What is a Davenport desk and when were they popular?

A Davenport desk is a small, compact writing desk with a sloped top over a drawer unit, named after Captain Davenport who commissioned the first design in the late 18th century. They gained widespread popularity throughout the Victorian era as essential household writing cabinets.

What materials and construction techniques were used in Victorian Davenport desks?

Victorian Davenports were predominantly crafted from high-grade hardwoods such as burr walnut, mahogany, or rosewood. They frequently featured intricate boxwood or brass marquetry inlay, hand-dovetailed drawers, turned support columns, and concealed pop-up mechanism mechanisms.

How can you identify an authentic 19th-century burr walnut Davenport?

Authentic 19th-century examples display natural timber figure variations, hand-cut dovetail joints on internal drawers, original brass castors, and period-appropriate lock mechanisms. Later reproductions often feature synthetic varnishes, modern screws, or machine-made drawer joinery.

How do you integrate an antique Davenport desk into modern interior design?

Position the Davenport desk in a study nook, hallway alcove, or living room corner as a functional accent piece. Pairing warm timber tones with contemporary lighting or modern art creates an engaging juxtaposition between traditional craftsmanship and current interior trends.

How should you care for and maintain a burr walnut inlaid desk?

Keep the desk away from direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent the burr walnut veneer from drying, fading, or lifting. Dust regularly with a soft lint-free cloth and apply high-quality beeswax polish sparingly along the timber grain to nourish the finish.

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Inlaid Davenport Desk

Compact Antique Writing Slope

Id #SA1190490

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Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

Name: Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1190490
Price: 3200 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Regent Antiques

Description

This is a gorgeous and rare antique Victorian piano front burr walnut and marquetry inlaid Davenport Desk, Circa 1870 in date.

It is crafted from fabulous burr walnut and the hinged pull out writing slope features an inset gilt tooled green leather writing surface and pen tray.

It has been wonderfully made by a master craftsman, the quality of the work is breathtaking, and the burr walnut and boxwood inlaid decoration is of the highest quality. It is finished on all sides so that it can stand freely in the middle of a room, making it extremely versatile.

The Davenport has a door on one side that opens to reveal four satin wood drawers. They are perfectly sized for all the stationary you could possibly need, and ther are dummy drawers on the other side, making it not just a symbol of refinement but a practical furnishing as well.

The main talking point when showing it to friends is the secret compartment at the rear on top for letters, stamps, etc,. It rises up by itself when a hidden catch is pressed by an ingenious system of pulleys and a hidden weight.

It stands on its original brass and porcelain castors.

It is an absolutely beautiful and perfectly formed piece of furniture which could be placed almost anywhere.

Complete with working locks and key.

Condition:

In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed, in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 90 cm x Width 57 cm x Depth 56 cm

Dimensions in inches:

Height 2 foot, 11 inches x Width 1 foot, 10 inches x Depth 1 foot, 10 inches

Davenport Desk - (sometimes originally known as a Devonport desk) is a small desk with an inclined lifting desktop attached with hinges to the back of the body.

Lifting the desktop accesses a large compartment with storage space for paper and other writing implements, and smaller spaces in the forms of small drawers and pigeonholes. The Davenport has drawers on one of its sides, which are sometimes concealed by a panel. This stack of side drawers holds up the back of the desk and most of its weight. The front of the desk stands on thick legs or pillars which are often highly carved, somewhat exaggerated, thick cabriole legs, but these are not essential. 19th century Davenport desks had a variety of different leg designs.

The desk shape is distinctive; its top part resembles an antique school desk while the bottom is like one half of the supports of a pedestal desk turned sideways. The addition of the two legs in front completes the odd effect.

This desk owes its name to a Captain Davenport who was the first to commission the design, from Gillow's of Lancaster, near the end of the 18th century. In a sense then it could also be considered a Campaign desk though there are no records indicating if Captain Davenport was in the British Army or the Royal Navy.

This desk form was popular during the 19th century. There have been numerous reproductions during the 20th century, and amateur cabinetmakers sometimes consider a Davenport to be an interesting project.

Burr Walnut refers to the swirling figure present in nearly all walnut when cut and polished, and especially in the wood taken from the base of the tree where it joins the roots. However the true burr is a rare growth on the tree where hundreds of tiny branches have started to grow. Burr walnut produces some of the most complex and beautiful figuring you can find.

