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Romweber Spanish Baroque Carved Pine Writing Desk
Romweber Spanish Baroque Carved Pine Writing Desk

Romweber Spanish Baroque Carved Pine Writing Desk

By Jim Peed, Romweber Furniture Co.

Located in South Bend, IN

A gorgeous Spanish Baroque style writing desk By Jim Peed for Romweber USA, Circa 1990s

Category

Late 20th Century American Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Italian Baroque Carved Walnut Writing Desk with Lyre Base
Italian Baroque Carved Walnut Writing Desk with Lyre Base

Italian Baroque Carved Walnut Writing Desk with Lyre Base

Located in Hopewell, NJ

An Italian Baroque style walnut writing desk table with drawers and lyre shaped base legs and

Category

Antique Early 1800s Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Early 19th Century Spanish Baroque Carved Mixed Wood Writing Desk
Early 19th Century Spanish Baroque Carved Mixed Wood Writing Desk

Early 19th Century Spanish Baroque Carved Mixed Wood Writing Desk

Located in Astoria, NY

An extraordinary early 19th-century Spanish Baroque writing desk sourced from Provence, France. The

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Baroque Desks

Materials

Wrought Iron

Rustic 17th Century Baroque Walnut Desk / Writing or Library Table
Rustic 17th Century Baroque Walnut Desk / Writing or Library Table

Rustic 17th Century Baroque Walnut Desk / Writing or Library Table

Located in Troy, NY

17th Century Baroque Walnut Desk / Writing or Library Table, with a thick walnut one-plank top

Category

Antique 17th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Baroque Style Walnut Writing Table
Baroque Style Walnut Writing Table

Baroque Style Walnut Writing Table

Located in Laguna Beach, CA

Baroque style walnut writing table, circa 1930's. With a 3 board walnut top, 3 frieze drawers each

Category

Vintage 1930s European Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Italian Walnut Baroque Style Lyre-Leg Trestle Refectory Desk Writing Table
Italian Walnut Baroque Style Lyre-Leg Trestle Refectory Desk Writing Table

Italian Walnut Baroque Style Lyre-Leg Trestle Refectory Desk Writing Table

Located in Carimate, Como

Italian Baroque style desk, or writing table with lyre shaped legs and joint with a central drawer

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Spanish, late Baroque, 18th Century Desk or Writing Table or console table
Spanish, late Baroque, 18th Century Desk or Writing Table or console table

Spanish, late Baroque, 18th Century Desk or Writing Table or console table

Located in Troy, NY

Rustic, Spanish late Baroque Writing Table, made of Chestnut, with a wonderful deep warm patina and

Category

Antique 18th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Early 20th Century, Baroque Style Writing Desk, Made by a Danish Cabinetmaker
Early 20th Century, Baroque Style Writing Desk, Made by a Danish Cabinetmaker

Early 20th Century, Baroque Style Writing Desk, Made by a Danish Cabinetmaker

Located in Odense, DK

An early 20th-century Danish centre table, defined by a beautifully figured tabletop where the wood grain forms its own quiet "landscape". The surface reads almost like a natural dra...

Category

Early 20th Century Danish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Small Ladies’ Writing Desk, 20th Century
Small Ladies’ Writing Desk, 20th Century

Small Ladies’ Writing Desk, 20th Century

Located in Greding, DE

Small oval ladies' writing desk in Baroque style, featuring hand-painted floral decoration on a

Category

20th Century German Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Antique Spanish Baroque Walnut Writing Table Console with Iron Stretchers
Antique Spanish Baroque Walnut Writing Table Console with Iron Stretchers

Antique Spanish Baroque Walnut Writing Table Console with Iron Stretchers

Located in Hopewell, NJ

Beautiful antique early 19th-century Spanish Baroque desk, writing table or console, made of solid

Category

Antique 19th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

Italian Baroque Walnut Writing Table with Hinged Top, c1700
Italian Baroque Walnut Writing Table with Hinged Top, c1700

Italian Baroque Walnut Writing Table with Hinged Top, c1700

Located in valatie, NY

An Italian Baroque walnut writing table with unique hinged top, the rectangular top with bread

Category

Antique Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Italian Baroque Walnut Fall Front Desk
Italian Baroque Walnut Fall Front Desk

