The Coolest Vintage Find Ever!
Well I know that post title is a teensy bit ambitious, but it’s true!! You guys, I recently came across the coolest vintage vintage find ever and I am so excited to share it with you today. I actually found this last week while I was browsing through one of my favorite thrift shops (I’ll be taking you all along there in a video very soon soon) and I stopped dead in my tracks when I spotted it! It’s an antique child’s desk from 1910, fully equipped with a working scroll and all. EEEEEEK! I ended up hanging it on the wall in my dining room and I’m in looooooove.
Seriously, isn’t that the coolest thing ever??! The scroll is still functioning and it’s actually full of things like the alphabet, pictures of flowers,, drawings, maps, etc. I photographed a few so you could see how cool it is!
Believe it or not, I got this for a bargain price of $85, which I thought was pretty darn good for such a rare piece. (I found this similar one on Etsy.) And when I bought it there was already a little wire on the back, which made it really easy to hang up on the wall. And on the back side of the desk is a beautiful, faded map of the United States. I tell ya, my vintage loving heart is so smitten with this piece.
I styled this antique desk up with a few old books and flash cards, but I have no plans of painting it or really doing anything to it at all. I think it’s perfect just like it is now, don’t you? I love when I can repurpose really unique finds like this and it’s fun to think about all the places this little desk has been over the past one hundred years. It’s definitely a cool piece of history!
Thanks so much for dropping by today. Here are a few more vintage inspired posts you might want to wander over to:
Restoring an Antique Church Pew
The Comments
Tammy
I would love to go with you to your favorite thrift shop. You always find the neatest things. Looks so cute on the wall.
Susan
I love it! I’ve never seen this desk before. Now I am going to be looking for one. Thank you so much
Melissa Filson
What an awesome find Sarah! It looks like its in really great condition and is super cute hanging on your wall!! Love it!
Tammy Ganci
Love the desk!!!! I guess I am partial to it because I work in an elementary school!!! I love the scroll with the alphabet, would look good in your sons room I am guessing.
Enjoy it and imagine all the little children that sat at that desk 100 years ago. Little house on the prairie I can imagine. Such joy.
Love your blog friend,
Tammy
judy
that is really co
ol. I have never seen anything like that. awesome find..
Gayle
Love love love!! Now that seriously IS the coolest thing ever!! All those super
cool pictures! What an amazing find, lucky girl 😆
Shirley
A super find indeed! And she’s a beauty too. Such great shape for something that old…wow you lucked out on that one!
Julie
What an amazing piece! I especially love the scroll art. So pretty!
Jeannie S
Love it, especially all the pictures in it! So much better than an iPad!
Fran
Oh Sara you did great, that has to be the neatest find, when I went Saturday the only thing I could find was 3 scary clown masks! And yes I had nightmares all night thinking about them! I think my antique store got picked over before Christmas 😔 but I love yours 👍🏼😊
Michele D. Yates
An absolutely precious find!
sandra steele
LOVE IT!!
Melissa G Teichroeb
Wow! What a find ! It is beautiful!!!!
Nicole Cantu
Sarah!! OMGOSH!! You weren’t kidding! This is the COOLEST find ever!!!
Micheala
This is such an amazing find! I think the scroll is the best part!
Michelle
Very cool! I have an old easel with a chalkboard and scroll that looks very similar. I think I’m going try something very similar to this! Thank you.
Peggy Wilson
Oh Sarah. I’m 62 and grew up with parents going from yard sale or flea market to another then continuing my self I thought AIA had seen everything. Wrong. What you have is beautiful and unusual. Congratulations.
Deedra
There are no words…… That is a perfect one of a kind piece!
Suzanne
What an amazing find!!!! Absolutely love it…and that PRICE!!!! What?!? Well Done Sarah….Well Done!!!!
Laura Harrie
Oh Sarah, such a treasure, so unique and it looks great where you placed it.
Nancy
What an amazing find! I taught school and I have 5 school desks in my home. They are all antiques of different years and make great desks, end tables and night stands but I have never seen anything like this. Does it stand or is it meant just for a wall. Would love to go antiquing with you.
Tammy Ganci
> NancyHi Nancy
I too work in a school but now all the desks are made of plastic to look like wood. What a lost treasure those old wooden desks are!!!
Tammy
Debbie
That is the coolest vintage find ever. I have never seen anything like it before. It looks like it is in good condition. Lucky you. I love it. ❤️❤️
Beth Cornelius
Hi Sara:
I really enjoy reading your blog! Especially the DIY projects. Sometime, could you do a tutorial video on how to do the crackle paint? I’m trying to a project now and mine just doesn’t look as great as yours.
Thanks!
Tammy Ganci
> Beth CorneliusHi Beth
She did, just look back at her prev. post. It was awhile ago but she did it.
Tammy
Diane Lane-Cormier
Love, Love, Love this piece! What a GREAT find!
Donna Malone
I’ve never seen a desk like this. I love it. I have a student desk from 1945 that I use as a night stand. Now I need one of these.
Thank you, always, for sharing. You inspire me.
Leandra
Sarah, I love IT!!! And I think that is a steal!
Anna Hettick
That is seriously SO adorable!!! I love all the different pictures you can scroll to enjoy!
Candy
Hi Sarah
What a fantastic find. I just love it. You know how to display it perfectly too.
I noticed your white corner cabinet again, could I please ask what paint did you use. I would love to paint mine and I am hesitant.
Marion
What a great find. Enjoy the desk.
Joan,Marilyn and Marion
Debbie
Hi Sarah- so excited for you to find this. I have one like it and when I found it last Spring, I loved it! Funny, I envisioned it hanging on a wall but on the map side. Love what you saw/did with it!
Shannon Meyer
I have never seen anything like that! It is awesome!
Sherry
That really is an awesome find. I’m so glad you shared it. I have never seen or heard of a desk like this. My husband and I love to go antiquing. It brings a smile to my face to see things we had in our homes as kids. If only these finds could talk and tell us their story. Beautiful piece Sarah and I love it just the way it is.
Sandy Jackson
LOVE IT!
Sherri
That’s absolutely the coolest thing ever Sarah! I have never seen one of those before & I think I might just be a teeny tiny bit jealous…Lol…Not really, but I am so happy for you & I do really love it! Great find!
Marianne
Sarah, Thank you so much for sharing this desk, I love it! In fact I liked it so much, I started looking on Ebay and Etsy for one,I found one to bid on that actually is a Chautauqua Industrial Art Desk, It has special meaning to me because I was an Art Teacher, and my husband asked me to Marry Him right after a trip to Chautauqua Lake! No one bid against me, so I got it for a really good price, I can’t wait to get it, just have to prepare a place for it to hang!
Sia
Hi Love you’re antique desk. I went on eBay and purchased one for myself. Can’t wait to get it. Like everyone posted I had never seen one before Thanks
Sue Patterson
WOW…what a unique idea. Your decorating style is absolutely stunning! Love ALL your ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Sue Patterson
Doris Raab
That is Soooo cool! I’ve never seen anything like that. What a find! It’s just amazing
Laura
I’m totally in love with the vintage desk!!! And the way you are using it…wow, I love that even more!!! That is the BEST vintage find EVER!!!!!
Gaby
Love the desk. I get super excited too when I find rare pieces at the thrift store. Its beautiful. Something you can pass on for decades.
Esther Ritsema
Love your site. Had bought milk paint thinking it was caulk paint and loved your explanation on the difference.
Gwen
I have a desk like what you have hanging on the wall. The scroll and chalkboard are attached to the base. The chalkboard is the top of the desk.