Skip to main content

Roll Top Desks

to
52
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
300
123
444
2
1
124
26
21
11
10
10
8
8
7
6
6
3
3
1
22
126
293
3
70
165
26
10
7
8
9
8
31
87
16
4
1
384
157
90
90
78
226
153
141
67
64
445
443
444
29
22
21
13
12
Sort By
Walnut and Rosewood Roll Top Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
Located in Danville, CA
Classic Roll Top desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar with leather inset footrest. This is a rare
Category

Vintage 1960s American Desks

Materials

Walnut, Rosewood

French 19th Century Louis XVI-Style Mahogany Roll Top Desk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A gorgeous mahogany roll top desk, done in the Louis XVI style, from 19th century, France. The desk
Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks

Materials

Marble, Brass

Rare Custom Edward Wormley Roll Top Standing Desk By Dunbar
By Edward Wormley
Located in Chicago, IL
Rare Edward Wormley for Dunbar custom designed standing height walnut roll top desk made
Category

Vintage 1960s American Desks

Materials

Brass

Edward Wormley for Dunbar Executive Rosewood Roll-Top Desk
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This uniquely large roll-top desk designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar features unique vertical
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks

Materials

Mahogany, Rosewood

19th Century French Louis Philippe Mahogany Roll Top Desk, Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Louis Philippe mahogany roll top desk ~ Secretary features a tambour cover that
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Secretaires

Materials

Brass

French Ormolu-Mounted Bureau a Cylindre Roll Top Desk Signed H. Fourdinois
Located in Queens, NY
French ormolu-mounted bureau a cylindre roll top desk signed H. Fourdinois. Veneered in walnut
Category

Antique 19th Century French Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

Mahogany Bronze Mounted Louis XVI Style Roll Top Desk Attribute to Jansen
By Maison Jansen
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Louis XV style marble-top roll top desk, attributed to Jansen, with a brass gallery, 7 drawers, and
Category

Early 20th Century French Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Antique Victorian Quartersawn Oak Roll Top Tambour Writing Desk Bureau
Located in Dayton, OH
Rare antique Victorian roll top library writing desk. Made of quartersawn oak featuring a tambour
Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Antique Roll Top Pedestal Desk by Waring Gillows
Located in London, GB
A magnificent antique roll top desk, with satinwood inlays. This was made in England by Waring and
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Antique Carved Oak S-Roll Top Desk by EH Staffordshire, c1900
By Staffordshire
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique desk by E.H. Staffordshire Bros. offers oak paneled construction with s-roll top opening
Category

Early 20th Century American Desks

Materials

Metal

Antique Oak Roll Top Desk with Swing Sides by Derby, Boston, Mass
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique oak roll top desk with swing sides by Derby, Boston, Mass. Measures: 54" H x 69
Category

20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Edward Wormley Roll Top Desk for Dunbar, Rosewood American Mid-Century Modern
By Edward Wormley
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
The iconic roll top desk by Edward Wormley featuring stained walnut and rosewood detailing with a
Category

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

Materials

Brass

1920s English Antique Oak Desk D Shaped Tambour Roll Top Library Home Office
Located in Sherborne, Dorset
A good example of a 1920s roll top desk in a lovely honey-coloured quarter-sawn oak. It’s a very
Category

Vintage 1910s British Edwardian Desks

Materials

Brass

Antique English Burled Walnut Mahogany Ladies Roll Top Desk Circa 1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique English ladies desk offers burled walnut and mahogany construction with roll top opening
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Desks

Materials

Mahogany, Walnut, Burl

Rosewood Roll Top Writing Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Peabody, MA
-in drawers under one of the roll-top sections and a custom leather paper tray that slides in and out
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Rosewood, Walnut

Antique George III Hepplewhite Inlaid Mahogany Roll Top Secretary Desk, C1820
Located in Big Flats, NY
crest having satinwood inlaid elements over double glass door bookcase surmounting roll top desk with
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Hepplewhite Desks

Materials

Mahogany, Glass

Antique Arts Crafts Oak Roll Top Paneled Desk with Full Interior C1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
*** Antique Arts & Crafts Oak Roll Top Paneled Desk with Full Interior C1900 Measures - 51"h x 51 3/4"w x 32
Category

Early 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Vintage Children s Size Child s Roll Top Writing Desk and School Chairs, a Set
By Paris Mfg. Co.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage children's size child's roll top writing desk and school chairs, a set. Set includes a
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mission Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Antique Victorian S-Curve Solid Oak Roll Top Desk Tambour Door Side Drawers
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Victorian S-curve solid oak roll top desk tambour door side drawers Late 19th century
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

19th Century Louis XVI Style Bureau à Cylindre or Roll Top Desk
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century Louis XVI style French bureau à cylindre, or roll top desk, made of solid and veneer
Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires

