Search 0
34,681  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 35 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
JOIN AS A SELLER DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
GIFTS
35 ITEMS ADDED TODAY
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Antiques dealer?
Join as a Seller
Sort Order
Items Per Page
sellingantiques.co.uk
Browse Categories
Sort order
Relevant Links
Items per page
ID #SA1085984
FOR SALE
£785
Email Phone Buy
Save
Antique Insurance Agent's Desk Tidy, English, Office Letter Organiser, Victorian
For sale by London Fine Antiques
for sale €918     $997
£785
London Fine Antiques

London Fine Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2010
Browse dealers 944 items
  • About Us
    Fine antiques curated in england and sold worldwide
↓ Relevant Links
Id #SA1085984
PDF SHARE
SAVE

Antique Insurance Agent's Desk Tidy, English, Office Letter Organiser, Victorian

19th century
Description

This is an antique insurance agent's desk tidy. An English, mahogany letter organiser, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1900.

Established as a sister company to the Ocean, Railway and General Accident Assurance Company in 1890, the maritime assurance subsidiary Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corporation was in business until 2005, having become a part of the Commercial Union in 1910.

Fascinatingly original desk tidy, with an appealing period charm

Displays a desirable aged patina, lightly time worn commensurate with age

Select stocks present rich russet hues and fine grain interest

Handwritten to the front fascia with the company name

Arranged as a quartet of graduated letter slides

Dressed to the base with a protective green baize

This is an appealing antique insurance agent's desk tidy, with a period maritime interest. Delivered ready for the desktop.

Dimensions:

Max Width: 37.5cm (14.75'')

Max Depth: 11cm (4.25'')

Max Height: 23cm (9'')

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee with all of our antiques.

We ship worldwide with professional packing and attractive rates – please send us your post / zip code and country for a quote.

Free delivery to most of the U.K. – Please send us your post code for confirmation.

Deliveries taking on average ten working days to arrive at your door from receipt of payment.

Please contact us if you require any further information - we are here to help.

Our Ref: 24514

Physical Dimensions
Height
23cm (9.06")
Width
37.5cm (14.76")
Depth
11cm (4.33")
Declaration

London Fine Antiques has dated this Victorian Letter Rack Organiser to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1085984
Dealers Internal Reference
24514
Dealers Notes

What our clients have to say: https://www.londonfine.co.uk/pages/reviews

Description
This is an antique insurance agent's desk tidy. An English, mahogany letter organiser, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1900.

Established as a sister company to the Ocean, Railway and General Accident Assurance Company in 1890, the maritime assurance subsidiary Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corporation was in business until 2005, having become a part of the Commercial Union in 1910.

fig 1. A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front.
fig 1. Antique Insurance Agent's Desk Tidy, English, Office Letter Organiser, Victorian

Fascinatingly original desk tidy, with an appealing period charm

Displays a desirable aged patina, lightly time worn commensurate with age

Select stocks present rich russet hues and fine grain interest

Handwritten to the front fascia with the company name

fig 2. A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front.
fig 2. Antique Insurance Agent's Desk Tidy, English, Office Letter Organiser, Victorian

Arranged as a quartet of graduated letter slides

Dressed to the base with a protective green baize

This is an appealing antique insurance agent's desk tidy, with a period maritime interest. Delivered ready for the desktop.

fig 3. A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front.
fig 3. Antique Insurance Agent's Desk Tidy, English, Office Letter Organiser, Victorian

Dimensions:

Max Width: 37.5cm (14.75'')

Max Depth: 11cm (4.25'')

Max Height: 23cm (9'')

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee with all of our antiques.

“
We ship worldwide with professional packing and attractive rates – please send us your post / zip code and country for a quote.
London Fine Antiques
fig 4. A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front.
fig 4. Antique Insurance Agent's Desk Tidy, English, Office Letter Organiser, Victorian

Free delivery to most of the U.K. – Please send us your post code for confirmation.

Deliveries taking on average ten working days to arrive at your door from receipt of payment.

