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ID #SA1246065
FOR SALE
£495
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Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell
For sale by ActFurniture LTD
for sale €579     $629
£495
ActFurniture LTD

ActFurniture LTD

Sellingantiques Verified Since Apr 2023
Browse dealers 439 items
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Id #SA1246065
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Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

1900 - 1920
For Sale by ActFurniture LTD
Description

Antique early 20th century school desk and chair in oak by The North of England School Furnishing Company Limited of Darlington, a charming and sturdily made piece of good quality and a wonderful piece of classroom history.

The desk has a sloping hinged lid that lifts to reveal a deep storage well, with a fixed flat section to the back fitted with a brass inkwell cover and a raised rail behind. It bears the company's original shield-shaped transfer label, marked Darlington and Patent, to the lid.

The desk and the spindle-back chair are joined on a single cast iron frame, standing on chunky oak sledge feet with a pair of wooden footrests. The chair has a shaped solid seat, a curved top rail and turned spindles and uprights with ring-turned detail.

The oak displays a lovely figured grain with a warm, aged colour and a rich, honest patina built up over many years of use.

Presented in good condition commensurate with age, with the expected marks and wear of a working school desk. A very desirable and characterful piece, perfect as a feature in a study, playroom or hallway, or for a collector of school antiques.

Product Reference : AF - 6976

Measurements : 54cm (21½") Width x 99cm (39") Depth x 89cm (35") Height [ 79cm (31") Worktop Height ]

Seat Height - 48cm (19")

As with all antique and vintage furniture, pieces may show signs of age, use and wear, all of which form part of their character and history. Please study the photographs carefully, as they form part of the description and condition report.

We’re a family-run antique furniture business based in Malvern, Worcestershire. All of our pieces are available to view at our stockroom by appointment only. If you’d like additional photographs, measurements or to arrange a viewing, we’re always happy to help and aim to respond as quickly as possible.

Delivery – £65

• Delivery is available throughout the UK mainland, including most areas of Scotland.

• Each piece is carefully wrapped and protected prior to dispatch and delivered by our trusted private courier using a two-person team.

• Your piece will be delivered to the room of your choice, provided there is suitable access. For items supplied in sections, assembly is not included as part of the delivery service.

• Our standard delivery timeframe is approximately 3–15 working days from receipt of payment. The courier will contact you directly to confirm the delivery date and provide an approximate arrival time.

• If you have any particular delivery requirements, please let us know before purchasing and we’ll do our best to accommodate them.

Collection – Free

Collection is available free of charge from our stockroom at WR6 5JE, by appointment only. Please contact us in advance to arrange a convenient collection date and time.

Thank you for viewing this piece. Should you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Date of Manufacture

ActFurniture LTD has dated this Antique Oak School Desk to the 1920s.

Independent Date Guide ID 09722455
Dealer's Item Date1920s
Sellingantiques Date1920s
Sellingantiques agingItem 95-130 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1920s:
Transfer label on the desk lid: The North of England School Furnishing Company Limited.
Cast-iron frame with height-adjustment clamps: institutional school manufacture.
Neat dovetails at the box corners: industrial joinery of the period.
Dark ink stains inside the well: decades of classroom use.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
89cm (35.04")
Width
54cm (21.26")
Depth
99cm (38.98")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1246065
Dealers Internal Reference
AF-6976
Description
Antique early 20th century school desk and chair in oak by The North of England School Furnishing Company Limited of Darlington, a charming and sturdily made piece of good quality and a wonderful piece of classroom history.
“
The desk has a sloping hinged lid that lifts to reveal a deep storage well, with a fixed flat section to the back fitted with a brass inkwell cover and a raised rail behind.
ActFurniture LTD

It bears the company's original shield-shaped transfer label, marked Darlington and Patent, to the lid.

fig 1. An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
fig 1. Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

The desk and the spindle-back chair are joined on a single cast iron frame, standing on chunky oak sledge feet with a pair of wooden footrests. The chair has a shaped solid seat, a curved top rail and turned spindles and uprights with ring-turned detail.

fig 2. An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
fig 2. Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

The oak displays a lovely figured grain with a warm, aged colour and a rich, honest patina built up over many years of use.

Presented in good condition commensurate with age, with the expected marks and wear of a working school desk. A very desirable and characterful piece, perfect as a feature in a study, playroom or hallway, or for a collector of school antiques.

fig 3. An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
fig 3. Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

Product Reference : AF - 6976

Measurements : 54cm (21½") Width x 99cm (39") Depth x 89cm (35") Height [ 79cm (31") Worktop Height ]

Seat Height - 48cm (19")

As with all antique and vintage furniture, pieces may show signs of age, use and wear, all of which form part of their character and history. Please study the photographs carefully, as they form part of the description and condition report.

fig 4. An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
fig 4. Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

We’re a family-run antique furniture business based in Malvern, Worcestershire. All of our pieces are available to view at our stockroom by appointment only. If you’d like additional photographs, measurements or to arrange a viewing, we’re always happy to help and aim to respond as quickly as possible.

fig 5. An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
fig 5. Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

Delivery – £65

• Delivery is available throughout the UK mainland, including most areas of Scotland.

