Which term denotes a flat-top writing desk, known as Bureau Plat?

Which term denotes a flat-top writing desk, known as Bureau Plat?

• A. Bureau plat
• B. Secretaire a abattant
• C. Cylinder bureau
• D. Chiffonier

Answer: (A)

A flat-top writing desk is known as bureau plat. The defining idea here is the surface itself: a rectangular, level top that stays flat for writing, unlike desks with a fold-down front or a curved rolling top. In French furniture terms, the bureau plat is typically a case with drawers beneath a simple, horizontal surface used for writing by hand with ink or quills. This differs from a secretaire à abattant, which features a front that folds down to become the writing surface and reveals compartments inside. It also differs from a bureau à cylindre, whose characteristic is a curved cylindrical roll-front that hides and reveals a writing area as you open it. And it’s not a chiffonier, which is a chest of drawers—often with a mirror on top—intended more for storage than for writing.

A flat-top writing desk is known as bureau plat. The defining idea here is the surface itself: a rectangular, level top that stays flat for writing, unlike desks with a fold-down front or a curved rolling top. In French furniture terms, the bureau plat is typically a case with drawers beneath a simple, horizontal surface used for writing by hand with ink or quills.

This differs from a secretaire à abattant, which features a front that folds down to become the writing surface and reveals compartments inside. It also differs from a bureau à cylindre, whose characteristic is a curved cylindrical roll-front that hides and reveals a writing area as you open it. And it’s not a chiffonier, which is a chest of drawers—often with a mirror on top—intended more for storage than for writing.