Italian Baroque Walnut Fall Front Desk

Located in Stamford, CT

Italian fall front desk with burl wood inlay. With six drawers and two hidden storage areas. The

Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

17th Century North Italian Ebonized Baroque Desk
17th Century North Italian Ebonized Baroque Desk

17th Century North Italian Ebonized Baroque Desk

Located in Basingstoke, Hampshire

An unusual late 17th century North Italian Baroque ebonized writing desk - of serpentine form

Category

Antique 17th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Desk Swedish Baroque Period 18th Century Veneer Sweden
Desk Swedish Baroque Period 18th Century Veneer Sweden

Desk Swedish Baroque Period 18th Century Veneer Sweden

Located in New York, NY

Desk Swedish Baroque Period 18th Century Veneer Sweden. A stunning desk made during the Baroque

Category

Antique 18th Century European Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Spanish Baroque Walnut Desk Table, Late 17th Century
Spanish Baroque Walnut Desk Table, Late 17th Century

Spanish Baroque Walnut Desk Table, Late 17th Century

Located in CH

Spanish Baroque Walnut Desk Table Castilla (Madrid), Late 17th Century A Spanish Baroque desk

Category

Antique Late 17th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

17th Spanish Refectory Table, Writing Desk, One Large Drawer
17th Spanish Refectory Table, Writing Desk, One Large Drawer

17th Spanish Refectory Table, Writing Desk, One Large Drawer

Located in Miami, FL

17th Spanish refectory table. Writing desk. One large drawer The top its circa 1680, the legs circa

Category

Antique 17th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

German Walnut Baroque Desk or Dressing table Mid-18th Century
German Walnut Baroque Desk or Dressing table Mid-18th Century

German Walnut Baroque Desk or Dressing table Mid-18th Century

Located in London, GB

Baroque Desk, middle/end of the 18th century. Elaborately inlaid with walnut burl wood, among other

Category

Antique 18th Century German Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Spanish Baroque Revival Writing Table with Lyre Legs and Leather Top, 1920s
Spanish Baroque Revival Writing Table with Lyre Legs and Leather Top, 1920s

Spanish Baroque Revival Writing Table with Lyre Legs and Leather Top, 1920s

Located in BÉTERA, ES

Magnificent Spanish Baroque Revival writing table dating from the late 19th to early 20th century

Category

Vintage 1920s Spanish Baroque Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Hardwood, Oak

Italian Baroque Black Lacquered Writing Table with Red Leather Top
Italian Baroque Black Lacquered Writing Table with Red Leather Top

Italian Baroque Black Lacquered Writing Table with Red Leather Top

Located in Dallas, TX

Handsome 19th century Italian Baroque black lacquered writing table with tooled red leather. An

Category

Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Wood

Antique Boulle Style Inlaid Brass Ormolu Mount Ebonized Writing Table Desk
Antique Boulle Style Inlaid Brass Ormolu Mount Ebonized Writing Table Desk

Antique Boulle Style Inlaid Brass Ormolu Mount Ebonized Writing Table Desk

Located in Chicago, IL

Antique Boulle Style Inlaid Antique Brass Ormolu Mount Ebonized Single Drawer Writing Desk Table

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Baroque Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

17th Century Spanish Baroque Inlaid Walnut Desk or Center Table
17th Century Spanish Baroque Inlaid Walnut Desk or Center Table

17th Century Spanish Baroque Inlaid Walnut Desk or Center Table

Located in Troy, NY

17th Century Spanish Baroque Inlaid Walnut Desk or Center Table. Superb model the two-plank top

Category

Antique Mid-17th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Table Rent Center Desk Tavolino Tuscan Italian Walnut Oval Baroque
Table Rent Center Desk Tavolino Tuscan Italian Walnut Oval Baroque

Table Rent Center Desk Tavolino Tuscan Italian Walnut Oval Baroque

Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK

Exceptionally rare, large, museum quality, Tuscan, Baroque, walnut, rent or center table or

Category

Antique Early 17th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

17th C Style Antique Reproduction Italian Chestnut CAPRETTA Writing Desk Custom
17th C Style Antique Reproduction Italian Chestnut CAPRETTA Writing Desk Custom

