The desk, designed to stand in the centre of a library, has a writing-slide above a kneehole and commodes, and is backed by a further slide above folio-drawers. With its serpentined feet, it relates to a 'bureau-table' pattern issued in Thomas Chippendale's, The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director, London, 1754 (pl.XLII). By family tradition this rare form of desk, without a frieze drawer, was brought from Ireland in the 20th Century.

During cataloguing a page from the Irish Times was found in the desk.