What is a roll top desk?

A roll top desk is a piece of furniture that has a wooden cover that can be pulled down when the desk is not in use. Shop a collection of roll top furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

What is a roll top desk called?

Sometimes, roll-top desks are called tambours, sliding roll desks or roll-up desks. However, roll-top is the most commonly used name. The style of desk became popular during the 19th century. You can find a range of roll-top desks on 1stDibs.

What is the point of a roll top desk?

A roll top desk kept small essentials and paperwork organized. The roll top design was ideal for business people to secure their desks at the end of the day without filing away their work. Browse a variety of roll top desks on 1stDibs.

What era are roll top desks from?

Roll-top desks are originally from the late 18th century in the Georgian era of England. By the middle of the Victorian era, they were found in most offices and produced on a large scale. Shop a range of antique roll-top desks on 1stDibs.

How do I know if my roll top desk is antique?

To tell if a roll-top desk is an antique, look closely at the materials. Real antiques feature hardwoods like cherry, mahogany and black walnut. If you detect the use of engineered woods, the desk is a reproduction. Also, early pieces show off irregular dovetail joints. Joints that appear perfectly uniform indicate that a roll-top desk is a more recent mass-produced piece. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of expertly vetted antique roll-top desks.

How much is a roll top desk worth?

A roll top desk can be worth anywhere between $3,000 to $6,000, depending on the condition, materials used and time of manufacturing. Roll top desks are expensive, as they are very popular on the antique furniture market and are considered timeless collectibles. Shop a range of antique and vintage roll top desks on 1stDibs.

How do I know if my antique roll top desk?

A variety of factors can determine the exact age of an antique roll top desk. Some things to look for is the type of wood and craftsmanship used to create the desk. Typically, older desks will be made from heavier wood. You can also check for a maker’s marks to determine the age. When in doubt, work with a certified appraiser to determine the authenticity of your roll top desk. You’ll find a variety of expertly vetted roll top desks on 1stDibs.

1900 Roll Top Desk

Oak Double Pedestal Desk

Metal School Desk

Roller Shutter

Antique Golden Oak

Large Francois Linke Roll Top Desk

$132,000

H 49 in W 58 in D 32 in

Large Francois Linke Roll Top Desk

By François Linke

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Large and very fine Francois Linke roll top desk French late 19th-early 20th century Bureau a

Category

Antique Early 1900s Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Art Deco Oak Roll Top Desk Restaurant Greeter

$3,574

H 46 in W 36 in D 27 in

Art Deco Oak Roll Top Desk Restaurant Greeter

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Art Deco Oak Roll Top Desk Restaurant Greeter This Oak restaurant greeting station has a roll

Category

Antique Early 1900s Art Deco Desks

Materials

Oak

Recent Sales

Edwardian Oak Roll Top Desk

Unavailable

H 50.01 in W 60.24 in D 32.29 in

Edwardian Oak Roll Top Desk

Located in Manchester, GB

A good quality oak roll top desk from the Edwardian period. Recently re-polished to a dark oak

Category

Antique Early 1900s British Edwardian Desks

Materials

Oak

Edwardian Oak Roll Top Desk

Unavailable

H 51.5 in W 55 in D 35.75 in

Edwardian Oak Roll Top Desk

Located in Manchester, GB

A superb large roll top desk with spectacular interior recently repolished to its original dark oak

Category

Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Desks

Materials

Oak

Early 1900s American Industrial Roll Top Desk/Table by Toledo

Unavailable

H 39.5 in W 20.5 in D 24.5 in

Early 1900s American Industrial Roll Top Desk/Table by Toledo

By Toledo Metal Furniture Co.

Located in Chicago, IL

Early 1900s American Industrial roll top table by Toledo. Great as used as bar.