Materials

Marble, Brass

Antique Grand Mahogany Roll Top Derby Desk Company Boston, MA Turn of Century
By Derby Desk Company
Located in West Hartford, CT
the 20th century. This grand mahogany roll top desk features S roll top with hinged wings, 19 drawered
Category

Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

20th Century Mahogany Roll Top Writing Desk, Freestanding, England, circa 1920
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Beautiful mahogany roll top writing desk from the period around 1920 in England. An impressive
Category

Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

19th century French Walnut Roll Top Secretary Desk Henri II Biedermeier
Located in Shreveport, LA
19th century French Walnut Roll Top Secretary Desk Henri II Biedermeier ~Direct from France
Category

Antique 19th Century French Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Midcentury Danish Rosewood Roll-Top Secretary Desk in the Style of Omann Junior
By Omann Jun Møbelfabrik
Located in New York, NY
This Mid-Century Modern roll-top secretary desk is Danish design. It's crafted from rosewood and is
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires

Materials

Rosewood

Rare George Nelson Associates for Herman Miller Action Office Roll Top Desk
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A Rare George Nelson & Associates for Herman Miller roll top Action Office writing desk. The Action
Category

Mid-20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Grand Antique Estate Pedestal Desk, English Roll Top Secretaire, Victorian, 1860
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a grand antique estate pedestal desk. An English, quality mahogany and satinwood roll-top
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Quality 19th Century Military Campaign Camphor Wood Roll Top Writing Slope
Located in Benington, Herts
Quality 19th century military campaign camphor wood roll top writing slope This extremely good
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Asian Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Midcentury Desk with Roll-Top, Walnut Veneer, 1950s, Fully Restored
Located in Wrocław, Poland
features a generous writing surface covered with a roll-top. Under the writing top you will find a spacious
Category

Vintage 1950s Polish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Midcentury Desk with Roll-Top, Walnut Veneer, 1950s, Fully Restored
Located in Wrocław, Poland
features a generous writing surface covered with a roll-top. Under the writing top you will find a spacious
Category

Vintage 1950s Polish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Shaw Furniture Co. Petite Roll Top Writing Desk Cambridge MA, circa 1920
By Shaw Furniture Company
Located in Milford, NH
A unique writing desk with book-matched mahogany veneers has a petite upper roll top, which opens
Category

Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

A very fine 19th century French Louis XVI roll top desk by Francois Linke
By François Linke
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine 19th century French Louis XVI mahogany and gilt bronze mounted roll top desk by
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Teak Roll Top Desk by Brown Saltman
Located in Hanover, MA
I have not been able to find out who specifically designed this fabulous looking rolltop desk for maker Brown Saltman but they were known for their well-made and stylish furniture an...
Category

Vintage 1960s American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Sycamore

Antique French Louis XV Style Tulip Rosewood Marquetry Roll-Top Writing Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique French Louis XV Style Tulip & Rosewood Marquetry Roll-Top Secretary Writing Desk This
Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

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

Country French Louis XV Style Ladies Roll Top Desk or Bureau à Cylindre
Located in Birmingham, AL
Charming Country French Louis XV style ladies tambour roll top desk or bureau à cylindre of walnut
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Mid-Century Desk with Roll-Top, Walnut Veneer, 1950s, Fully Restored
Located in Wrocław, Poland
features a generous writing surface covered with a roll-top. Under the writing top you will find a spacious
Category

Vintage 1950s Polish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Antique Hobbs Co. English Roll Top Cylinder Desk
By Hobbs Co.
Located in Den Haag, NL
cylinder desk features a small up stand to top, a large barrel fronted desk compartment, and a quality
Category

Antique 1880s English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

M.W. Jr American Studio Roll Top Desk
By Michael Watson, Jr.
Located in Brooklyn, NY
signed, dated, numbered edition 5/5
Category

Vintage 1970s American Desks

Materials

Birdseye Maple, Maple

Antique 60” Oak S-Roll Top Raised Panel Desk with 22 Interior Drawers, c1920
Located in Big Flats, NY
” Oak S-Roll Top Executive Desk with 22 Interior Drawers, Foliate Carved Pulls, Stylized Sunburst Cast
Category

Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

French Louis XVI Leather-Top Roll Top Writing Desk
Located in Austin, TX
and a leather topped writing surface with a large bottom drawer below. Tapered legs with polished
Category

Antique 1880s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Rare Mid-Century Modern Desk with Roll-Top, Walnut Veneer, 1950s, Fully Restored
Located in Wrocław, Poland
surface covered with a roll-top. Under the writing top you will find a spacious drawer with a few
Category

Vintage 1950s Polish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Rare Mid-Century Modern Desk with Roll-Top, Walnut Veneer, 1950s, Fully Restored
Located in Wrocław, Poland
features a generous writing surface covered with a roll-top. Under the writing top you will find a spacious
Category

