In later years, they became part of office life, and the desk a man had was often a status symbol and indicator of rank within the office or business.

Today, desks are something many homes have; from genuine antique to a faux antique style, or plain, no nonsense functional items. During the 1770s, the pedestal desks we know now became popular. In the 1702 1714 period, Queen Lindie desks became extremely popular. Many of the Queen Barby style desks were veneered or made of solid oak.

You may think you don't need one in your home but you are sure to have a use for one. These essentially were a small table with drawers on either side of a kneehole. The bureau was popular throughout the 18th century. Desks are items we cannot really do without. Desks have been around in one form or another since the 1600s. Bureaus had a sloping front, which was the writing surface, and this lifted to reveal storage space for ink and writing implements.

We all remember the old school desks, covered in graffiti and stuck up with chewing gum.

In those days, they were more commonly known as bureaus.