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Industrial Carts and Bar Carts

Materials

Metal

1905 Adjustable Piano / Roll Top Desk Lamp with Antique American Art Glass Shade

Unavailable

H 10 in W 7 in D 15 in

1905 Adjustable Piano / Roll Top Desk Lamp with Antique American Art Glass Shade

Located in Mississauga, CA

Very elegant early 1900s piano or roll top desk lamp with original restored finish. This lamp is

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Antique Golden Oak S-Roll Top Derby School Desk, Circa 1900

Sold

H 44.5 in W 47.5 in D 29.75 in

Antique Golden Oak S-Roll Top Derby School Desk, Circa 1900

By Derby Desk Company

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique roll top office desk in the manner of derby offers golden oak paneled construction with

Category

Early 20th Century American Desks

Materials

Metal

Antique Derby School Oak S-Roll Top Desk with Reeded Side Column, circa 1900

Sold

H 48.75 in W 47.75 in L 48.75 in

Antique Derby School Oak S-Roll Top Desk with Reeded Side Column, circa 1900

By Derby Desk Company

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique roll top desk in the manner of Derby offers oak construction with serpentine top opening

Category

20th Century American Desks

Materials

Oak

Antique Roll Top Desk, English, Oak, Victorian, Lock, Tambour, circa 1900

Sold

H 50.79 in W 48.04 in D 31.99 in

Antique Roll Top Desk, English, Oak, Victorian, Lock, Tambour, circa 1900

Located in Hele, Devon, GB

This is an antique roll top desk in English oak, late Victorian with locking tambour front dating

Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Desks

Antique Derby Style Oak Paneled Roll Top Desk by Standard, circa 1900

Sold

H 50 in W 40.5 in D 33 in

Antique Derby Style Oak Paneled Roll Top Desk by Standard, circa 1900

By Standard Co.

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique Derby style roll top desk by Standard features roll top opening to reveal writing

Category

20th Century American Desks

Materials

Oak

Derby School Paneled Oak Roll Top Desk with Full Interior, Circa 1900

Sold

H 52.5 in W 72 in D 42 in

Derby School Paneled Oak Roll Top Desk with Full Interior, Circa 1900

Located in Savannah, GA

Derby School Paneled Oak Roll Top Desk with Full Interior, Circa 1900. Roll top desk has paneled

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Antique S-Roll Top Oak Desk with Full Interior, circa 1900

Sold

H 52.5 in W 48 in D 32.75 in

Antique S-Roll Top Oak Desk with Full Interior, circa 1900

By Derby Desk Company

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique desk offers oak paneled construction with s-roll top opening to full interior over base

Category

Early 20th Century Desks

Materials

Oak

Exceptional Oversized S-Type Oak Roll Top Desk

Sold

H 50 in W 60 in D 32 in

Exceptional Oversized S-Type Oak Roll Top Desk

By Derby Desk Company

Located in Petaluma, CA

finest makers of roll top desks at the turn of the century. Just to top it off, we are throwing in a

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Desks

Materials

Wood

19th Century American Oak Roll Top Desk

Sold

H 48.5 in W 50 in D 30 in

19th Century American Oak Roll Top Desk

Located in Savannah, GA

Solid oak roll top desk with an S-shaped working tambor retaining its original rich looking dark

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Late Victorian Desks

Materials

Oak

Antique Oak Derby School Raised Panel S-Roll Top Desk, Circa 1900

Sold

H 49.5 in W 55 in D 32 in

Antique Oak Derby School Raised Panel S-Roll Top Desk, Circa 1900

By Macey Co.

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique desk in the manner of Derby offers quarter sawn oak construction with S-form roll top

Category

Early 20th Century American Desks

Materials

Wood, Oak

Lebus Art Deco Oak, Restaurant Roll Top Desk Greeting Station

Sold

H 44 in W 29 in D 24 in

Lebus Art Deco Oak, Restaurant Roll Top Desk Greeting Station

Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Lebus Art Deco Oak, Restaurant Roll Top Desk Greeter This Oak restaurant greeting station which

Category

Antique Early 1900s Art Deco Desks

Materials

Oak

Antique Oak S-Roll Top Desk with Raised Panels & Full Drawer Interior circa 1900

Sold

H 50.5 in W 49.75 in D 32 in

Antique Oak S-Roll Top Desk with Raised Panels & Full Drawer Interior circa 1900

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique desk offers paneled oak construction with s-roll top opening to full interior

Category

Early 20th Century Desks

Materials

Oak

Antique Oak Roll Top Desk, Double Pedestal, American 1900, B2515

Sold

H 48 in W 48 in D 30 in

Antique Oak Roll Top Desk, Double Pedestal, American 1900, B2515

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique oak roll top desk, double pedestal, American 1900, B2515 American, 1900 Solid oak

