A Rococo desk may be a bureau plat; which term describes this configuration?

• A. Secretaire Abattant
• B. Drop Front
• C. Roll Top
• D. Flat Table

Answer: (D)

The key idea is a flat, uninterrupted writing surface. A bureau plat is literally a flat desk: a piece where the top remains level and does not hinge down, slide, or roll away. That makes it a “Flat Table” in plain English—a simple, flat writing surface often with drawers on the sides.

The other terms describe desks with moving parts: a secretaire abattant has a front that folds down to reveal the writing area, a drop-front desk uses a front that drops to provide a writing surface, and a roll-top desk features a rolling tambour that covers the surface. None of those describe a flat, non-revealing top, so they don’t fit as well.