Jean Prouve - like desk? Help, please? Spazio, B.B.P.R., Olivetti?  

I agree, it is cool enough to keep regardless of pedigree. It is a good looking desk that has enough prescence to carry itself even without a designer or manufacturer attribution.

To me, it looks 1950s Italian (but I could be wrong too), the lightness in appearance, the floating beveled edge top, the subtle kink and asymmetrical top just reminds me of other Italian desk from that period. Studio BBPR did two systems with similar feet from 1959 & 1963 but the hardware/handles were integrated to the drawer fronts.

Is the height lower than a standard desk height like for a typewriter? Maybe this is the desk return piece of a larger desk?

Thanks, minimoma, for the thoughtful reply.

I do see what you are thinking from looking at other similars with returns... that's a great thought that had never occurred to me. Unfortunately the desk is still in storage so I can't check the height quite yet, but I don't recall it being lower than standard desk height, and don't remember any evidence or "ghosts" of it having been connected in any way to something else.

I think it's likely Italian, too, though. The fact that I can't seem to find similar brass handles on ANY other type of steel desk of ANY form really puzzles me as well. I'm still searching that aspect as a possible clue to origin or maker.

Hoping for more thoughts from others... thanks fo much for yours!