Featured Trying to establish the age and type of roll top desk

I have a solid wood roll top desk that I inherited from my father-in-law 35 years ago. It is different than most of the roll desk types I have seen -- it has a solid rolling top, not the accordion-style that you see on most (like the Cutler style). The desk surface can be pulled out. The drawers are dove-tailed, but dove-tailing seems to have been hand-done with a chisel, not manufactured. The sides and back have raised panels. The only marking I found was on a lock on one of the drawers -- it says Terry USA. The desk is in ok condition, but the felt on the desk surface needs to be redone.

Is this a particular style of roll top desk? Is this roll top desk valuable or unique? We would like to sell it and need a sense of its value.

 

This may help ...
https://www.officemuseum.com/desks.htm

https://archive.org/details/illustratedcatal1883amer/page/34/mode/2up

 

lovely desk..........$ 220....shipping not included

 

That is beautiful desk.I’ve always like roller top desks. Here the darker wood ones are much rarer.

 

1880s walnut Renaissance Revival cylinder desk. Better than anything you could buy new with a little TLC. Would go for around $300 or so at auction here in the U.S. Midwest, more's the pity. Shipping will be a bear.

 

These are nice IMO, particularly with the burled walnut veneer on the cylinder and drawer fronts.

 

Thank you all for your quick responses. My desk indeed matches many of the descriptions provided in the images and weblinks, even down to the "billiard cloth" writing surface.

 

Beautiful desk, congrats to you and tip of the hat to your father in law for picking it. A little lindseed (or tung) oil and a gently waxing will go a long way towards making it look its best.
It is not like other roll top desks you've seen because it is not a roll top desk at all. As mentioned, these are called cylinder desks (or bureaux a cylindre) and are generally considered a little classier.
FB

 

Indeed it will.
Had a painted dower chest shipped last April for $278.
Just made a deal on a small corner cupboard for over $700.
And, was LUCKY to get it! Shipping, along with everything else ain't no joke now, about twice as expensive as it was just a year ago.

Going forward this will become another major consideration along with BP when purchasing, another nail in the brown furniture coffin.
If you can't buy or sell it locally to your location, you've got issues!
Which puts a severe kink in potential buyers/sellers.

 

Thank you again for all your help. I did find an interested buyer who was looking for this desk model.