Antique folding travel desk

Antique folding travel desk Beautiful antique folding travel desk. 19th century/Circa 1800's. Solid Mahogany wood, velvet lined with mother of pearl and brass inlay. Reasonable comparisons from over $300 to $1,350. Folding travel desks (also called portable writing desks, lap desks, or campaign desks) were primarily used in the 1800s by military officers, wealthy travelers, writers, diplomats, and merchants—basically, anyone who needed to conduct correspondence or keep records while on the move. 🪶 1. Military officers and explorers    •   Especially common during the Napoleonic Wars, British colonial campaigns, and American Civil War.    •   Officers used them to write orders, letters, and journals.    •   These desks were often part of “campaign furniture” — collapsible, portable items for life in the field. 💼 2. Aristocrats and wealthy travelers    •   Upper-class men and women traveling by carriage or steamship often carried folding desks.    •   They served both practical and social purposes — for writing letters, keeping diaries, or doing sketchwork during travel.    •   Elegant versions were made of fine woods and fitted with inkwells, secret compartments, and velvet writing surfaces. ✍️ 3. Writers and intellectuals    •   Portable desks were beloved by authors, naturalists, and scholars who traveled widely.       •   For example, Charles Darwin, Jane Austen, and Lewis Carroll used writing boxes or portable desks.    •   They offered a stable writing surface before typewriters and stationary desks became widespread. 📜 4. Merchants and diplomats    •   Business and government officials often used them for contracts, ledgers, and correspondence while traveling between cities or abroad. I'm selling many items to save up for needed house maintenance.

Condition

Used (normal wear)

Type

Travel Folding Desk