The desk has a lid or "fall front" writing surface, with a shallow drawer beneath it. Flanking the drawer are two small "candle drawers" that serve also as supports for the lid when it is opened. Concealed behind the lid is an arrangement of two banks of small drawers and open compartments or pigeonholes (two drawers and four pigeonholes on each side). The pigeonholes have arched tops, and the upper drawers are shell-carved. In the center of the banks of drawers is a door with an arched front panel; behind it are a top drawer with a shell-carved front, three block-fronted drawers, and (behind them) three secret drawers. Flanking the archive door is a pair of tall, narrow secret compartments with applied turned half-columns on their front edges. All of the desk's exterior drawers are finished with cockbeaded edges; the long top drawer has two bail handles, each short drawer has a single knob. Each of the two stacks or banks of drawers has three cockbeaded drawers mounted on paired ogee shaped feet below a step-moulded base. Each drawer opens with a brass bail handle. Fluted quarter columns edge both banks of drawers. The recessed "kneehole" has another locking arched door concealing a cupboard holding two shelves.