Vintage 1950s Polish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Louis Philippe Bureau à Cylindre or Roll Top Secretary Desk
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century Louis Philippe period French bureau à cylindre, or roll top secretaire with bookcase
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Louis Philippe Desks

Materials

Brass

Maia Roll Top Desk by Giotto Stoppino, circa 1969
By Giotto Stoppino
Located in London, England
For Bernini, Italy A very stylish tambour top wood desk, the interior fitted with trays in white
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Rosewood Roll Top Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley
Located in Dallas, TX
A classic and iconic Wormley design. This elegant desk features solid rosewood tambours with brass hardware and a walnut base. Designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar.
Category

Vintage 1950s American Desks

Louis XVI Style Mahogany and Brass Roll Top Desk
Located in Locust Valley, NY
Louis XVI style mahogany and brass desk with green leather interior.
Category

20th Century English Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

John Van Koert Writing Desk for Drexel, Tambour Roll Top
By John Van Koert, Drexel
Located in Buffalo, NY
: United States Date: 1950's.................. WHITE LACQUER TAMBOUR DOOR ROOL TOP..,, Hand delivery avail
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany, Amaranth and Walnut Parquetry Roll Top Antique Desk
By Roger Vandercruse dit Lacroix
Located in London, GB
Of transitional style in the manner of Roger Vandercruse dit Lacroix, the cylinder opening to a gilt tooled brown leather writing surface beneath eight small drawers and a filing com...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Black Lacquer Brass Faux Bamboo Base Campaign Secretary Roll Top Style Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Handsome Campaign style desk! Featuring low roll tops or tambour doors on each side of the desk top
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks

Materials

Wood

Very Original Desk or Vanity in Natural Elmwood with Roll Top Curtain
Located in Mexico, DF
Original and rare desk or vanity made in natural elmwood and white Formica top with one drawer and
Category

Vintage 1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

George Nelson and Robert Propst Action Office Roll-Top Desk for Herman Miller
By Herman Miller, George Nelson, Robert Propst
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Incredible Action office (Ao1) desk designed by Georde Nelson and Robert Propst which was produced by Herman Miller from 1964 to 1968. Action Office was the world’s first open-plan...
Category

Vintage 1960s Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Extravagant Professional Desk with Tambourd Top File Cabinets
By Magnussen and Claussen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Eden desk" by Magnussen and Claussen for Eden Holland. Three Roll Top File Cabinets, Three Hidden
Category

Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak, Birch

Campaign Style Writing Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful, dark walnut campaign writing desk with brass hardware. Tambour roll-top. Plenty of
Category

Vintage 1960s American Desks

Materials

Brass

Neo Classic Walnut Inlaid Desk
Located in Westwood, NJ
An unusual Dutch Neo Classic walnut inlaid cross banded roll top desk with a fitted interior and
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Dutch Neoclassical Desks and Writing Ta...

GEORGE NELSON
Located in Chicago, IL
NELSON for Herman Miller, Action Office Desk (sit down version) AO 510 Roll top walnut. Three
Category

Vintage 1960s American Desks

Materials

Aluminum

French Louis XVI Inlay and Mahogany Lady s Desk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Elegant French Louis XVI lady's roll top desk of mahogany and inlay, marble top has a pierced brass
Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

French 19th Century Antique Satinwood Bureau / Desk
Located in London, GB
An exquisite 19th-century antique French Louis XV-style roll-top bureau, a stunning example of fine
Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Satinwood

  • 1
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Roll Top Desk", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Roll Top Desks For Sale on 1stDibs

There is a range of roll top desks for sale on 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, metal and mahogany, all roll top desks available were constructed with great care. There are 434 antique and vintage roll top desks for sale at 1stDibs, while we also have 2 modern editions to choose from as well. Roll top desks have long been popular, with older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. Roll top desks made by mid-century modern designers — as well as those associated with Louis XVI — are very popular at 1stDibs. Many roll top desks are appealing in their simplicity, but George Nelson, Edward Wormley and Herman Miller produced popular roll top desks that are worth a look.

How Much are Roll Top Desks?

The average selling price for at 1stDibs is $4,408, while they’re typically $325 on the low end and $1,919,381 highest priced.

Finding the Right Desks And 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 Roll Top Desks
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023
    The leather top on a desk is usually just called a leather top. However, some people refer to it as a leather insert or leather writing surface. The thin pieces of leather that go into making leather-top desks are known as skivers. Shop a variety of desks from some of the world's top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 24, 2021
    Yes, you can paint a leather desk top. You can transform an old leather desk top and add visual appeal with easy-to-use leather paint. If you don’t feel confident in trying this by yourself, get in touch with a furniture restorer or related professional for help. Find a variety of leather desk tops on 1stDibs.