How much is my roll top desk worth?

Factors Affecting Roll Top Desk Value

Age – Older desks in will be worth more, generally, than similar newer desks in the same condition. Look at the way the drawers are put together. Large hand cut dovetail joints will indicate the piece is older than if the dovetails are small and uniformly cut by machine.

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

Antique Desks

The roll top is in an ‘S’ shape which when opened reveals an interior with two small drawers, several pigeon holes, letter racks and pen holders. It has a single drawer over the knee hole while the pedestal has two smaller drawers over a single deeper drawer, all with the original handles.

How do you date an old roll top desk?

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.

When were Oak Crest roll top desks made?

This is an antique early 20th century, Edwardian era, Arts & Crafts/Mission style, single 3-drawer pedestal and single off-center drawer, oak wood desk with s-curved tambour roll front that was produced by Ramsey-Alton Manufacturing Co of Portland, Michigan between 1905 – 1915 in their Oak Craft line.

How old are roll top desks?

First introduced into England from France in the late 18th century, the rolltop desk had become a standard piece of office equipment by the end of the 19th century and was mass-produced in large quantities.

How can I tell how old my desk is?

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.

Are roll top desks still popular?

Roll-top desks were very popular in the 70s and 80s, and are still used in many households today.

What style is a roll top desk?

A rolltop desk is a 19th-century reworking of the pedestal desk with, in addition, a series of stacked compartments, shelves, drawers and nooks in front of the user, much like the bureau à gradin or the Carlton House desk. … “About 1760 Jean-François Oeben designed a new type of bureau: the original rolltop desk.

Can I paint a roll top desk?

Apply a light coat of primer to the desk, using a medium paint brush and working from the top down. Keep the roll top in its hidden position so you can paint the desk’s inside and the bottom piece of the roll top. Apply primer to the drawer fronts, moving the brush from side to side. Allow the primer to dry.

How do you refurbish a roll top desk?

How do you refinish a roll top desk?

How to Refinish a Roll Top Desk
  1. Remove all drawers from the desk. …
  2. Apply stripper to all wooden areas. …
  3. Apply stripper to the roll top area. …
  4. Scrap off the old finish. …
  5. Sand the wooden areas. …
  6. Stain the desk. …
  7. Complete the project by applying a coat of lacquer over the stain.

How do you take a roll top desk apart?

What is a roll top?

a flexible, sliding cover for the working area of a desk, opening by rising upward and back in quadrantal grooves and rolling up beneath the top. Also called roll-top desk, rolltop desk . a desk with such a cover.

How do you fix a tambour roll top desk?

How do you remove the drawers from a roll top desk?

What has damaged the roll top desk?

Fire and water
Fire and water had damaged the desk before the author found it and bought it.

What had damaged the roll top desk?

Answer: The drawer of Roll Top desk was badly damaged by the Fire and water.