Large Rosewood Executive Desk, Jens Risom, Y Pulls, 1960's

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This desk doesn’t whisper mid-century sophistication; it growls it through a cloud of cigar smoke and a well-poured glass of … Read more This desk doesn’t whisper mid-century sophistication; it growls it through a cloud of cigar smoke and a well-poured glass of whisky. Designed by Jens Risom, this executive desk in richly grained rosewood is a power move in furniture form. It's the kind of piece that doesn't just sit in a room, it owns it.

Let’s start with those signature stainless steel Y-pulls, accented with original matte black detailing. They're bold. Masculine. And just the right amount of flash—like cufflinks peeking out from a tailored sleeve. Flanked by a bank of slim drawers on one side (perfect for blueprints, bourbon, or business cards of acquaintances you’ll never call back) and deep filing drawers on the other, this desk was made for closing deals, and organizing clutter.

The surface is smooth and commanding, but not without history. A slightly darker patch in the center-- a ghost of a long-gone desk calendar that tells you this desk has been in the trenches. Think big ideas, bold campaigns, love affairs, and a few long nights that never made it into the reports.

The rosewood grain is absolutely stunning, rippling with warm tones that shift from deep espresso to golden tobacco under the light. It’s seductive. Intense. A desk for someone who likes their decisions firm and their drinks neat.

Jens Risom was the Danish-American modernist who brought sleek European refinement to American boardrooms. One of the earliest collaborators at Knoll, Risom helped define the streamlined, executive elegance of postwar modernism. Influenced by fellow icons like Charles and Ray Eames, Harry Bertoia, and Florence Knoll, Risom’s work is timeless—practical, poised, and undeniably powerful. See less