What is the difference between a cylinder desk and a roll-top desk?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but strictly speaking a cylinder desk has a solid quarter-circle shutter that slides in a single curved arc, while a roll-top has a flexible tambour of narrow slats. Both conceal an organised interior, but the cylinder is the earlier and generally more formal form.

What does an antique cylinder desk cost?

Expect to pay between £700 and £2,500 for a sound 19th-century example. A genuine Louis XVI piece in rosewood or mahogany with original bronze mounts and an ébéniste's stamp can reach £8,000 to £20,000 or more, depending on quality, maker and provenance.

How do I date an antique cylinder desk?

Study the bronze work (hand-chiselled before 1830, industrially cast after), the timber species (Cuban mahogany before 1850, Honduran thereafter), the carcase construction (hand-cut mortise-and-tenon versus machine joinery) and any ébéniste's stamp on the back of the drawers.

How should I care for an antique wooden cylinder desk?

Feed the wood twice a year with a thin coat of natural beeswax polish. Keep the desk away from direct sunlight and heat sources, which cause the wood to move and veneers to lift. Apply a little plain wax to the cylinder runners to keep the action smooth without staining the timber.

Can an antique cylinder desk be shipped internationally?

Yes. Most professional dealers work with specialist fine-art carriers who can crate the piece with individual protection for the bronze mounts and cylinder mechanism. For international shipments, a customs broker may be required; always clarify shipping terms and insurance with the dealer before purchasing.

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Antique Cylinder Desks

35 objects found

Condition

Period

No matching tags

16th century and before 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century

Style

No matching tags

Art Déco Art Nouveau Contemporary Design Directoire Empire French Regency Gothic Louis XIII Louis XIV Louis XV Louis XVI Louis-Philippe Medieval Modern Art Napoléon III Orientalist Renaissance Restauration Transition

Category 1

No matching tags

-Corner cupboards

-Four doors cupboards

-One door cupboards

-Small cupboard

-Two doors cupboards ▸

High cupboards

Antique jewelery

Antique mirrors

Antique mirrors ▸

Mercury mirror Murano mirror Trumeau venitian mirror

Antique Photography

Antique tables ▸

Card Table Consoles Farmhouse tables Low tables Monestry tables Occasional tables Pedestal table Round tables

Antique tapestry

Antique textiles ▸

Lacework

Antique wheapons

Antiquites industrielles

Architectural elements ▸

Bathroom elements Doors Fire places Flooring Garden furniture Stairs Tiles Wood panelling

Bedroom suites ▸

Beds Bedside tables

Billiard ▸

Lighting

Bookcases

Bronze ▸

Animal bronzes

Cabinets

Cartonnier

Ceramics ▸

Chinaware earthenware Pottery 亚洲陶器

Chest of drawers ▸

Commode arbalete Commode sauteuse Commode tombeau Military chests Pine chests of drawers

Chests

Clocks ▸

Clocks Wristwatch

Decorative furniture

Decorative objects

Dressers

Dressing tables

English furniture ▸

English chests of drawers English wardrobes

Fairground art

Fishing-Hunting

Glassware

Glazed cabinets

Hallstand

Kitchenelia

Miscellaneous ▸

Advertising aeronautica Miniatures Musical instruments Old tools Sport memorabilia Taxidermy Vineyard antique

Nautical antiques ▸

Model boats Objects

Oeuvres d'art ▸

Primitive Art Sacred art

Old documents ▸

Antique Drawings Livres anciens

Old Frame

Old toys

Oriental furniture ▸

Desks Oriental cupboards Seating

Oriental objects

Painted furniture

Paintings

Pens & writting ▸

Writting box

Pewter

Posters ▸

Advertising posters Cinema posters

Pottery

Scientific instruments ▸

Antique barometers Chronometers Globes Octants Sextants

Sculptures

Seating ▸

Armchairs Chairs Chaises longues Fauteuil bergère Fauteuil cabriolet Fauteuil chesterfield Fauteuil crapaud Fauteuil dagobert Fauteuil voltaire Leather armchairs Sofas Stools

