Escritoire
Encyclopedia
An escritoire or secretary desk comes in various styles. One version is a small, portable writing desk
with a sloping front door, hinge
d at the bottom edge, that can be opened downwards to provide a writing surface. It is usually larger than a lap desk
. The interior may contain small drawers designed to hold the traditional ink pot, sand container, blotter and writing feathers or pens. This type of antique appeared in the 16th century in Europe
and was produced in large quantities in France
in the 18th century. Modern reproductions are sometimes made of this compact desk form. A taller version is a combination bureau/bookcase with a writing surface created by a hinged drop-down front.
Desk
A desk is a furniture form and a class of table often used in a work or office setting for reading or writing on or using a computer. Desks often have one or more drawers to store office supplies and papers. Unlike a regular table, usually only one side of a desk is suitable to sit on . Not all...
with a sloping front door, hinge
Hinge
A hinge is a type of bearing that connects two solid objects, typically allowing only a limited angle of rotation between them. Two objects connected by an ideal hinge rotate relative to each other about a fixed axis of rotation. Hinges may be made of flexible material or of moving components...
d at the bottom edge, that can be opened downwards to provide a writing surface. It is usually larger than a lap desk
Lap desk
-Antique lap desk:As an antique the lap desk is a smaller variant of the writing slope. It is also called a writing box or a writing cabinet. In certain instances it is known as a portable desk, a term which is usually applied to larger forms. Most antique lap desks are really meant to be used on...
. The interior may contain small drawers designed to hold the traditional ink pot, sand container, blotter and writing feathers or pens. This type of antique appeared in the 16th century in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and was produced in large quantities in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the 18th century. Modern reproductions are sometimes made of this compact desk form. A taller version is a combination bureau/bookcase with a writing surface created by a hinged drop-down front.