There is a certain timeless charge to antique desks, one proponents claim can elevate the power and dignity of any work they host. It wasn't long ago that desks were the centerpieces of vocation, lending themselves equally well to ledger-keeping, calculation, composition and correspondence. As such, the older versions of such surfaces tended to offer a far greater range of sections and architectural touches than later computer desks ever could.

The roll-top desk remains a true American staple and one of the most iconic designs anywhere in modern industry. The idea behind the form was simple: protect the accoutrements of your craft when not in use, locking away essential papers and more inside an elegant arched dome of your favorite wood. When it was time to return to labor, a simple skeleton key would produce everything you need, exactly as you left it.

Because most antique desks are vestiges of a bygone era in which men generally kept the books, desks such as these offer a masculine romance that later furniture could never hope to match. Many included drawers with distinctive iron pulls and the kind of deep stains that lent every day an aura of authority, and the woodwork and molding remains unmatched to this day.

If you are looking for the kind of classic antique desks that can make your work utterly distinctive, you may find value in a little online research. Estate sales and antique shops often post their wares on the Web, making it easier to own your own American original.