Oh, friends, I’m in love! With this vintage office furniture piece an antique work table, or is it an antique drafting table? Either way, she came home with me this weekend and sits ever so pretty in the Maine dining room!
I found this vintage furniture piece at one of Sage Farms Antiques’ pop-up weekend antique shows while out “Thrifting with the Gals.” They are definitely a must-visit if you are ever in this area. But only open one weekend a month for antique shows, so be sure to check out their website or Facebook page before planning your visit.
Ella and I braved the weekend traffic and 90-degree temperatures to not miss this pop-up!
Antique Work Table
This vintage office furniture desk was marked as an old antique work table on its tag. The top slants down ever so slightly and has a top crease as if it used to open, but it does not.
My guess is that it used to be a tall desk that was converted into an antique work table at one time. Then maybe it was a professor’s desk?
Here, you can see the slight top slant as if it may have been a drafting table, which I absolutely adore. But I honestly don’t think it was ever a drafting table.
Why the slant, though? I have no idea. This is what is so enjoyable to me about collecting antique pieces with all their quirks and unique characteristics. You never know what was altered and what for in the past.
When I see a large piece like this, I always envision it in more than one place in our home. That way, if I get it home and it doesn’t work, I always have a plan B.
I’ve had this space in our dining room that I have been looking to fill, and it was a bit challenging because of this corner cabinet. But I think this vintage office furniture desk fits in very nicely, and I’ll be able to use and decorate it in so many ways!
Once it was in place and I knew it would stay here, I remembered the aged architectural drawings that I found and had framed of our home in Maine last summer.
They would look perfect hanging over this vintage office furniture desk—just a simple wall switch.
Next, I went foraging for some summer weeds and wildflowers, Goldenrod, Queen Anne’s Lace, and Purple Loosestrife to create a flower arrangement for my new antique work table.
Do you collect and make summer weed arrangements, too? Check out all this summer’s weed arrangements here.
Something as simple and small as a Queen Anne’s Lace bouquet in one of my mother’s pewter pitchers can be so inspiring.
Okay, back to this vintage office furniture piece!
I found this old phone at Sage Farms Antiques’ too. I was originally going to put it on a nightstand in the guest bedroom, but I love its look on what I now call our antique desk and work table.
Now, I really want to find a high stool or chair to go with this antique work table.
Check out the chair I found for this desk in the post, Antiquing Down East, A Day’s Jaunt. Hint: It has something to do with the game of tennis…
This vintage office furniture piece will now be home to my mother’s sterling silverware set and other desk-related items we need to store.
Do you see the cute little cane chairs that I thrifted for free last week?
You won’t want to miss this Early Buy Event and Vintage Market at Sage Farm Antiques, too!
I’m so glad you dropped by, and if you are new to my blog, welcome! I hope you enjoyed visiting our Home in Coastal Maine with us today.
Be sure also to check out our Home in Vermont, where we spend winters enjoying the coziness of home in the Green Mountains of Vermont.
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Ann,
I can just imagine this table being used over the years. So much history. I love it.
Thank you so much, Rachel!
Hi Ann,
I think this looks like an old drafting table from its height.
NJ doesn’t have great thrifting as you know from Stacy I’m sure.
This is oerfect in your Maine hone.
Enjoy it!
Oh, I know Cindy. I’m starting to think it was an old educator’s desk made into a work table, as the top doesn’t open but you can see that it did at one time. But I love it!:))
I agree with Cindi, it could be a desk. We have an antique schools master’s desk that slants like this one but opens up for the school master to put pens, ink, etc. inside leaving the top free for his current book or lesson. What a great find!
I agree. The desk top doesn’t open but it looks like it used too. I love it too❤️❤️❤️
Love your desk/table. I wonder if it was cut down from a taller desk for a teacher to stand at in front ot the class? I think that bottom stretcher is waiting for a large basket full of dried flowers or throws! Years ago, I helped a friend make several flower arrangements for the Windsor Fair. She handed me some cat-o-nine tails, then told me to to pick some Queen Anne’s lace, wild asters and goldenrod along the road. The container was an awesome “watering can” made of thin white birch slabs. We won a BLUE RIBBON!
Kathy, someone else mentioned a teacher or professor’s desk to me today too. I never ever thought of that, but yes! It totally looks like that. Ok, now I need to get some “cat o nine tails”. My mother used to get them all the time and I haven’t ventured in to get them yet. They are so beautiful with the color purple I think! Thanks so much for dropping by today Kathy!
Well that looks fabulous there! Love the phone and how you styled the table. I hope you don’t mind me saying your Mother must be happy to see you finding such pleasure decorating her home.
Thank you so much, Jillian that means so much to me!
Love your weed bouquet, and you will have so much fun decorating your table.
Thank you so much, Marlene! Yes, it’s very decoratable, ha ha!
Wonderful find!!
Thank you so much Eileen😃
I can picture Bob Crachit from The Christmas Carol sitting at your table. Didn’t his desk slant? New to your blog and enjoying reading about your adventures. How lucky are you to have houses in two of the prettiest states in the US. We visited Maine several years ago and fell in love with it but I am not a cold weather person. 😀. Peace to all.
Oh I loved that book and movie. Yes so funny. Welcome and thank you so kindly for dropping by today!