It is desk that you write on
The value of a writing desk with an Albert Pick Furniture Company label may be worth $1600 if it is sold to an antiques dealer or collector. The condition of the desk also affects its value.
At his writing desk which was somewhere in London, England.
An office or study desk refers to a small writing desk with drawers.
A desk is used for writing on.
Schreibtisch = desk (lit. writing desk)
A desk can be used for putting your computer on. A desk can be a place for doing homework/work. A desk can be a place for writing.
I just bought a spinet desk built by Udell Works; it probably dates the late 1930's. A newsletter from the Indianapolis SCORE chapter has a pagelong history of the company: http://www.indyscore.org/docs/nl_2q08.pdf, page 6-7. Not much else is out there about UDEL WWW. An online search of The US Patent and TM office does not bring up any hits. It sounds like it started in the 1870's in Chicago, moved to Indy, then made various products including ladders and furniture; then vanished in the early 50s when the last owner retired.
One can buy an antique writing desk at a local pawn shop or on eBay. There are many places where one could find an antique writing desk. The prices on eBay are cheap for this item.
Because the caps lock.
bureau
its called a Bureau .