January 21st, 2012 — Antique, Antiquities, Collectible, Furnishings, Furniture, Secretary Desk
When you’re shopping for antique desks, a secretary desk is just one of the many different styles of furniture you’ll find. There are standard desks, of course, elaborate (and now amazingly expensive) Wooten desks, old rolltop desks and variations on all of those. How do you tell the difference between these types of desks and secretary desks?
A secretary desk is distinctive from all these, even though it does have similarities to them all, because of the way the writing area is disguised when the desk is not in use. When the area is covered and the desk is closed, it’s closed off by a piece of flat wood that usually sit an angle when it’s closed. Sometimes this angle is as much as 45 degrees. The rolltop desk has the cover that actually rolls up into the desk, and the Wooten desk very rarely has a flat front, the front is usually curved, carved and very elaborate.
The size of a secretary desk can vary a great deal. The more modern reproductions or even less antique secretary desks tend to be smaller than the ones a hundred years old or more. Many of these desk are quite tall and very heavy. Newer ones might even be built in such a way that they can easily be taken apart, but antique desks were built solidly as a single piece of furniture meant to stay together for hundreds of years.
The hinged panel that hides the open area within the desk actually creates the actual writing surface. There are typically wide drawers on a secretary desk, and sometimes small drawers and small cubbies on the piece of furniture as well, to allow storage for a variety of different items. Older secretary desks might have a tall bookcase above the writing area or even a glassed-in bookcase or set of shelves. The top of these desks often look more like a china cabinet or a curio cabinet than anything belonging on a desk, and when the desk area is closed, it does often look like nothing more than a piece of display furniture.
Unlike a rolltop desk or other type of desk where the panel slides into the desk, everything must be removed from the writing area in order to close the desk, which makes the needs for the drawers and cubbies apparent. While a Wooten desk is similar to a secretary desk, a secretary desk has a more plain appearance. It will look more like a nice curio cabinet, china cabinet or even armoire or dresser on top, with drawers and the hidden work surface below.
Wooten desks are similar to these desks but they simply have a more fancy appearance—and typically sell for thousands of dollars. Secretary desks are the most prevalent type of antique desk available today, a type of desk once so popular it was commonly referred to as simply “a secretary.” You can find an antique secretary desk in antique shops, at flea markets and in online auctions like eBay.
Originally posted 2008-11-15 05:00:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Antique Furniture Repair The first piece of advice when you are thinking of antique furniture repair is to stop. Don't do anything until you've read this blog - it could save you (or gain you) thousands. Every antique dealer has horror stories to share --- there's the woman who stripped the old paint...... -
Antique Collection Some people falsely believe that the passion for accumulating a variety of antique treasures in an antique collection is an addiction, such as being a pack rat, but this is not actually true. The truth about going antiquing is that while it may be infectious, it is certainly not a...... -
Where and How to Buy Antique Furniture Unless you are shopping around in a museum, it may be difficult to buy antique furniture dated before the 16th century. Collectors are generally only able to obtain pieces of furniture from the 1485 to 1600 Tudor Period and onwards, and even the furniture selection from this period is relatively...... -
Antique Bench Antiques -> Furniture -> Benches, Stools: 1800-1899, 1900-1950, Post 1950 One great way to add function and beauty to any home is by purchasing a unique antique bench. There are many different types of collectible benches that can be found in antique stores around the world, but it is important...... -
How to Identify Antique Items You already know that an antique is something that is no less than 100 years old, but how exactly can you be certain that the particular piece you are looking at was truly crafted that long ago? Learning to identify antiques is not difficult, it just takes a little bit......
Related Websites -
Tips on Paper Money Collecting for Beginners Collecting paper money is something that a lot of people enjoy doing. It is fun to learn about the history of the money while you are collecting it. It is also interesting whenever you are able to find a new piece in a strange place. Collecting the currency is one...... -
Antique Jewelry Sports Memorabilia -> Fantasy, Mythical and Magical -> Jewelry Antique jewelry is a wonderful collectible that is not only valuable, but also very beautiful. Whether you are a fan of precious stones, interesting settings or you just have a love of everything vintage, buying antique jewelry is a lot of...... -
How to Refinish Furniture When it comes time to replace your furniture, you may be able to save money and refinish the piece of furniture. What that entails is to remove the old finish, prepare for the new finish, and then apply the new finish. A little bit of effort can save you a...... -
Saving Money by Choosing Used Furniture Most people try to make the furniture that they already own last as long as possible. This is because most furniture is quite expensive—and in today’s economy, the thought of heading out to the furniture store to plunk down hundreds of dollars (or more) on a couch or dining table...... -
8 Easy Ways to Exercise Throughout the Day If you are finding that you don't have enough time to exercise due to a busy work or home life, there are techniques that you can use throughout the day that will accelerate your weight loss. Most of these can be done just about anywhere and only require a......
