Artistic & Unusual Desks Photos

Artistic & unusual desks show the inventive styles of designers.

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Japanese writing desk used as console table acquired in Paris by Saint-Gaudens in Aspet North parlor at Saint-Gaudens NHS. Cornish, NH.Portable desk with desktop storage drawers with tin marquetry from Paris at Museum of Decorative Arts. Paris, France.Luxury writing desk with marquetry by Ferdinand Plitzner of Franconia, Germany at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Writing cabinet from Vienna at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.
Japanese writing desk (16thC) used as console table acquired in Paris by Saint-Gaudens in Aspet North parlor at Saint-Gaudens NHS. Cornish, NH.Portable desk with desktop storage drawers with tin marquetry (c1670-80) from Paris at Museum of Decorative Arts. Paris, France.Luxury writing desk with marquetry (c1715-20) by Ferdinand Plitzner of Franconia, Germany at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Writing cabinet (c1720) from Vienna at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.
Tabernacle writing cabinet from Franconia at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Writing cabinet by Johann Grade from Braunschweig at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Japanned bureau-cabinet from England at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.Writing desk in cabinet by Jacques Dubois at Musées des Arts Décoratifs. Lyon, France.
Tabernacle writing cabinet (1730-40) from Franconia at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Writing cabinet (1760-70) by Johann Grade from Braunschweig at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Japanned bureau-cabinet (c1730) from England at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.Writing desk in cabinet (1750-60) by Jacques Dubois at Musées des Arts Décoratifs. Lyon, France.
Wooden bureau-cabinet from Würzburg, Germany at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.French Louis XV marquetry writing desk signed by Hache of Grenoble plus English Gothic Windsor chair at Cawdor Castle. Cawdor, Scotland.Inlaid secretary with mirrors from Italy at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI.Mahogany secretary with metal decorations by Guillaume Beneman of France at RISD Museum. Providence, RI.
Wooden bureau-cabinet (c1760) from Würzburg, Germany at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.French Louis XV marquetry writing desk signed by Hache of Grenoble plus English Gothic Windsor chair (c1760) at Cawdor Castle. Cawdor, Scotland.Inlaid secretary with mirrors (c1770) from Italy at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI.Mahogany secretary with metal decorations (c1800-10) by Guillaume Beneman of France at RISD Museum. Providence, RI.
Combination woman's desk & vanity table by Josef Haupt at Historical Museum of City of Vienna. Vienna, Austria.Secretary desk from Vienna at Historical Museum of City of Vienna. Vienna, Austria.Fall-front desk from Vienna, Austria at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL.Bronze desk set of King Max I Joseph with sculpted female figure pouring liquid into inkwell between two blotting sand containers prob. from Paris at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany.
Combination woman's desk & vanity table (1805) by Josef Haupt at Historical Museum of City of Vienna. Vienna, Austria.Secretary desk (1810-4) from Vienna at Historical Museum of City of Vienna. Vienna, Austria.Fall-front desk (c1810) from Vienna, Austria at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL.Bronze desk set of King Max I Joseph with sculpted female figure pouring liquid into inkwell between two blotting sand containers (c1810) prob. from Paris at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany.
Expanding mechanical desk by Giovanni Socci & Sons of Florence at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.Expanding mechanical desk by Giovanni Socci & Sons of Florence at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.Desk attrib. Edward Priestly at de Young Museum. San Francisco, CA.Chinese lacquer cabinet & writing table at Honolulu Academy of Arts. Honolulu, HI.
Expanding mechanical desk (c1820) by Giovanni Socci & Sons of Florence at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.Expanding mechanical desk (c1820) by Giovanni Socci & Sons of Florence at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.Desk (c1825-35) attrib. Edward Priestly at de Young Museum. San Francisco, CA.Chinese lacquer cabinet & writing table (c1830-5) (bonheur-du-jour) at Honolulu Academy of Arts. Honolulu, HI.
Desk with bust of Cervantes from Veracruz, Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX.Bust of Cervantes under Mexican symbol of eagle & snake carved atop desk from Veracruz, Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX.Metamorphic desk [aka Aaron Burr desk] patented by Stephen Hedges at Morris-Jumel Mansion. New York, NY.Folk art desk at Museum of Virginia History. Richmond, VA.
Desk with bust of Cervantes (c1838) from Veracruz, Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX.Bust of Cervantes under Mexican symbol of eagle & snake carved atop desk (c1838) from Veracruz, Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX.Metamorphic desk [aka Aaron Burr desk] (1854) patented by Stephen Hedges at Morris-Jumel Mansion. New York, NY.Folk art desk (c1860) at Museum of Virginia History. Richmond, VA.
