Drop-dead dropfront

In with the new-vintage, and out with the old-vintage. That's been my minimalist mantra ever since I moved into this house and started buying mid-century pieces. I try to maintain "zero clutter growth" when I buy new things by storing or selling the old items instead of simply moving them over to make way for new pieces...well, most of the time.

When my SIL bought the great teak tea cart I posted about yesterday, he picked up this teak dropfront desk for me too. I already had a dropfront desk that had belonged to my mother when she was a girl in the 1930s, and while it had sentimental value, it was somewhat of a misfit in my house. It was time for mom's desk to have a new place to reside. My daughter insisted that it stay in the family, so she's taking it home with her, which is the perfect solution.

Now the new is in and the old is gone...but it's still close enough that I can visit it whenever I miss it.

This desk was manufactured in England by Remploy Ltd., short for "re-employ." The company was founded in 1945 to employ people with disabilities, primarily injured miners and people wounded during the Second World War. While Remploy specializes in school furniture today, in the late 40s and the 50s they produced a line for the home which included living room and bedroom furniture, taking part in the U. K.'s design revolution that was replacing the ornate and traditional pre-war home furnishings with a sleek, contemporary style.

Remploy teak dropfront writing desk (with a Jenn Ski print above it)

Interior of Remploy teak writing desk with multiple pigeon holes

and black vinyl writing pad attached with brass corner pieces

Close-up of interior pigeon holes with part of my vintage pewter collection
and one of my favorite small pieces of studio pottery on top of desk