This desk didn't belong to just anyone; not some random noble or merchant... it belonged to King Frederick William II of Prussia, who ruled from 1786 to 1797. Despite being way too early for a valid steampunk reference, there's definitely a good case for a decent clockpunk salute here. What a marvelous creation... let's see Skynet and A.I. make anything like this.
+1 for human ingenuity and craft.
P.S. as an amateur woodworker, I'm as jealous as hell...