In France, these desks were called escritoires, and they were put on stands with twisted legs and other decorations, like carved skirts and brass fittings, that made them look like Bible boxes. The top part of a desk-on-frame can be taken off and used somewhere else, which makes this design very useful. The lid, which was later put on school desks, was often tilted and flipped up so that things could be stored underneath.
An old writing desk called a secretary, or sometimes an escritoire, has a few features that make it very useful. It is one of the most common kinds of old desks you can find in antique shops or at auctions. When not in use, the writing surface of a secretary desk folds down or drops down. When not in use, the surface folds back up to save space. There are many different sizes of antique secretary desks, from small desks that fit in a small space to large cabinets with a writing surface that drops down. They are often found in bookcases and china cabinets.
A writing desk is also called a “leg desk” because it has legs that hold up the work surface like table legs do. Under the desk surface, most writing desks with no other storage space have one or more shallow pencil drawers. A writing desk is great for people who don’t have a lot of space or don’t need a lot of desk storage.
The antique secretary desk was made for the first time in the 1600s. It can be traced back to the French escritoire, or “small writing desk,” which had a surface that could be folded down or pulled out to make a larger working area. This great William & Mary walnut escritoire from the 18th century is a great example of how the size of these old secretary desks can range from a small addition to a living room to a fantastic statement piece.
By the 1830s, people in the Victorian middle class who were getting better at reading and writing could buy writing tables, which we might call Victorian laptops today. Most likely, these small desks with locks came from medieval lecterns. Rich people had them as early as the Tudor period. In Act IV, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, the merchant Antipholos of Ephesus tells a servant to get “ducats” from his desk so that he can get out of jail (Harris 10-11). During the Georgian, Regency, and Victorian times, both men and women used writing desks, which were sometimes called writing boxes, lap desks, writing slopes, dispatch boxes or cases, portable or traveling writing desks, or just boxes or desks. The writing desk helped W. M. Thackeray and Anthony Trollope create their dangerous heroines, Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair (1848) and Lizzy Eustace from The Eustace Diamonds, respectively (1871).
What do you call a small desk where you can write?
When a writing table is made in a French style, like Louis XVI or Art Nouveau, it is called a “bureau plat.” Trestle desks are writing desks with two legs instead of four.
What is an old writing desk, exactly?
Desks for secretaries from the past The antique secretary desk was made for the first time in the 1600s. It can be traced back to the French escritoire, or “little writing desk,” which had a top that could be folded down or pulled out to make a larger working area.
How do you talk about old desks?
The Davenport Desk, also called the Captain’s Desk. The Davenport was made by the British furniture company Gillows in the 1790s (also known as Gillow & Co.).
What do you call a student desk?
a table used mostly for work or study, a secretary, and a desk
What do you call a desk with drawers for writing?
A secretary, secretaire, or escritoire is a writing desk with drawers. You can take out one of the drawers and lower the front of the desk to make a flat surface for writing.
What do you call a desk that tilts?
The slant top desk, also called a secretary desk or, more accurately, a bureau, is a piece of writing furniture with a lid that stays at an angle when closed and opens to reveal a writing surface. It can also be linked to the desk on a frame, which is an old type of mobile workstation.
When was my desk with a roll-top made?
Check the knee hole again, as well as the back of the desk, the top of the desk, and the bottom of the main drawer on both sides. By locating a label, you can calculate the age of a product based on its commercial history.
What do they have to do with the word “secretary”?
The word secretary comes from the French word secrétaire, which means “secretary.” The drop-leaf secretary desk, or secrétaire à abbattant, is said to have been made by the Parisian cabinetmaker Jean-Francois Oeben in the 18th century. Oeben was known for his beautiful marquetry and clever desks that moved on their own.
What’s the difference between a computer desk and a writing desk?
Writing desks are usually smaller and have a simple top, but they may also have one or two drawers. Cherry wood is a good choice for writing desks. Because they are bigger, bulkier, and take up more space, computer desks are better for people who run small businesses from home.
What do you call a desk that has two sides?
A partners desk, partner’s desk, or partners’ desk is a large pedestal workstation built for two people to work at while facing each other (also double desk).
What does a study table do?
What are study tables and what are their functions? Study tables are simple tables that people use to study or write on. You can buy large L-shaped study tables, rectangular study tables, or L-shaped study tables, depending on the size of the room or where you want to put it.
How do you say “student desk” in Spanish?
escolar puppy, a noun (M) The desks for the students are in the front. In the back, there are desks for adults.
How do you call the person sitting across from you in class?
In the United States, you might call the person sitting next to you a “neighbor.”