• Each piece is carefully wrapped and protected prior to dispatch and delivered by our trusted private courier using a two-person team.

fig 6. An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
fig 6. Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

• Your piece will be delivered to the room of your choice, provided there is suitable access. For items supplied in sections, assembly is not included as part of the delivery service.

• Our standard delivery timeframe is approximately 3–15 working days from receipt of payment. The courier will contact you directly to confirm the delivery date and provide an approximate arrival time.

fig 7. An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
fig 7. Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

• If you have any particular delivery requirements, please let us know before purchasing and we’ll do our best to accommodate them.

Collection – Free

Collection is available free of charge from our stockroom at WR6 5JE, by appointment only. Please contact us in advance to arrange a convenient collection date and time.

Thank you for viewing this piece. Should you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Date of Manufacture

ActFurniture LTD has dated this Antique Oak School Desk to the 1920s.

Independent Date Report ID 09722455
Dealer's Item Date1920s
Sellingantiques dating1920s
Sellingantiques agingItem 95-130 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1920s:
Transfer label on the desk lid: The North of England School Furnishing Company Limited.
Cast-iron frame with height-adjustment clamps: institutional school manufacture.
Neat dovetails at the box corners: industrial joinery of the period.
Dark ink stains inside the well: decades of classroom use.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
89cm (35.04")
Width
54cm (21.26")
Depth
99cm (38.98")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1246065
Dealers Internal Ref
AF-6976
ActFurniture LTD
ActFurniture LTD
Sellingantiques verified Since Apr 2023
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the ActFurniture LTD Profile Page

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An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
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Archive I An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.

Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell

Archive II An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View II
Archive III An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View III
Archive IV An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View IV
Archive V An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View V
Archive VI An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View VI
Archive VII An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View VII
Archive VIII An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View VIII
Archive IX An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View IX
Archive X An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View X
Archive XI An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid. View XI
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ActFurniture LTD

ActFurniture LTD
Telephone 07729 298643
Location
Unit 4
Worcester Road
Malvern
Worcestershire
WR6 5JE
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/actfurniture
Verified Since Apr 2023
Items For Sale 439
Items Sold 2,259
ActFurniture LTD
ActFurniture LTD
Verified Since Apr 2023
View Dealer Info
Location: Unit 4, Worcester Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR6 5JE, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/actfurniture
Verified
Apr 2023
For Sale
439
Sold
2,259
An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
Antique Early 20th Century Oak School Desk & Chair | Inkwell
Ref: SA1246065
An early 20th-century oak and cast iron school desk with an integrated spindle-back chair and sloped lid.
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Archival Detail

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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
  • ObjectDesks
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleEdwardian
  • MaterialOak, Cast Iron
  • ColourDark Brown
  • MotifsSlanted writing lid, Spindle backrest, Cast iron base, Dovetailed joinery
  • SizeH 89 cm (35 in) x W 54 cm (21 in) x D 99 cm (39 in)

This early 20th century Edwardian school desk and chair originates from 1920, combining a dark brown oak structure with an industrial cast iron base. The unit measures 89 cm high, 54 cm wide, and 99 cm deep. A slanted hinged lid opens to a deep storage compartment, complemented by a fixed flat back section holding a brass inkwell cover and a raised rail. Visible construction details include dovetailed joinery on the desk box and a shield-shaped transfer label on the lid. The integrated spindle-back chair features a curved top rail, ring-turned uprights, and a shaped solid seat, all supported by a single cast iron frame that connects to chunky oak sledge feet and two wooden footrests. In a modern home, this practical piece serves well as a distinctive workstation in a study, a functional child's desk in a playroom, or a characterful console in a hallway. The oak timber displays a figured grain, a warm hue, and an honest patina, accompanied by expected marks and wear from its working history. The design integrates seating and writing surfaces into a single unit, providing a tangible fragment of classroom heritage that suits collectors of school antiques and industrial loft interiors alike.

FAQs

During the early 20th century, updated educational standards led to standardized classroom furniture manufactured with solid oak writing tops mounted directly to cast iron bases.

These pieces were primarily constructed using solid hardwoods such as oak, pitch pine, or beech, paired with cast iron legs and structural supports for heavy daily use.

Authentic examples feature sloped writing lids with inkwell recesses, cast iron bases, dovetailed timber joinery, and natural wear to the timber finish.

Position the unit in a quiet reading nook, hallway, or home office to serve as a compact writing station or characterful accent piece.

Apply a natural beeswax polish to the oak surfaces annually and maintain low humidity levels to prevent oxidisation on the cast iron frame.
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