19th Century Tambour / Roll Top Ladies Lap Desk w/Lock & Key

Antiques : Accessories : Tambour Roll Top Lap Desk

 

Sweetpea Cottage has been able to obtain a wonderful ladies lap desk with a roll top, or tambour, dating from the mid-to-late 19th Century. This is a wonderful, diminutive version of the classic sea captain’s roll top lap desk that has clearly been designed for a discriminating lady. This one is 12 ½ inches wide, 9 ½ inches deep, and 5 ½ inches to the highest point. When opened, it provides a writing surface that measures 11 ½ inches by 11 ½ inches. The drawer is fitted with a working lock and key. When the drawer is pulled open it retracts the tambour revealing the inner storage space and allows the writing surface to be opened up. The corners are all joined with keyed rabbets. The remainder of the construction is done with small brads. The writing surface is definitely original. While you might want to replace it with a new covering, it is most definitely usable as it is. The condition is excellent. Somebody replaced the backing canvas on the tambour at one time and it works quite nicely. The desk was possibly refinished at one time but it was done many years ago. We have cleaned it up and applied a thin coat of protective antiques cleaner wax to help bring out the color and grain of the wood. We are not exactly sure what kind of wood it has been made out of, but suspect that it might be butternut, a lighter relative of walnut. This would be consistent with the fact that we obtained this piece in northern Ohio, a region known for butternut furniture.

What you purchase in this piece is a marvelous, unusual piece of history. It works as it should and has survived the test of time. It is clearly something that you could use every day, and it would also be a great display piece to set out on a shelf or table and enjoy. While tambour lap desks appear occasionally on the internet, they are never in this great condition, nor are they of such a wonderful diminutive size.

You can buy with confidence from Sweetpea Cottage. We stand behind everything that we sell. If you wish to return your purchase for any reason, simply notify us by email of your intentions within 3 days of receiving the item. We then ask that you return it to us in its original condition in a timely fashion. At that time we will refund the full purchase price minus any shipping charges. Shipping for this wonderful lap desk is $18.00 which includes insurance for the full value of the item.

Layaway is available for 3 easy payments which will include shipping and insurance. Be sure to read our “Terms of Sale” for details.

Item ID: AntBTD-357

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Layaway is available for 3 easy payments which will include shipping and insurance. Be sure to read our “Terms of Sale” for details.