how do you take the drawers out?

Most antique Davenport drawers pull straight out like any standard chest. You just slide them forward until they stop. Sometimes a wooden stop block sits inside the carcase to catch the back edge. If they resist, you might need to angle the drawer slightly upwards as it clears the front rail.

I was trying to move my grandfather's old desk but the top part with the slope seems weirdly loose. Is it broken or does it slide?

A loose top is common on a Davenport. Many were built with a sliding mechanism. The entire upper section pushes forward over the knees to make writing comfortable. Check the sides just below the sloping section. You will often find a small wooden catch or brass pin that locks the top in place. If that pin is missing, the top slides freely. Sometimes the runner tracks themselves dry out or shrink. A little hard wax rubbed onto the wooden rails will help it glide smoothly again.

what is the little side drawer for?

That small pull-out section is the pen drawer. It pivots to hold an inkwell securely. Makers fitted them so writers avoided balancing open ink on a slanted surface.

Both sides of this small desk have wooden knobs on them but when I pull the left side nothing happens at all. Why are they stuck?

You are pulling on dummy drawers. Antique Davenports usually only have working drawers on the right-hand side. The left side is fixed solid. Cabinet makers added fake drawer fronts and matching knobs to the blank side. This kept the piece looking symmetrical when placed in the centre of a room. Always check the other side of the desk. You will find the actual drawers pull out easily from there.

Home > Desks > Davenports > Page 5

Victorian Davenports

← Page 5 of 9 →

Antique Davenports are compact writing desks featuring a distinctive slanted, hinged top above a chest of side-opening drawers, originally designed for cramped ship cabins before entering the drawing room.