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Swedish Art Moderne Elm Roll-Top Secretary Writing Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gorgeous roll-top writing desk in golden elm with inset parquetry and crotch mahogany panels. Top
Category
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Elm
Midcentury Lucite and Aluminum Roll Top Desk
Located in West Hartford, CT
Midcentury aluminum roll top desk with a Lucite base. Writing area pulls out once top rolls open
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum
Dutch Neo Classic Marquetry Roll Top Desk
Located in Westwood, NJ
A fine Dutch Neo Classic marquetry inlaid roll top desk with leather top sliding writing surface
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Dutch Desks and Writing Tables
19th c. Campaign Style Roll Top Desk
Located in Wilton, CT
Antique English oak roll-top desk with gilt embossed leather pull-out writing surface, adjustable
Category
Antique 19th Century English Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Adam Style Roll Top Desk with Inlay
Located in Atlanta, GA
Beautiful English Adam style roll top desk, late 19th Century, gorgeous floral satinwood, rosewood
Category
Antique 19th Century English Neoclassical Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Bronze
1930s Banker
s Metal Roll Top Industrial Desk
By Art Metal Co.
Located in Atlanta, GA
Banker's metal roll top Industrial desk, probably made by the Art Metal Company, American, circa
Category
Vintage 1930s American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Steel
Modernist Roll Top Desk by Heywood Wakefield
By Heywood-Wakefield Co., Gio Ponti, Ico Parisi
Located in Peabody, MA
Roll top desk by Heywood Wakefield, circa 1960s. The sleek modernist form, clearly influenced by
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Oak Pedestal Roll Top Desk by Cutler
Located in Cheshire, GB
Oak double pedestal roll-top desk, the high back with the fitted interior of pigeon holes and
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
$6,374 / set
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
Category
Vintage 1960s American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Sycamore
Roll Top Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Sagaponack, NY
three drawers and two rosewood roll-top compartments flanking a central writing surface with a flip-down
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Early 20th Century Oak Roll Top Pedestal Desk
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Early 20th century oak roll top pedestal desk circa 1900/1910.
Good quality edwardian influenced
Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Danish Modern Roll Top Desk with 7 Drawers
Located in Freehold, NJ
staining on the writing surface, scuffs and scratches on the roll top, missing brass hardware for where the
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
George Nelson Action Office 1 Roll Top Desk
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Dronten, NL
This is the first series of the Action Office roll top desk designed by George Nelson in the 1960s
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum
"Sheraton" English Mahogany Roll Top Desk, circa 1870
Located in New Orleans, LA
"Sheraton" English mahogany roll top desk, circa 1870.
Category
Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Roll Top Secretary Desk by Andreas Hansen Hadsten
By Andreas Hansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Roll top secretary desk by Andreas Hansen Hadsten.
Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Maple
Large Roll Top Metal Desk w/ Brass Detailing
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Heavy industrial metal desk with functional roll top. Opens to an original green rubber flat desk
Category
Vintage 1930s American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Donald Ross Style Walnut Roll Top Bureau Desk
By Donald Ross
Located in London, GB
its exterior. Inside the desk there is a central, leather writing surface and six smaller drawers. To
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
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
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
Victorian Style Walnut Roll-Top Desk with Tambour Front
Located in Plainview, NY
Victorian walnut roll-top desk, the tambour front enclosing maple front drawers and pigeonholes
Category
Early 20th Century American Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Finest quality 19th century French Empire roll top desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Finest quality 19th century Empire mahogany and gilt bronze roll top desk. The drawers lined with a
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Russian Brass Trimmed Mahogany Roll Top Desk, circa 1790
Located in Queens, NY
Russian mahogany roll top desk with a brass gallery top and brass handles and trim. The piece rests
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Russian Neoclassical Desks and Writing ...
Materials
Brass
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
Executive Roll-Top Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Executive roll-top desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar.