Shop fittings

Sideboard

Silverware ▸

Argent massif Métal argenté

Tableware

Vineyard antiques

Vintage luggage

Wardrobes ▸

Armoires Pine cupboards Wedding armoire

工业古董

Material

No matching tags

Bois ▸

Acajou Bambou Bois doré Bois laqué Bois peint Bois sculpté Chêne Ébène Frêne Hêtre Merisier Noyer Olivier Palissandre

Céramique ▸

Biscuit de porcelaine Delft Émail Faïence Grès Majolique Porcelaine Terre cuite

Cuir & Peau ▸

Cuir Cuir doré Maroquin Parchemin

Matières composites ▸

Bois & bronze Bois & marbre Boulle (écaille & laiton) Carton-pâte Marqueterie Papier mâché

Matières organiques ▸

Cire Corne Écaille de tortue Ivoire Nacre Os Plume

Métal ▸

Acier Argent Bronze Cuivre Étain Fer forgé Fonte Laiton Métal argenté Métal doré Or Vermeil Zinc

Pierre & Minéral ▸

Albâtre Ambre Ardoise Corail Granit Malachite Marbre Onyx Pierre calcaire

Textile ▸

Broderie Coton Dentelle Laine Lin Soie Tapisserie Toile peinte Velours

Verre ▸

Cristal Opaline Pâte de verre Verre moulé Verre peint Verre soufflé Verre taillé

Origin

No matching tags

Afrique & Méditerranée ▸

Afrique subsaharienne Algérie Égypte Maroc Tunisie

Amériques ▸

Amérique du Nord Amérique du Sud Antilles

Asie ▸

Chine Inde Indochine Japon Moyen-Orient Perse

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Bohème Empire ottoman Hongrie Pologne Russie

Europe du Nord ▸

Allemagne Autriche Belgique Danemark Flandres Pays-Bas Scandinavie Suède Suisse

Europe du Sud ▸

Espagne Italie Naples Portugal Toscane Venise

France ▸

Alsace Auvergne Bordelais Bourgogne Bretagne Île-de-France Languedoc Lorraine Normandie Pays basque Provence Savoie

Îles Britanniques ▸

Angleterre Écosse Irlande Pays de Galles

Sort by

No matching tags

16th century and before 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century

No matching tags

-Corner cupboards

-Four doors cupboards

-One door cupboards

-Small cupboard

-Two doors cupboards ▸

High cupboards

Antique jewelery

Antique mirrors

Antique mirrors ▸

Mercury mirror Murano mirror Trumeau venitian mirror

Antique Photography

Antique tables ▸

Card Table Consoles Farmhouse tables Low tables Monestry tables Occasional tables Pedestal table Round tables

Antique tapestry

Antique textiles ▸

Lacework

Antique wheapons

Antiquites industrielles

Architectural elements ▸

Bathroom elements Doors Fire places Flooring Garden furniture Stairs Tiles Wood panelling

Bedroom suites ▸

Beds Bedside tables

Billiard ▸

Lighting

Bookcases

Bronze ▸

Animal bronzes

Cabinets

Cartonnier

Ceramics ▸

Chinaware earthenware Pottery 亚洲陶器

Chest of drawers ▸

Commode arbalete Commode sauteuse Commode tombeau Military chests Pine chests of drawers

Chests

Clocks ▸

Clocks Wristwatch

Decorative furniture

Decorative objects

Dressers

Dressing tables

English furniture ▸

English chests of drawers English wardrobes

Fairground art

Fishing-Hunting

Glassware

Glazed cabinets

Hallstand

Kitchenelia

Miscellaneous ▸

Advertising aeronautica Miniatures Musical instruments Old tools Sport memorabilia Taxidermy Vineyard antique