Online Stores Online Stores
January 18th, 2012 — Antique, Antique School Table, Antiquities, Furniture
If you’re looking for antique furniture like an antique school table or desk, one great place to find these items is estate auctions. While you can find antique furniture in online auctions like eBay, you need to be very savvy about the purchases you make–just because something looks antique doesn’t mean it is. There are entire stores where you can purchase antique reproductions, after all, and own something brand new that looks like it was crafted 100 years ago. So those auctions that claim to be for antique furniture and antique school desks should be able to offer more than just the claim of “antique” to prove that the item really is an authentic antique.
Your reasons for wanting to find an antique school table have much to do with how you should go about purchasing one. If it’s merely the look you’re after, a certain style or type of manufacture, then you might decide to buy a reproduction. Reproduction antiques are less expensive and have an appearance very similar to the originals they’re modeled after. If it’s a sentimental quest because you remember how something looked or felt, or because maybe a grandparent or older relative had one that has become lost and you’d like to have that same piece, consider purchasing a reproduction.
But if you’re set on a real antique school table, then you’re going to need to do some homework. You can probably walk into most antique stores today and find something to suit you, but if you’d rather pay less than the antique store price and enjoy the hunt for a piece that speaks to you personally rather than just purchasing what happens to be available in the store, then you need to shop around for some time before purchasing so that you can do a price check.
Visit many antique stores to get a feel of the average cost of an antique school table. While some stores might not have one, you’re sure to find at least a few. And even if they’re not exactly the item you’re looking for they should be similar in price to the one you’re hoping to find. This will help you know how much cost you’ll probably look at when you find the piece you want.
It will also help you become more familiar with the look of an authentic antique school table. Sometimes during estate auctions or even in online auctions, you’ll see piece for sale that looks antique but you’re not sure, and it seems the seller really doesn’t know that much background about the piece. That doesn’t necessarily mean the seller or auctioneer is trying to cheat you by passing off something too new as an antique. Often, the history of antique pieces, especially antique furniture, becomes muddied through the years.
Become familiar with the look, and you might spot an antique school table when no one else recognizes the treasure. Beware of refinished furniture unless the purchase is purely sentimental. Refinishing often completely destroys the antique value of the item.
Photo Credits: gabyu
Originally posted 2008-10-21 14:00:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
How is Antique Pricing Figured? There are a variety of different ways that you can collect antiques, and one of the most important considerations in the antique collecting arena is antique pricing. Understanding how antique pricing is figured out is an important part of collecting antiques because it will influence how you purchase antiques and...... -
Antique Goblet Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Stemware How do you tell an antique goblet from an antique cup or mug? Goblets are stemware, with the earliest goblets made from earthenware and then expanding to other stronger materials as the years passed. The use of goblets pre-dates the Roman Empire, though the...... - Where and How to Buy Antique Furniture Unless you are shopping around in a museum, it may be difficult to buy antique furniture dated before the 16th century. Collectors are generally only able to obtain pieces of furniture from the 1485 to 1600 Tudor Period and onwards, and even the furniture selection from this period is relatively......
-
Victorian Furniture Dealers -> Periods-Styles -> Victorian Though its peak popularity was during the late 19th century in America, Victorian furniture still holds quite an appeal for many people today. This style of furniture is distinguishable by the time period in which it was created and the methods that were used. The...... -
Antique Chairs Antiques -> Furniture -> Chairs In the market for a collectible that will not only be useful but also beautify your home? Antique chairs are the perfect solution. These are a very popular type of collectible and no matter what type of furniture you’re interested in, chances are you’ll be......
Related Websites -
Collecting Sports Autographed Memorabilia One of the keys to sports autographed memorabilia is to know whether or not your sports memorabilia is actually authentic. A lot of people find themselves wondering how they can be able to tell whether or not their sports autographed memorabilia is authentic. The bad news is that it is...... -
Tips for Online Shopping and Rare Coins Anyone living in an area with few coin shops understands how difficult it can be to find the different coins that they are interested in. These different coin shops simply do not have the rare coins that serious coin collectors are looking for, making it difficult for them to continue...... -
3 Great Places You Would not Expect to Find Collectable Coins There are different reasons why people get involved in coin collecting. For many they enjoy the history of the coins that they collect. For others, they simply enjoy looking at the beautiful nature of the coins themselves. Others still enjoy the hunt. They like being able to find the different...... -
Finding Great Coins at Coin Auction There are many different ways you can add coins to your collection. You can purchase them through other collectors. You can purchase them through coin shops. You can even have them handed down to you from people you know including family members. One of the ways which is becoming more...... - Saving Money by Choosing Used Furniture Most people try to make the furniture that they already own last as long as possible. This is because most furniture is quite expensive—and in today’s economy, the thought of heading out to the furniture store to plunk down hundreds of dollars (or more) on a couch or dining table......
Online Stores Online Stores
