It's hard to tell age from the one photo you posted. More detailed photos would certainly help. I think it's from Lincoln Furniture Co. It has a 1940's look to it.
Detail photos of the drawer construction please. mfrog

can't seem to upload more than one picture

l can only upload one picture

Thanks for the pics. It confirms what I thought, nice piece but not antique. Could even be much later than I first thought, I didn't do any research on the company, but it should be easier now that you have a name to go by. I don't think that is an ink well, it's for paper clips. HTH, mfrog

No reason for the recess in the Desk top if it was not designed for and ink well.

Nice desk regardless of how old it is or what it is worth. I usually don't care for antique furniture but I envy you that piece.

I believe that the circular recess is not for an ink-well, but for holding an Ink bottle.

I agree Ink Bottle. likely 1940's.

When I entered grade school on 1942, pens that you dip into ink were still in use (I learned to use one). Fountain pens, however, were the norm. The use of ink pens were on its way out and was finished by the introduction of ball point pens. When the first ball points became widely available, English teachers in my high school (1950 - 1954), at first, would not accept ball points for writing assignments, but that changed by 1954.

By 1960, provision for ink in writing desks/furniture dissappeared.

After 1960, ink-on-vellum was stiil used for technical drawings that were for permanent, offical records. However, a change was afoot. By 1960, government design offices had converted to pencil drawings and inked only the final version. Industry had already abandoned ink; Government practices lagged industry by a few years waiting to see how changes fared in industry before adopting new methods for official record keeping.

The result was equipment for using liquid ink in a bottle disappeared from the market. The last to disappear was drafting supplies. 1950 - 1960 marks the time of ink demise and that affected furniture design. Desks made to accomodate ink was likely made before circa 1955.

Ink for drafting has never disappeared. FWIW.
They do now have very good felt tip technical pens that are as good as mechanical pens, and are pre-filled with india ink.
The calligraphy and art sections of craft/hobby stores still will have lots of ink bottles to choose from.
Casey

Felt tips are never used for drafting (making technical drawings). Lines for parts and assemblies have precise widths and are formed with drafting pens with an adjustable line width. A drafting pen must be able to slide along a straight edge without smearing ink on it.

I believe it's called a piano desk because of the way it opens. My son has one also, but I haven't seen many of them. Very unique.

Rapidograph pens, etc., are sold with precise and preset line widths, in sizes designated as 1mm, 0, 00, 000, 0000 being the finest line. I have drafted since I was 15, now I'm 52. I took notes with a 000 rapidograph through college. you can't imagine how much paper that saved!
Technical pens are not adjustable. The antique steel pens that preceded the rapidograph type, they were adjustable, but they haven't been popular since the better pens came along. The ink was out in the open, and very east to spoil your work. I still have one of those in a drawer, it fit an old ink/lead compass set.
The felt tip versions are made the same way, with a preset line width. 1, 0, 00, 000.
Casey

Thanks casey for that info. Note this desk has tray for pen's pencil's etc..