Custom carved desk with bookshelves made in Boseman, Montana at Christian Heurich Mansion. Washington, DC.Details of custom carved desk possibly made for U.S. Grant, but Congress would not pay at Christian Heurich Mansion. Washington, DC.Desk used by Congressman McKinley in Canton & grandfather clock that stood in first courthouse in Canton at William McKinley Presidential Museum & Library. Canton, OH.Eastlake style woman's writing desk at Mobile Museum of Art. Mobile, AL.
Custom carved desk with bookshelves (1872) made in Boseman, Montana at Christian Heurich Mansion. Washington, DC.Details of custom carved desk (1872) possibly made for U.S. Grant, but Congress would not pay at Christian Heurich Mansion. Washington, DC.Desk used by Congressman McKinley (c1880) in Canton & grandfather clock (c1790) that stood in first courthouse in Canton at William McKinley Presidential Museum & Library. Canton, OH.Eastlake style woman's writing desk (c1890) at Mobile Museum of Art. Mobile, AL.
Swing writing desk by Charles Rohlfs at Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas, TX.Oak fall front desk by Charles Rohlfs of Buffalo, NY at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI.Desk from Hitler's office by Albert Speer under wall hanging featuring Berlin-Rome Axis at German Historical Museum. Berlin, Germany.Inlaid Iranian desk presented by the Shah of Iran at Eisenhower Museum. Abilene, KS.
Swing writing desk (model #500) (c1899-1901) by Charles Rohlfs at Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas, TX.Oak fall front desk (c1900) by Charles Rohlfs of Buffalo, NY at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI.Desk from Hitler's office by Albert Speer under wall hanging featuring Berlin-Rome Axis (c1939) at German Historical Museum. Berlin, Germany.Inlaid Iranian desk (1959) presented by the Shah of Iran at Eisenhower Museum. Abilene, KS.
Desk on sawhorse-style supports in closed position at Conde-Charlotte Museum. Mobile, AL.Desk on sawhorse-style supports in closed open at Conde-Charlotte Museum. Mobile, AL.Drop-leaf desk with modesty curtain & end drawer at Cheverny Chateau. Cheverny, France.Writing desk which slides out from small table at Bishop's Palace. Waterford, Ireland.
Desk on sawhorse-style supports in closed position at Conde-Charlotte Museum. Mobile, AL.Desk on sawhorse-style supports in closed open at Conde-Charlotte Museum. Mobile, AL.Drop-leaf desk with modesty curtain & end drawer at Cheverny Chateau. Cheverny, France.Writing desk which slides out from small table at Bishop's Palace. Waterford, Ireland.
Gillette's office at Gillette Castle State Park. East Haddam, CT.Gillette's desk with rollout chair on tracks at Gillette Castle State Park. East Haddam, CT.Swing open desk in Mrs. Kyle's bedroom at Campbell House Museum. St. Louis, MO.Inlaid writing desk at Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion. St. Louis, MO.
Gillette's office at Gillette Castle State Park. East Haddam, CT.Gillette's desk with rollout chair on tracks at Gillette Castle State Park. East Haddam, CT.Swing open desk in Mrs. Kyle's bedroom at Campbell House Museum. St. Louis, MO.Inlaid writing desk at Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion. St. Louis, MO.
Desk of red tortoiseshell & brass in style of Boulle school in Ante-room at Chateau D'Ussé. Ussé, France.Carved writing desk in parlor at Wheatland. Lancaster, PA.Portrait over inlaid desk in drawing room at Rienzi house museum. Houston, TX.Chinese-style lacquered desk at Rienzi house museum. Houston, TX.
Desk of red tortoiseshell & brass in style of Boulle school in Ante-room at Chateau D'Ussé. Ussé, France.Carved writing desk in parlor at Wheatland. Lancaster, PA.Portrait over inlaid desk in drawing room at Rienzi house museum. Houston, TX.Chinese-style lacquered desk at Rienzi house museum. Houston, TX.
Details of writing desk at East Terrace House. Waco, TX.Desk & bookcase of Stanton Hall. Natchez, MS.Offset desk at Baca Adobe House. Trinidad, CO.
Details of writing desk at East Terrace House. Waco, TX.Desk & bookcase of Stanton Hall. Natchez, MS.Offset desk at Baca Adobe House. Trinidad, CO.
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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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