17th C Style Antique Reproduction Italian Chestnut CAPRETTA Writing Desk Custom

Located in Encinitas, CA

drawer available in old walnut *Larger size tables & desks available by quote, with expedited shipping

Category

2010s Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chestnut

1750 Venezia Italy Baroque Carved and Inlaid Walnut Desk with Drawers
1750 Venezia Italy Baroque Carved and Inlaid Walnut Desk with Drawers

1750 Venezia Italy Baroque Carved and Inlaid Walnut Desk with Drawers

Located in Brescia, IT

This extraordinary desk showcases the excellent taste in form and material use, featuring solid

Category

Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Italian 1800s Baroque Style Desk with Drawers, Lyre Base and Iron Stretcher
Italian 1800s Baroque Style Desk with Drawers, Lyre Base and Iron Stretcher

Italian 1800s Baroque Style Desk with Drawers, Lyre Base and Iron Stretcher

Located in Atlanta, GA

An Italian Baroque style walnut Desk/table from the early 19th century, with drawers, lyre shaped

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Italian Baroque Style 1880s Walnut Desk with Inlaid Top and Carved Lyre Base
Italian Baroque Style 1880s Walnut Desk with Inlaid Top and Carved Lyre Base

Italian Baroque Style 1880s Walnut Desk with Inlaid Top and Carved Lyre Base

Located in Atlanta, GA

An Italian Baroque style walnut desk table from the late 19th century, with inlaid top, two drawers

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Danish Cabinetmaker, Desk / Dining Table in Oak, Baroque Style, 1970s
Danish Cabinetmaker, Desk / Dining Table in Oak, Baroque Style, 1970s

Danish Cabinetmaker, Desk / Dining Table in Oak, Baroque Style, 1970s

By Rud Rasmussen, Martin Nyrop

Located in Odense, DK

This piece is a versatile desk or small dining table crafted in oak, showcasing the elegance of

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

18th Century Louis XV Baroque Walnut Fall Front Desk / Secretaire
18th Century Louis XV Baroque Walnut Fall Front Desk / Secretaire

18th Century Louis XV Baroque Walnut Fall Front Desk / Secretaire

Located in Darmstadt, DE

This elegant fall-front desk dates to around 1730 and is veneered with a beautiful marquetry of

Category

Antique Early 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine, Walnut

19th Century Spanish Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk
19th Century Spanish Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk

19th Century Spanish Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk

Located in Miami, FL

Handsome oak library piece that can be used as a desk or Work table. Made of oak having carved

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Renaissance Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

French Sculptural Baroque Style Desk in Stained Pine, Early 20th Century
French Sculptural Baroque Style Desk in Stained Pine, Early 20th Century

French Sculptural Baroque Style Desk in Stained Pine, Early 20th Century

Located in Odense, DK

A fabolous french baroque style freestanding desk in solid stained pined. Finely handcrafted in the

Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XIII Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

19th Century Spanish Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk, Two Faces
19th Century Spanish Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk, Two Faces

19th Century Spanish Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk, Two Faces

Located in Miami, FL

Handsome oak library piece that can be used as a desk or Work table. Made of oak having carved

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Renaissance Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk
19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk

19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk

Located in Miami, FL

Handsome oak library piece that can be used as a desk or Work table. Made of oak having carved

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Renaissance Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk
19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk

19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk

Located in Miami, FL

Handsome oak library piece that can be used as a desk or Work table. Made of oak having carved

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Renaissance Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk
19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk

19th Century Spanish Two Faces Baroque Style Oak Library Table or Desk

Located in Miami, FL

Handsome oak library piece that can be used as a desk or Work table. Made of oak having carved

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Renaissance Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Portuguese Late Baroque Rosewood 2-Drawer Center Table or Desk, 18th Century
Portuguese Late Baroque Rosewood 2-Drawer Center Table or Desk, 18th Century

Portuguese Late Baroque Rosewood 2-Drawer Center Table or Desk, 18th Century

Located in Atlanta, GA

Having a substantial rectangular top with molded edge above a rounded case housing two long drawers which are mounted with shaped metal escutcheons, the opposite side with false fron...

