Antique Desk Styles

This glossary-style article describes the bureau mazarin, a lavish desk for the opulent lifestyle of 17th century aristocrats.

The butler's desk or butler's chest has been a popular and practical article of furniture since the late 1700s. Illustrated with several examples, this glossary-style article defines the butler's desk or chest.

It's a desk, it's a bookshelf, it's a moveable bookcase...the cheveret is a highly versatile piece of furniture. This illustrated article defines and describes the cheveret, who designed it and when it flourished.

Davenport is a big name for a little desk. Learn about the little desk called the davenport, a popular British and American piece of furniture in the 19th century. This article tells you everything you need to know about identifying a davenport desk.

You've probably used an escritoire and never known it. An escritoire was originally a writing box, but it grew into an entire writing desk. This article defines both types of escritoires, and provides illustrations for each.

This desk style originate in England and was popular in Colonial America as well.

What is a Wooton desk? What made a Wooton desk so unique and expensive, then and now? This article describes the history of the Wooton desk and the company that made it. Learn how Wooton desks were made, what their style characteristics were, how they evolved and who owned them.