'My' little desk

Long, long ago, I received one like this for Christmas. My parents (yes, both of them, so it must have been no later than 1971, our father's last Christmas with us) asked my sister Kate and I what we'd like. Kate chose a bicycle, and received a shiny blue Raleigh Dart. Curious child that I was, I said I'd like a table for making things, or writing. On Christmas Day, there it stood, under the tree, labelled but not wrapped. In truth, I was a tiny bit disappointed that it looked so school-y, and that one had to climb in and out of it (there was a folding seat attached, so it wasn't exactly the same model as this) which I found awkward.

However, I grew to love it, and the storage space was certainly useful. I still had it in my room when I was twelve! It was definitely the best, and largest, Christmas present I was ever given.

I had a Proustian moment when I saw this model for sale in Stroud. Appropriate, as I am attempting to read Proust (Guermantes way part I) at present. £39 is the asking price. Wonder how much it would have cost in Dublin in 1971?