Category

Antique Late 17th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

18th Century Italian Walnut Baroque Trestle Table
18th Century Italian Walnut Baroque Trestle Table

18th Century Italian Walnut Baroque Trestle Table

Located in Bradenton, FL

Italian, 18th century. Baroque walnut dining or tavern table having a thick walnut top above turned

Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Adjustable writing table with Adam and Eve inlay
Adjustable writing table with Adam and Eve inlay

Adjustable writing table with Adam and Eve inlay

Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK

Adjustable writing table with Adam and Eve inlay. Professionally stained and repolished.

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Baroque Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

18th Century Italian Desk
18th Century Italian Desk

18th Century Italian Desk

Located in Atlanta, GA

and round wooden knobs. The desk’s flowing curves and ornate details reflect the Baroque influence

Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Portuguese Baroque Style Library Table by Alfonso Marina
Portuguese Baroque Style Library Table by Alfonso Marina

Portuguese Baroque Style Library Table by Alfonso Marina

By Alfonso Marina

Located in Rio Vista, CA

materials. This library center table also functions as a writing table or desk with an open front allowing

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

19th century Tuscan library desk
19th century Tuscan library desk

19th century Tuscan library desk

Located in Jesteburg, DE

A beautiful desk, library table or console table possibly having been used as a writing desk. Great

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Superb Antique French Marquetry And Bronze Mount Writing Table
Superb Antique French Marquetry And Bronze Mount Writing Table

Superb Antique French Marquetry And Bronze Mount Writing Table

Located in Bridgeport, CT

Beautiful workmanship distinguishes this lovely French Writing Table which is both bold and

Category

Antique 19th Century French Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Baroque Wood and Iron Spanish Folding Traveling Table
Baroque Wood and Iron Spanish Folding Traveling Table

Baroque Wood and Iron Spanish Folding Traveling Table

Located in Leesburg, VA

Baroque Wood and Iron Spanish Folding Traveling Table Anonymous Spain; 18th century Wood, iron

Category

Antique 18th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

Antique French Walnut Desk
Antique French Walnut Desk

Antique French Walnut Desk

Located in Miami, FL

Beautiful walnut bookcase piece that can be used as a desk or work table. Made of robust walnut

Category

Antique 1890s French Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Italian Inlaid Desk
19th Century Italian Inlaid Desk

19th Century Italian Inlaid Desk

Located in New York, NY

A stunning bone-inlaid walnut desk with scroll apron and pierced Baroque legs. Italy, late 19th

Category

Antique 1880s Italian Baroque Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bone, Walnut, Ivory

18th Century Baroque Table, Made in Czechia, Fully Restored
18th Century Baroque Table, Made in Czechia, Fully Restored

18th Century Baroque Table, Made in Czechia, Fully Restored

Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj

This elegant inlaid table (writing desk) is a splendid example of furniture in the Baroque style

Category

Antique Late 18th Century Czech Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Lacquer, Walnut

19th Century Oak Baroque Library Table with Two Drawers
19th Century Oak Baroque Library Table with Two Drawers

19th Century Oak Baroque Library Table with Two Drawers

Located in Round Top, TX

This handsome baroque oak library table with two drawers has heavily turned legs, scalloped skirt

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Danish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak, Paint

17th C Style Solid Italian Walnut Refectory Writing Dentil Edge Table options
17th C Style Solid Italian Walnut Refectory Writing Dentil Edge Table options

17th C Style Solid Italian Walnut Refectory Writing Dentil Edge Table options

Located in Encinitas, CA

Old Walnut LIRA Scrivania writing table handcrafted in aged solid Italian walnut with a carved

Category

2010s Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

17th Century Italian Carved Walnut Table or Desk
17th Century Italian Carved Walnut Table or Desk

17th Century Italian Carved Walnut Table or Desk

Located in Bradenton, FL

17th century Italian walnut library table or writing desk. Desk features three drawers amongst

Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Portuguese Style Ebonized Spinet Secretary Desk by Tommy Bahama
Portuguese Style Ebonized Spinet Secretary Desk by Tommy Bahama

Portuguese Style Ebonized Spinet Secretary Desk by Tommy Bahama

By Tommy Bahama

Located in Rio Vista, CA

Handsome Portuguese style secretary writing table or desk by Tommy Bahama. The spinet or piano

Category

20th Century Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

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Baroque Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal baroque writing desk for your home. A baroque writing desk — often made from wood, walnut and metal — can elevate any home. If you’re shopping for a baroque writing desk, we have 142 options in-stock, while there are 1 modern editions to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect baroque writing desk — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. Each baroque writing desk bearing Baroque, Louis XV or Louis XVI hallmarks is very popular. You’ll likely find more than one baroque writing desk that is appealing in its simplicity, but Baker Furniture Company and John Richard produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Baroque Writing Desk?

