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Writing Desk
A small desk for correspondence: bureau plat, bonheur-du-jour, ladies desk.
Desks & Secretaries · Indicative US retail $400–$8,000
At a glance
- Family: Desks & Secretaries
- Periods most often found: Period bureaux plats date from 1720 to 1790; bonheurs-du-jour from 1760 to 1790 and revivals from 1850 to 1920; most ladies' desks on the market date from 1870 to 1930.
- Typical price: about $1,500; range $400 to $8,000 and more for exceptional pieces
- What drives value: Leather top, gilt mounts, size, provenance
What it is
French writing desks were made for letters, accounts and reading rather than office work. The bureau plat is a flat table with drawers in the apron and a tooled leather writing surface; the bonheur-du-jour, introduced around 1760, adds a small cabinet with doors or drawers on top; the ladies' desk (bureau de dame) is a lighter version on slender cabriole legs, often with marquetry. Thousands were produced in Louis XV and Louis XVI revival style in Paris workshops from 1860 to 1930.
How to identify and date it
Leather tops are often replaced; a good replacement is neatly gilt-tooled at the edges, while worn original leather is a plus for purists. Gilt-bronze mounts on legs and handles should be cast and chased, held by screws or pins, not nailed stamped brass. Check the drawer runners, locks and keys, and look under the top for maker stamps. Marquetry and veneers should be checked for lifting and losses.
Periods and styles
Period bureaux plats date from 1720 to 1790; bonheurs-du-jour from 1760 to 1790 and revivals from 1850 to 1920; most ladies' desks on the market date from 1870 to 1930.
How much is it worth?
On the US retail market, most writing desk examples ask around $1,500. Simple or worn pieces start near $400, while documented, signed or exceptional examples can pass $8,000. The main value drivers are: leather top, gilt mounts, size, provenance. These are indicative ranges, not an appraisal; see our price guide for French antiques for the method.
Questions buyers ask: antique writing desk value. The answer depends on the points below, which are worth checking before you compare prices.
Before you buy
- Test drawers and locks
- Inspect leather
- Check mounts
- Confirm the size for a laptop
- Look for repairs to legs
Living with it
A small writing desk works in a bedroom corner, a landing or as a vanity, and a bureau plat can float in the middle of a living room.
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How we write these guides: identification notes are general guidance written by French Country; a style name, a region or a resemblance does not by itself date or attribute a piece. Price ranges are indicative US retail asking prices for antique and vintage examples in sound condition (dealers, specialist marketplaces and auctions), estimated and rounded as of November 2026; check recent sold results before relying on a figure. They are not appraisals or offers to buy or sell: condition, provenance and documentation can move a value far outside the range. For insurance, estates or sales, ask an independent, qualified appraiser for a written valuation.