1930s Writing Desk
Vintage 1930s French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut
Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Vintage 1930s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Czech Bohemian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Beech, Plywood
Vintage 1930s French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Czech American Classical Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Oak
Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century European Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Burl
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Oak, Lacquer
Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1930s Spanish Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Nickel
Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Goatskin
Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome, Steel
Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Lacquer
Vintage 1930s American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Vintage 1930s British Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1930s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Beech, Walnut
Vintage 1930s Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome, Steel
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Zebra Wood
Vintage 1930s Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Early 20th Century American American Classical Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1930s Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1930s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1930s Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Vintage 1930s European Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
Vintage 1930s Austrian Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century French Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1930s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Vintage 1930s Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
Late 20th Century Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Mirror
Mid-20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
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1930s Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 1930s Writing Desk?
Finding the Right desks-writing-tables for You
Choosing the perfect writing desk or writing table is a profoundly personal journey, one that people have been embarking upon for centuries.
Queen Atossa of Persia, from her writing table circa 500 B.C., is said to have been the originator of the art of handwritten letters. Hers was reportedly the first in a long and colorful history of penned correspondence that grew in popularity alongside literacy. The demand for suitable writing desks, which would serve the composer of the letters as well as ensure the comfort of the recipient naturally followed, and the design of these necessary furnishings has evolved throughout history.
Once people began to seek freedom from the outwardly ornate styles of the walnut and rosewood writing desks and drafting tables introduced in the name of Queen Victoria and King Louis XV, radical shifts occurred, such as those that materialized during the Art Nouveau period, when designers longed to produce furniture inspired by the natural world’s beauty. A prime example is the work of the famous late-19th-century Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí — his rolltop desk featured deep side drawers and was adorned with carved motifs that paid tribute to nature. Gaudí regularly combined structural precision with decorative elements, creating beautiful pieces of furniture in wood and metal.
Soon afterward, preferences for sleek, geometric, stylized forms in furniture that saw an emphasis on natural wood grains and traditional craftsmanship took hold. Today, Art Deco desks are still favored by designers who seek to infuse interiors with an air of luxury. One of the most prominent figures of the Art Deco movement was French decorator and furniture designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann. With his use of neoclassical motifs as well as expensive and exotic materials such as imported dark woods and inlays of precious metals for his writing desks, Ruhlmann came to symbolize good taste and modernity.
The rise in appreciation for Scandinavian modernism continues to influence the design of contemporary writing desks. It employs the “no fuss” or “less is more” approach to creating a tasteful, sophisticated space. Sweden’s master cabinetmaker Bruno Mathsson created gallery-worthy designs that are as functional as they are beautiful. Finnish architect Alvar Aalto never viewed himself as an artist, but, like Mathsson, his furniture designs reflected a fondness for organic materials and a humanistic approach. Danish designers such as Hans Wegner introduced elegant shapes and lines to mid-century desks and writing tables, often working in oak and solid teak.
From vintage desks to contemporary styles, 1stDibs offers a broad spectrum of choices for conducting all personal and business writing and reading activities.
- What is a writing desk?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
A writing desk may refer to a desk with a top, often sloping, for writing on or to a portable case with compartments to hold writing materials and a surface for writing.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021A small writing table is also called a davenport table or davenport desk. They normally feature a sloped or inclined top attached with hinges to the back of the table. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage davenport desks.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021A writing desk with drawers is also called a secretary. It is a desk with drawers, one of which can be pushed out and the front of the desk lowered to create a flat writing surface. These writing desks have been made in a variety of styles over the years. Shop for a variety of writing tables with drawers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023Yes, people had record players in the 1930s. In fact, record players began to become more common during the decade and continued to grow in popularity throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Thomas Edison made the first phonograph record player in 1877. Shop a variety of record players on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 30, 2023What brides wore in the 1930s varied. Some wore long flowing dresses made of satin or silk. Long sleeves were popular and designs often featured only minimal embellishments like appliqués and beading. Because many people faced difficult financial situations due to the Great Depression, brides also sometimes simply wore their best dresses on their wedding days. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of vintage wedding dresses.
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023What an old-fashioned writing desk is called varies by design. Pieces with drop-down fronts are secretary desks (these are typically made of two parts: a chest of drawers on the bottom and a hutch or cupboard with shelves on the top), while ones that rest on two pillars, cabinets or bookcases are pedestal desks. A desk with a small writing surface positioned in front of drawers and cubbies is a bureau à gradin. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of desks.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 31, 2023In the 1930s, phones typically looked like rotary telephones. They had either a round or square base with a numbered dial that spun when you dialed and a handset receiver with both an earpiece and a mouthpiece. A cord connected the handset to the base. Find a variety of rotary phones on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023In French, the term for a writing desk that often featured a drop-down writing surface is secretaire. This type of desk is called a secretary desk in English. Simply put, a secretary desk is a multifunctional piece of furniture with a hinged writing surface that folds open or drops down. When the leaf is folded out, small inner storage compartments, which are called pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers, are revealed. On 1stDibs, shop antique secretary desks from some of the world's top sellers.
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