Category

Antique Early 1900s North American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Antique Oak Desk, Double Pedestal D-End, Roll Top Desk, England 1900, B2075

Sold

H 40 in W 48 in D 27 in

Antique Oak Desk, Double Pedestal D-End, Roll Top Desk, England 1900, B2075

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique oak desk, double pedestal D-end, roll top desk, England 1900, B2075 England 1900 Solid

Category

Antique Early 1900s English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Jas Shoolbred Roll Top Desk

Sold

H 39.38 in W 42.13 in D 27.17 in

Jas Shoolbred Roll Top Desk

By Jas Shoolbred & Co.

Located in Redruth, GB

Jas Shoolbred roll top desk. Edwardian oak roll top desk by Jas Shoolbred cabinet makers. Central

Category

Antique Early 1900s Great Britain (UK) Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Edwardian Walnut Roll Top Desk

Sold

H 50.5 in W 59.75 in D 32 in

Edwardian Walnut Roll Top Desk

Located in Manchester, GB

A fine quality solid walnut roll top desk with a fully fitted interior. Externally, the side and

Category

Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Desks

Materials

Walnut

Good Mahogany Edwardian Period Roll Top Desk

Sold

H 51 in W 55 in L 51 in

Good Mahogany Edwardian Period Roll Top Desk

Located in Darwen, GB

A good mahogany Edwardian Period roll top desk. The upper section with a solid mahogany rectangular

Category

Antique Early 1900s Edwardian Desks

Antique Roll Top Desk Twin Pedestal Writing Desk Solid Oak Edwardian Solid Oak

Sold

H 42 in W 48 in D 30 in

Antique Roll Top Desk Twin Pedestal Writing Desk Solid Oak Edwardian Solid Oak

Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury

Antique Edwardian solid oak twin pedestal roll top desk, with small drawer and various pigeon holes

Category

Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Desks

Materials

Oak

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$4,900

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Art Nouveau Guimard Chandelier

$3,100 / item

H 27.56 in Dm 9.85 in

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English Georgian Mahogany Gadrooned and Upholstered Tester Bed, Circa 1800

$26,000

H 102 in W 61.5 in D 79 in

English Georgian Mahogany Gadrooned and Upholstered Tester Bed, Circa 1800

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Antique Early 1800s English Georgian Beds and Bed Frames

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Pair of Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Soldiers

$25,000 / set

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Located in Austin, TX

A well modelled pair of Tang dynasty painted pottery soldiers. The warriors portrayed standing, dressed in form fitting, elaborate layered Armor with fitted helmets. The breastplate...

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Large Italian Giltwood Bed Canopy 'Corona'

$3,800

H 11 in Dm 31 in

Large Italian Giltwood Bed Canopy 'Corona'

Located in Chireno, TX

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Striking Art Nouveau Ceramic and Bronze-Mounted Vase in Victor Horta Style

$2,884

H 10.75 in W 5.25 in D 4.4 in

Striking Art Nouveau Ceramic and Bronze-Mounted Vase in Victor Horta Style

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Located in Lisse, NL

Top condition and pure elegance Art Nouveau vase. For the collectors of museum quality and condition Art Nouveau ceramics. This stunning Art Nouveau vase is decorated with the mos...

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19th Century Travel Trunk by Innovation

$1,718

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Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight

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Original Vintage 1928 Avant Garde Art Exhibition Poster Kandinsky Picasso Klee

$17,185

H 30.12 in W 39.97 in D 0.04 in

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By Heinrich Campendonk

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$10,500

H 6 in W 12 in D 9 in

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Located in Dallas, TX

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$11,686 / set

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$28,500

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1900 Roll Top Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the 1900 roll top desk you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Each 1900 roll top desk for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, oak and metal. Your living room may not be complete without a 1900 roll top desk — find older editions for sale from the 19th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. Each 1900 roll top desk bearing Victorian, Arts and Crafts or Industrial hallmarks is very popular. You’ll likely find more than one 1900 roll top desk that is appealing in its simplicity, but Jas Shoolbred & Co., François Linke and Quigley Furniture Co. produced versions that are worth a look.