Nautical antiques ▸

Model boats Objects

Oeuvres d'art ▸

Primitive Art Sacred art

Old documents ▸

Antique Drawings Livres anciens

Old Frame

Old toys

Oriental furniture ▸

Desks Oriental cupboards Seating

Oriental objects

Painted furniture

Paintings

Pens & writting ▸

Writting box

Pewter

Posters ▸

Advertising posters Cinema posters

Pottery

Scientific instruments ▸

Antique barometers Chronometers Globes Octants Sextants

Sculptures

Seating ▸

Armchairs Chairs Chaises longues Fauteuil bergère Fauteuil cabriolet Fauteuil chesterfield Fauteuil crapaud Fauteuil dagobert Fauteuil voltaire Leather armchairs Sofas Stools

Shop fittings

Sideboard

Silverware ▸

Argent massif Métal argenté

Tableware

Vineyard antiques

Vintage luggage

Wardrobes ▸

Armoires Pine cupboards Wedding armoire

工业古董

No matching tags

Bois ▸

Acajou Bambou Bois doré Bois laqué Bois peint Bois sculpté Chêne Ébène Frêne Hêtre Merisier Noyer Olivier Palissandre

Céramique ▸

Biscuit de porcelaine Delft Émail Faïence Grès Majolique Porcelaine Terre cuite

Cuir & Peau ▸

Cuir Cuir doré Maroquin Parchemin

Matières composites ▸

Bois & bronze Bois & marbre Boulle (écaille & laiton) Carton-pâte Marqueterie Papier mâché

Matières organiques ▸

Cire Corne Écaille de tortue Ivoire Nacre Os Plume

Métal ▸

Acier Argent Bronze Cuivre Étain Fer forgé Fonte Laiton Métal argenté Métal doré Or Vermeil Zinc

Pierre & Minéral ▸

Albâtre Ambre Ardoise Corail Granit Malachite Marbre Onyx Pierre calcaire

Textile ▸

Broderie Coton Dentelle Laine Lin Soie Tapisserie Toile peinte Velours

Verre ▸

Cristal Opaline Pâte de verre Verre moulé Verre peint Verre soufflé Verre taillé

No matching tags

Afrique & Méditerranée ▸

Afrique subsaharienne Algérie Égypte Maroc Tunisie

Amériques ▸

Amérique du Nord Amérique du Sud Antilles

Asie ▸

Chine Inde Indochine Japon Moyen-Orient Perse

Europe de l'Est ▸

Bohème Empire ottoman Hongrie Pologne Russie

Europe du Nord ▸

Allemagne Autriche Belgique Danemark Flandres Pays-Bas Scandinavie Suède Suisse

Europe du Sud ▸

Espagne Italie Naples Portugal Toscane Venise

France ▸

Alsace Auvergne Bordelais Bourgogne Bretagne Île-de-France Languedoc Lorraine Normandie Pays basque Provence Savoie

Îles Britanniques ▸

Angleterre Écosse Irlande Pays de Galles

Period cylinder and roll-top desks available from professional antique dealers

35 objects found

Bonheur du jour with cylinder Louis XVI - XVIII

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

4 800,00 €

Small office with cylinder and mechanism - XIXth

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

3 800,00 €

FRENCH RESTAURATION PERIOD CYLINDER TOP DESK

Antiquités Christophe Rochet — Villeurbanne

3 800,00 €

BUREAU BOOKCASE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

3 700,00 €

LADY'S DESK

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 500,00 €

LOUIS XVI PERIOD CYLINDER TOP DESK

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

8 500,00 €

Objet 109461

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 300,00 €

LOUIS XVI STYLE CYLINDER TOP DESK

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

4 400,00 €

BUREAU BOOKCASE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

12 800,00 €

NAPOLEON III PERIOD CYLINDER DESK

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

3 800,00 €

19TH C TAMBOUR TOP DESK IN MAHOGANY

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

10 800,00 €

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