For certain mid-century modern design fans and vintage furniture aficionados, a number of early to mid-twentieth-century office desks have achieved near-mythical status. They are relatively rare and highly coveted, thus fetching high prices in vintage and antique shops. Among them, Heywood-Wakefield's M 926 mid-century modern home office desk is one of the most sought-after.
A Little History
The M 926 desk is a direct descendant of a desk designed for Heywood-Wakefield by world-famous New York designer Count Alexis de Sakhnofsky in the early 1930s. The design was later modified by the company's in-house post-WWII designer W. Joseph Carr and the desk—known then as the Vanity Desk.
As implied by the name, the desk may have been purchased back then as much for use as a dressing table (presumably in conjunction with a large mirror) as for a work desk. The Vanity Desk was put into production in 1954, ceasing production only a few years later in 1956.
Back in Production
After observing the passionate demand and high prices for these vintage pieces, we put this prized item back into production in 1997. Also during that year, in honor of the 100-year anniversary of the founding of the original Heywood-Wakefield, we established a limited edition line of 100 desks with small, numbered solid brass commemorative plates affixed inside the upper left drawer.
By the way, we discovered that five pieces from this series are still available for interested parties, including “lucky number 13,” which was held from market at the time in accordance with the tradition for skipping the 13th in a series.
Today’s Heywood-Wakefield M 926 Desk
As is standard practice here, new productions stay true to the original designs and as many of the crafting processes as possible, including, in this case, the attractive, iconic steam-bent curved drawer fronts. Today, the standard process for creating such curves involves radio waves.
In line with its long tradition of designing furniture that perfectly blends form and function, Heywood-Wakefield's mid-century modern home office desk is simultaneously elegant and entirely practical. It adds a distinctive touch of class and style to your home office, while its natural wood look—courtesy of its high-grade Northern Yellow Birch makeup—contributes to a pleasantly soothing office environment.
At the same time, ample surface space is balanced by a streamlined design and notably small footprint, maximizing usefulness while minimizing space requirements. The open area underneath comfortably accommodates you and whichever positions you like to sit in, while the four drawers offer plenty of easily accessible storage space.
Of course, Heywood-Wakefield's famous durability and solid wood construction means this is home office furniture that lasts. And again, today's advanced, aesthetic Amber finish reliably protects the furniture surface—and it's applied over the entire desk for full protection no matter where you place the furniture, even if it's in the middle of the room.
Bring your home office to life with this stunning, classic piece, and make your work time just a little brighter.
