ROLL TOP DESK

[Ellenshar]

I have always wanted an antique Roll Top Desk but could never afford it.  The attached desk was recently advertised in a "for sale" website for my city.  They are selling it for $200.  I thought it was too good to be true.  I am new to antiques but it appears they once had a keyboard tray attached, which might take the value away but I would be okay with that.  I showed the ad to a friend and she thinks that the top piece is different than the bottom two file cabinets.  Can anyone tell from looking at the pictures whether this is one unit, or whether it is two totally different units that were attached to make it look like an original antqiue.  My friend thinks that because the handles on the desk are different than the handles on the cabinets it has to be 2 separate units.

It also looks like the top is darker than the cabinets, but it could just be the lighting.

Thanks.

[Oceans64]

I'm going to have to agree with your friend...  If you look at the file Cab only, they remind me of ones I had in the 90's when oak was really in...  Kinda looks like it was puzzled together. Without other close-ups it's hard for me to tell but others her may be able to help.

Now that said, while waiting to get my number ahead of time at our local auction here in the PNW I overheard a phone conversation.  This auction house will give you an estimate of value prior to agreeing to list with them.  Anyway, the lady was being very apologetic and finally told the guy that "the market for roll top desks has really fallen off".  Kinda surprised me...

Not sure if that is area specific BUT if what she said was true, this may be a good time for you to be looking and be picky....

[sapphire]

I'm also going to have to agree. Just looking at the pulls on the lower cabinet drawers compared to the more ornate on the roll top.

[olecanalantiques]

Anyway, the lady was being very apologetic and finally told the guy that "the market for roll top desks has really fallen off".  Kinda surprised me...

Not sure if that is area specific BUT if what she said was true, this may be a good time for you to be looking and be picky....

I don't think it's isolated, it's like that everywhere..

It' looks new(er) to me also..

[hosman321]

The top part appears antique but the bottom is definitely later. With it being a mis-matched piece it's not worth $200, in my opinion. But, you could always have the bottom refinished to match the top and it would still be a decent piece of useable furniture. But in order to do that, I wouldn't think you should pay more than $100. It depends on what it's worth to you, and what you think it's worth as a mis-matched piece.

[waywardangler]

It really looks odd.  The top is older than the bottom.  There is no center board in the kneehole area so I am thinking the top sits on two separate files.  But none of that makes sense because on a rolltop, the tambour top is first to go and in this case the top looks good.  Why would they take a whole top off unless the bottom was water damaged?  Just thinking outloud.  I would not bother with it because it will always bother you, Ellenshar.

I have a new rolltop I bought 26 years ago...a Jason I think.  Solid oak and finished on all sides so it can be freestanding.  Another thing to consider so you do not have to put it up against a wall.  Rolltops were hot years ago but I do not see much demand for them now.

[jacon4]

Yup, in the early american furniture world, this piece is called a "married" piece as opposed to "divorced" and generally refers to 18th century highboys that were built in 2 sections and over the years got divorced into 2 pieces, a chest of drawers & a server/lowboy. Sometimes later, the highboy will get married, only to a different top/bottom. This is what you have, a married piece. Still, if it's in good shape, a married piece can offer good quality furniture and value for a reduced price. It would need to be refinished in order to to really consummate this marriage, lol, as the 2 pieces are different colors, unless of course you like the 2 toned look.

[mariok54]

I'm in agreement, and I'd say that it's a rather mismatched marriage pretending to be a pedestal roll-top. The top is definitely older than the pedestals. It does look odd, and I would take Wayward's advice, if you bought it you would always be worrying about it.
$200 does seem an awful lot for that piece, and Oceans and the others are right in saying that their price had dropped through the floor.
I recall seeing lovely solid oak ones fetching £100 + ($150) at auction way back in the 70s and 80s. I was driving passed a charity shop a couple of weeks back and one being displayed in the window caught my eye. I went back and had a look,  it was in lovely condition and only  £45  ... I was tempted but had to resist as no more room!
The ones that do still seem to sell reasonably well are the ones that can double up as a work station, but with comp equipment shrinking in size all the time.....
If you want a nice roll-top, be patient, the right one will hopefully come along at the right price.

[KC]

Unfortunately have to agree with the previous postings.

Rolls tops are not adaptable to accommodate computers.  Many a "unthinking" individual has drilled a hole into the back of a rolltop when it was open to accomodate the cords...and wha-la...when it is closed....the holes drilled are in the "top" (for those of you who haven't thought it through...when it rolls back it is inside a compartment between the inside and back of the desk is why it isn't seen).

This is definitely a "married" piece that looks like it is a mixed marriage!  This wouldn't even bring $75 in my area.  Even an untrained eye can see the differences in age from the pic!

HELPFUL HINT:  Some items are questionable whether they were original or not.....take a picture and look at it.  A picture can detail better information for you than a tired set of eyes!

Sorry for the daunting information!

[mariok54]

Good advice there KC ... the camera doesn't lie.
Well .. not very often!

[jacon4]

Well, there has been spectulation recently about computers and 18th century slant lid desks, that lap tops and notebooks that are wireless will help that market out of its funk and that could be, ditto later roll tops. Now that i look at this marriage again, it appears the top is walnut? and the bottom is oak, if thats the case then its gonna be tough to deal with.

[Ellenshar]

Thanks to all of you for responding.  I've decided against buying it.  I've always wanted one, but don't really know what I would need it for (or where I would put it).  Maybe one day the perfect one will show up and I will buy it "just because", but until then, I will pass on this one.

*****

So much for that - just after I posted this I checked that website again - apaprently somebody else just bought it.

Thanks again.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Have you checked your local craigslist? They are pretty commonplace there in my area. I am kind of surprised you are having trouble finding one in the $200 range.

[Ellenshar]

Actually, I go on Kijiji in Canada - when they are listed (not that often) they are asking anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 for the style I like.  That's why I thought this was such a good deal.  They currently have others listed for $200-$300 but they are not the style I like.  I checked a site in eastern Canada just now and they have the one shown below - asking $5,000!!!

I just checked again, and the ad for the desk is listed again for sale - but I'm not buying it!

[mart]

I don`t see five grand in the pic you posted either in style/construction or age . Is there something I am missing ? Excellent rolltops have sold here in Texas under $2000. Occassionally I see them at garage sales. Seems they are being traded in for computer desks.