1960s Stow Davis Walnut and Olive Burl Executive Diplomat’s Desk

Exceptional 1960s executive Diplomat desk by Stow Davis, beautifully constructed in walnut and distinguished by a spectacular bookmatched olive burl writing surface.

The expansive rectangular top is inset with richly figured olive burl, carefully bookmatched to create an almost painterly, symmetrical composition. The dramatic golden burl provides a striking contrast to the desk’s deep walnut frame, giving an otherwise restrained modernist design considerable visual presence.

The desk is supported by four slender, subtly tapered walnut legs integrated seamlessly into the case. Paneled aprons and finely molded perimeter details lend the piece a tailored architectural quality characteristic of Stow Davis’s higher-end executive furnishings of the period.

Designed to be viewed from every angle, the desk presents a fully finished front and back, making it particularly well suited to placement in the center of an office rather than against a wall. Discreet drawers are incorporated into the case while preserving the desk’s remarkably clean profile. The drawers retain their light-toned wood interiors, dividers and original metal suspension hardware.

The combination of highly figured olive burl, warm walnut, exceptional proportions and understated detailing elevates this well beyond the typical mid-century office desk. Its restrained form allows the extraordinary burl surface to become the focal point—a particularly handsome example of American executive furniture from the 1960s.

Manufacturer: Stow Davis
Model: Diplomat’s desk
Period: 1960s
Origin: United States
Materials: Walnut, olive burl veneer, metal
Style: Mid-Century Modern / American Modern