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood Roll Top Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
By Edward Wormley
Located in Dallas, TX
A rosewood tambour roll top desk with brass feet and leather trim. Designed by Edward Wormley for
Category
Vintage 1960s Desks and Writing Tables
Very Elegant Roll-Top Secretaire or Bureau Desk, 1790s
Located in Greding, DE
Very elegant roll-top secretaire or bureau desk, cherrywood.
Classicism style.
West Germany
Category
Antique 1790s German Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry
Early Modernist George Nelson Tambour Roll Top Desk, 1964
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early modernist George Nelson roll top desk. Purchased from prominent Buffalo New York architect
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum
Swedish Mid-Century Modern Roll Top Desk, circa 1960s
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Swedish mid century modern roll top desk, circa 1960s. Designed by Egon Ostergaard, for SMI Sweden
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
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
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
Antique Quartersawn American Oak Roll Top Tambour Secretary Bankers Desk
Located in Dayton, OH
Early 20th century antique quartersawn oak C curve roll top desk. Features rectangular form with
Category
Early 20th Century American Classical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
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
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
1920s United States Roll Top Office Desk with Drawers and Wheels
Located in Marbella, ES
1920 United States roll top office desk with drawers and wheels.
Category
Early 20th Century North American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
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
Rosewood Roll-Top Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, circa 1950
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Rosewood roll-top desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar.
Category
Vintage 1950s American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
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
Commode Desk Gianfranco Frattini Secretary Roll Top for Bernini, Italian, 1961
By Bernini, Gian Franco Frattini, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
The roll top opens by pulling out the leather covered worktop.
Composed by 10 drawers on the front
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Walnut
Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany, Amaranth and Walnut Parquetry Roll Top Antique Desk
By Roger Vandercruse dit Lacroix
Located in London, GB
gilt tooled brown leather writing surface beneath eight small drawers and a filing compartment, fitted
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Vintage Swedish Roll Top Bureau
Located in London, GB
A wonderful vintage Swedish roll top bureau, dating from the 1960’s.
This is of superb quality, it
Category
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
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
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
Antique Stow Davis Walnut C Curve Roll Top Executive Bankers Desk Tambour
By Stow Davis
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Stow Davis roll top executive desk, circa 1920s. Made of walnut featuring a "C" curve roll
Category
Vintage 1920s Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
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
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
Inlaid Brass Boulle Rosewood English Regency Cylinder Roll Desk with Leather Top
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
. The desk features a leather writing surface and is in very good original condition with no lifting
Category
Antique 1840s English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
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
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
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
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
George Nelson and Robert Propst Action Office Roll-Top Desk for Herman Miller
By George Nelson, Robert Propst, Herman Miller
Located in ABCOUDE, UT
Incredible Action office (Ao1) desk designed by Georde Nelson and Robert Propst which was produced
Category
Vintage 1960s Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
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
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
Antique French Regency Louis XV Bureau De Pente Ladies Writing Desk
By Vernis Martin
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique French Regency Louis XV style bureau de pente roll top ladies writing desk
In
Category
Vintage 1920s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
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Roll Top Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the roll top writing desk you’re looking for. A roll top writing desk — often made from wood, metal and mahogany — can elevate any home. There are many kinds of the roll top writing desk you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 18th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. When you’re browsing for the right roll top writing desk, those designed in Mid-Century Modern, Victorian and Louis XVI styles are of considerable interest. A well-made roll top writing desk has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Edward Wormley, Dunbar and George Nelson are consistently popular.
How Much is a Roll Top Writing Desk?
A roll top writing desk can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $4,276, while the lowest priced sells for $325 and the highest can go for as much as $135,000.
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 Roll Top Writing Desk
- What is a roll top desk?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A 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, 2022Roll-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.
- What is a roll top desk called?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Sometimes, 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, 2022A 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 ExpertOctober 12, 2021A 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, 2022A 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 ExpertMarch 22, 2022To 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.
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Antique Secretary Desk 1900S
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