift in an ice flow of Baffin Island by American whaler George Henry and the boat was sailed back to Britain and presented to Queen Victoria in 1856 to be used again in service until her retirement in 1879. The Government commissioned three desks to be made from the timbers of the boat ad the first partners desk was presented to US President Rutherford B Hayes in 1880 as a thank you for rescuing HMS Resolute.
) (Above photo - Secretary of State John Hay signs a peace treaty with Spain at the Resolute desk
Since then numerous US leaders have sat at this beautiful Presidents desk which symbolises the long term relationship between Great Britain and the United States and of course has a lovely story behind it. It really is a handsome partners desk and is built to last hence making it an enduring piece of furniture and a great family heirloom and investment. Some of our older versions even have a secret compartment - where it is, is of course a secret so do not even ask! This place is for keeping important documents.
(Above photo - Close up of the bronze inscribed plaque on the back of the desk )
On the front of the desk a bronze plaque is affixed with the inscription: "HMS Resolute, forming part of the expedition sent in search of Sir John Franklin in 1852, abandoned in Latitude 74 degrees -41 minutes N Longitude 101 degrees -22 minutes W on the 15th of May, 1854. She was discovered and extricated in September 1855 in Latitude 67 degrees N by Captain Buddington of the United States whaler George Henry"
(Above photo - Current President Trump signs and executive order at the desk )
Come and view this fantastic Presidents desk in our Hertfordshire antiques showroom just 25 mintues north of London in the leafy Herts countryside. Alongside this piece we carry a range of other desks including Victorian, Regency, mahogany, Carlton House, Gillows and French antique desks if this is not to your taste. We can also source lovely desk office chairs to match the leather if that is what you are looking for, just let us know what your requirements are.
(Above photo - Side shot of the desk, note intricate and ornate carving )
Of course we can ship the Presidents desk to anywhere in the world and the United States and all over the United Kingdom, including Herts, Hampshire, Berks, Bucks antique desks, Beds, Surrey, Essex antique desks. We have been in business since 1966 and can offer discounts to interior designers and our showroom is open to the public so please get in touch for an appointment. We also specialise in antique dining furniture, art deco, continental antiques, bronzes, porcelain, architectural and all things interiors.
Please enjoy some videos from the Canonbury Antiques YouTube channel of the Presidents Desk:
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