roll top

a flexible, sliding cover for the working area of a desk, opening by rising upward and back in quadrantal grooves and rolling up beneath the top.

Also called roll-top desk, rolltop desk. a desk with such a cover.

Origin of roll top

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

What part of it wasn't taken up by a roll-top desk was filled by a table fairly groaning under its load of magazines.

The Trail of Conflict |Emilie Baker Loring
There were a table and a chair or two, and in a corner an American roll-top desk.

Hard Pressed |Fred M. White
In the room beyond, evidently the holy of holies, he could see an elderly man at a roll-top desk smoking a large cigar.

McAllister and His Double |Arthur Train
With his back to Carl, the dean was writing at a roll-top desk.

The Trail of the Hawk |Sinclair Lewis

The next morning Leon Sammet sat at his roll-top desk in his private office, while Barney went over the morning mail.

Potash & Perlmutter |Montague Glass