Marquetry

is decorative artistry where pieces of material of different colours are inserted into surface wood veneer to form intricate patterns such as scrolls or flowers.

The technique of veneered marquetry had its inspiration in 16th century Florence. Marquetry elaborated upon Florentine techniques of inlaying solid marble slabs with designs formed of fitted marbles, jaspers and semi-precious stones. This work, c

Physical Dimensions

Height

90cm (35.43")

Width

57cm (22.44")

Depth

56cm (22.05")

Declaration

Regent Antiques has dated this Burr Walnut Davenport Desk to the 1870s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1190490

Dealers Internal Reference

A4752

Description

This is a gorgeous and rare antique Victorian piano front burr walnut and marquetry inlaid Davenport Desk, Circa 1870 in date.

“

It is crafted from fabulous burr walnut and the hinged pull out writing slope features an inset gilt tooled green leather writing surface and pen tray.

Regent Antiques

fig 1. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 1. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

It has been wonderfully made by a master craftsman, the quality of the work is breathtaking, and the burr walnut and boxwood inlaid decoration is of the highest quality. It is finished on all sides so that it can stand freely in the middle of a room, making it extremely versatile.

fig 2. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 2. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

The Davenport has a door on one side that opens to reveal four satin wood drawers. They are perfectly sized for all the stationary you could possibly need, and ther are dummy drawers on the other side, making it not just a symbol of refinement but a practical furnishing as well.

fig 3. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 3. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

The main talking point when showing it to friends is the secret compartment at the rear on top for letters, stamps, etc,. It rises up by itself when a hidden catch is pressed by an ingenious system of pulleys and a hidden weight.

fig 4. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 4. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

It stands on its original brass and porcelain castors.

It is an absolutely beautiful and perfectly formed piece of furniture which could be placed almost anywhere.

Complete with working locks and key.

Condition:

fig 5. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 5. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed, in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 90 cm x Width 57 cm x Depth 56 cm

Dimensions in inches:

fig 6. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 6. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

Height 2 foot, 11 inches x Width 1 foot, 10 inches x Depth 1 foot, 10 inches

Davenport Desk - (sometimes originally known as a Devonport desk) is a small desk with an inclined lifting desktop attached with hinges to the back of the body.

fig 7. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 7. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

Lifting the desktop accesses a large compartment with storage space for paper and other writing implements, and smaller spaces in the forms of small drawers and pigeonholes. The Davenport has drawers on one of its sides, which are sometimes concealed by a panel. This stack of side drawers holds up the back of the desk and most of its weight. The front of the desk stands on thick legs or pillars which are often highly carved, somewhat exaggerated, thick cabriole legs, but these are not essential. 19th century Davenport desks had a variety of different leg designs.

fig 8. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 8. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

The desk shape is distinctive; its top part resembles an antique school desk while the bottom is like one half of the supports of a pedestal desk turned sideways. The addition of the two legs in front completes the odd effect.

fig 9. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 9. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

This desk owes its name to a Captain Davenport who was the first to commission the design, from Gillow's of Lancaster, near the end of the 18th century. In a sense then it could also be considered a Campaign desk though there are no records indicating if Captain Davenport was in the British Army or the Royal Navy.

fig 10. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 10. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

This desk form was popular during the 19th century. There have been numerous reproductions during the 20th century, and amateur cabinetmakers sometimes consider a Davenport to be an interesting project.

fig 11. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 11. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

Burr Walnut refers to the swirling figure present in nearly all walnut when cut and polished, and especially in the wood taken from the base of the tree where it joins the roots. However the true burr is a rare growth on the tree where hundreds of tiny branches have started to grow. Burr walnut produces some of the most complex and beautiful figuring you can find.

fig 12. A nineteenth-century Victorian burr walnut davenport desk featuring floral boxwood inlay, a sloping writing surface, turned columns, and a pop-up top. — fig 12. Antique Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlaid Pop Up Davenport Desk 19th C

Marquetry

is decorative artistry where pieces of material of different colours are inserted into surface wood veneer to form intricate patterns such as scrolls or flowers.

The technique of veneered marquetry had its inspiration in 16th century Florence. Marquetry elaborated upon Florentine techniques of inlaying solid marble slabs with designs formed of fitted marbles, jaspers and semi-precious stones. This work, c