Prices for a baroque writing desk start at $645 and top out at $85,852 with the average selling for $4,993.

Finding the Right Desks-writing-tables for You

Choosing the perfect writing desk or writing table is a profoundly personal journey, one that people have been embarking upon for centuries.

Queen Atossa of Persia, from her writing table circa 500 B.C., is said to have been the originator of the art of handwritten letters. Hers was reportedly the first in a long and colorful history of penned correspondence that grew in popularity alongside literacy. The demand for suitable writing desks, which would serve the composer of the letters as well as ensure the comfort of the recipient naturally followed, and the design of these necessary furnishings has evolved throughout history.

Once people began to seek freedom from the outwardly ornate styles of the walnut and rosewood writing desks and drafting tables introduced in the name of Queen Victoria and King Louis XV, radical shifts occurred, such as those that materialized during the Art Nouveau period, when designers longed to produce furniture inspired by the natural world’s beauty. A prime example is the work of the famous late-19th-century Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí — his rolltop desk featured deep side drawers and was adorned with carved motifs that paid tribute to nature. Gaudí regularly combined structural precision with decorative elements, creating beautiful pieces of furniture in wood and metal.

Soon afterward, preferences for sleek, geometric, stylized forms in furniture that saw an emphasis on natural wood grains and traditional craftsmanship took hold. Today, Art Deco desks are still favored by designers who seek to infuse interiors with an air of luxury. One of the most prominent figures of the Art Deco movement was French decorator and furniture designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann. With his use of neoclassical motifs as well as expensive and exotic materials such as imported dark woods and inlays of precious metals for his writing desks, Ruhlmann came to symbolize good taste and modernity.

The rise in appreciation for Scandinavian modernism continues to influence the design of contemporary writing desks. It employs the “no fuss” or “less is more” approach to creating a tasteful, sophisticated space. Sweden’s master cabinetmaker Bruno Mathsson created gallery-worthy designs that are as functional as they are beautiful. Finnish architect Alvar Aalto never viewed himself as an artist, but, like Mathsson, his furniture designs reflected a fondness for organic materials and a humanistic approach. Danish designers such as Hans Wegner introduced elegant shapes and lines to mid-century desks and writing tables, often working in oak and solid teak.

From vintage desks to contemporary styles, 1stDibs offers a broad spectrum of choices for conducting all personal and business writing and reading activities.

Questions About Baroque Writing Desk
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019

    A writing desk may refer to a desk with a top, often sloping, for writing on or to a portable case with compartments to hold writing materials and a surface for writing.

  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021
    A writing desk with drawers is also called a secretary. It is a desk with drawers, one of which can be pushed out and the front of the desk lowered to create a flat writing surface. These writing desks have been made in a variety of styles over the years. Shop for a variety of writing tables with drawers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    A small writing table is also called a davenport table or davenport desk. They normally feature a sloped or inclined top attached with hinges to the back of the table. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage davenport desks.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023
    What an old-fashioned writing desk is called varies by design. Pieces with drop-down fronts are secretary desks (these are typically made of two parts: a chest of drawers on the bottom and a hutch or cupboard with shelves on the top), while ones that rest on two pillars, cabinets or bookcases are pedestal desks. A desk with a small writing surface positioned in front of drawers and cubbies is a bureau à gradin. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of desks.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023
    In French, the term for a writing desk that often featured a drop-down writing surface is secretaire. This type of desk is called a secretary desk in English. Simply put, a secretary desk is a multifunctional piece of furniture with a hinged writing surface that folds open or drops down. When the leaf is folded out, small inner storage compartments, which are called pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers, are revealed. On 1stDibs, shop antique secretary desks from some of the world's top sellers.