Victorian Tambour Roll-Top Maple and Brass Desk

Details

Description

This Victorian roll-top desk is a highly functional and beautifully crafted piece of late 19th-century furniture.

EXTERIOR: Made of maple, … Read more This Victorian roll-top desk is a highly functional and beautifully crafted piece of late 19th-century furniture.

EXTERIOR: Made of maple, which offers a tight grain and excellent structural durability, the desk was built with a space-saving roll-top mechanism. This curved tambour, or slatted wood cylinder lid retracts smoothly into the desk cavity using two decorative metal pull handles. The design allows the top to curve upward and roll completely out of sight—just the thing to conceal the writing surface from prying eyes and any desktop mess. The desk is supported by four elegant, ring-turned baluster legs that narrow toward the base. And it stands on classic brass and iron casters, allowing the heavy piece to be moved easily. The reverse side features simple plank backing with a darker, utilitarian stain or wash, indicating it was primarily designed to sit flush against a wall rather than in the center of a room.

INTERIOR: Fitted with an inset leather writing pad divided into three panels, the pullout desktop provides a soft surface for penmanship. The center leather panel is hinged. It lifts via a flush brass ring pull and can be set at an angle to hold papers or books by using a ratcheted wooden track underneath. The upper gallery houses four small interior drawers with simple round wooden pulls, alongside four open mail slots, or “pigeonholes” for document sorting. The lower base contains two wide, side-by-side drawers equipped with decorative brass swing-bail handles and functional keyholes.

Signature/Maker’s Mark: Nonexistent. Knee clearance dimension: 22 inches. See less