Please contact us if you require any further information - we are here to help.

Our Ref: 24514

Height
23cm (9.06")
Width
37.5cm (14.76")
Depth
11cm (4.33")
Date of Manufacture

London Fine Antiques has dated this Victorian Letter Rack Organiser to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1085984
Dealers Internal Ref
24514
London Fine Antiques
London Fine Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2010

Fine antiques curated in england and sold worldwide

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the London Fine Antiques Profile Page

PDF SHARE
SAVE
A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front.
1 / 8
Archive I A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front.

Antique Insurance Agent's Desk Tidy, English, Office Letter Organiser, Victorian

Archive II A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front. View II
Archive III A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front. View III
Archive IV A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front. View IV
Archive V A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front. View V
Archive VI A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front. View VI
Archive VII A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front. View VII
Archive VIII A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front. View VIII
FURTHER BROWSING

Visitors also looked at these ⇣

Enlarged Archival View
London Fine Antiques

London Fine Antiques
Telephone 0207 1833511
Location
The Antique Village
Hele
Exeter
Devon
EX5 4PW
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/londonfineantiques
Verified Since Oct 2010
Items For Sale 944
Items Sold 5,653
London Fine Antiques
London Fine Antiques
Verified Since Oct 2010
View Dealer Info
Location: The Antique Village, Hele, Exeter, Devon , EX5 4PW, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/londonfineantiques
Verified
Oct 2010
For Sale
944
Sold
5,653
A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front.
Antique Insurance Agent's Desk Tidy, English, Office Letter Organiser, Victorian
Ref: SA1085984
A Victorian dark wood tiered letter rack with painted yellow lettering reading Agent For The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd across the front.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.

Secure Transit

Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.

The Sustainable Choice

Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDesk Accessories
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialMahogany, Hardwood
  • ColourDark Brown
  • MotifsTiered compartments, Sloping profile, Hand-painted lettering, Solid base
  • SizeH 23 cm (9 in) x W 37.5 cm (15 in) x D 11 cm (4 in)

This late Victorian insurance agent's desk tidy is a mahogany letter organiser dating to circa 1900. It follows a sloping profile with rich russet hues, fine grain interest, and a desirable aged patina that shows light time-wear consistent with age. The front fascia displays handwritten yellow lettering reading "Agent for The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation Ltd". The piece is arranged as a quartet of graduated letter slides in tiered compartments over a solid base dressed with protective green baize. Measuring 23 cm high, 37.5 cm wide, and 11 cm deep, it provides compact storage for stationery. Positioned on a home office desk or library table, the letter rack serves as an organised desktop station for mail, envelopes, and correspondence. Its traditional form suits a gentleman's library theme, adding period character to a workspace. The open tiers allow easy sorting and retrieval of papers while introducing antique maritime interest to modern interiors. Placed beside other desk accessories, it functions as a practical holder for daily paperwork.

FAQs

A Victorian desk tidy, or letter rack, is a tabletop wooden organiser designed during the late nineteenth century to sort incoming and outgoing mail, documents, and stationery. They were widely used in commercial offices, insurance agencies, and private studies across Great Britain.

These desktop items were typically crafted from solid hardwoods such as mahogany, oak, walnut, or stained pine. Commercial versions often featured hand-painted lettering, gilt stencilling, or brass plaques denoting the company or trade.

Authentic nineteenth-century examples display natural patination, subtle surface wear, and hand-cut joinery. Lettering on commercial pieces is typically hand-painted or stencilled rather than modern vinyl transfer, showing slight wear consistent with age.

Position the piece on a modern home office desk, console table, or study bookshelf to store mail, notebooks, or art prints. Combining dark antique timber with modern minimalist decor creates an intriguing juxtaposition in contemporary interiors.

Dust the item regularly with a dry, soft cloth and apply a high-quality beeswax polish once or twice a year to maintain the timber finish. Avoid using chemical sprays or abrasive cleaners, especially over original hand-painted lettering.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Period
Style
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Recently Added
Online Payments
Categories