How do I know if my desk is an antique?

Look carefully at the bottom, sides, and back of the drawer; if the wood shows nicks or cuts, it was probably cut with a plane, a spokeshave, or a drawknife. Straight saw marks also indicate an old piece. If the wood shows circular or arc-shaped marks, it was cut by a circular saw, not in use until about 1860.

How do you date antique furniture by foot?

Another way for how to date antique furniture by feet is comparing it to other pieces you already know the time period of. By evaluating the condition, or identifying the use of similar materials, shapes, patterns and production techniques, the trained eye can work out how to date antique furniture by the feet.

When was the first desk made?

Desks first appear in the late 17th century (the 1600’s) as bureaus, i.e. a sloping front desk in which the writing surface can be opened and closed. They were an adaptation of the chest of drawers onto which the writing slope was fitted.

Why is it called a secretary desk?

Taking its name from the French word for the piece, secrétaire, the secretary desk dates back to the 18th century, when Paris-based cabinetmaker Jean-François Oeben, known for his exquisite marquetry and clever mechanical desks, is thought to have invented the secrétaire à abbattant, or drop-leaf desk.

Where did desks come from?

The first desks were probably designed for ecclesiastical use. Early English desks derived from the church lectern were massive; after the development of printing, they gave way to smaller, portable chests with sloping lids—called writing boxes—some of which featured drawers and letter holes.

Why is furniture called a secretary?

The secretary (from secretarius, Latin for writer) evolved as a larger and more formal piece of furniture to store books and papers.

What era are secretary desks from?

The secretary’s provenance is likely to have been French, appearing in the first half of the 1800s in France as an offshoot of the plainer escritoire, or writing desk. Traditionally made from wood and often ornate, a secretary may also feature various metals, such as gilded accents, and inlays.

How can you tell a real Davenport desk?

There is generally a row of drawers down one side, with false drawers on the opposing side, and the top is surmounted by a brass or fretwork gallery. Made to be freestanding, davenports are finished and polished on all four sides.

What is a writing desk with drawers called?

secretary, also called secretaire, or escritoire, a writing desk fitted with drawers, one of which can be pulled out and the front lowered to provide a flat writing surface.

What is a 6 letter word for writing desk?

The crossword clue Writing desk with 6 letters was last seen on the June 01, 2022. We think the likely answer to this clue is BUREAU.

How do I know if my roll top desk is antique?

Check the desk for original locks stamped with a turn-of-the-century manufacturer’s name, such as Derby Desk Company, Schlicht Area Company, Shannon File Company or Cutler Desk Company. You might also find the name of the manufacturer underneath the desk, which could even include the date the piece was manufactured.

What is a French writing desk called?

The writing table is often called a “bureau plat” when it is done in a French style such as Louis XVI, Art Nouveau, etc. When a writing table is supported by two legs instead of four, it is usually called a trestle desk.

What is a slanted desk called?

The slant top desk, also called secretary desk, or more properly, a bureau is a piece of writing furniture with a lid, when closed stays at an angle, and opens up as a writing surface. It can also be considered related, in form, of the desk on a frame, which was a form of portable desk in earlier eras.

What is a plat desk?

Bureau Plat, 18th-19th Centuries

Also called a table à écrire or “writing table”, it puts the emphasis on marquetry, on ebony or mahogany veneering, and on finely crafted and gilded bronze.

What is a desk with hidden compartments called?

The Queen Anne style, Escritoire, or Secretary Desks often had many hidden compartments built into them. Finding them as an owner of a genuine Chippendale whether you’ve newly acquired one or have had one in your family for years, maybe a challenge.

What is a Murphy desk?

‘ Not everyone has an extra room in their home that can be used as an office, but thankfully there’s a great solution: The Murphy Desk! A Murphy Desk is a pull-down or fold-down desk that can be folded away when not in use.

How do you make a secret compartment in your room?