French Louis Library Table Bureau Plat
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XIV Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XIV Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Carrara Marble
Antique Late 19th Century French Régence Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Louis XIV Desks
Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Gesso, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
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Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Antique Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Chairs
Giltwood
21st Century and Contemporary French Andirons
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Sideboards
Marble, Bronze, Brass
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Desks
Leather, Maple, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ormolu
Antique 19th Century Swedish Louis XV Sofas
Upholstery, Down, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Boxwood, Olive, Satinwood
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Beech
Vintage 1920s French Louis XVI Wall Mirrors
Wood
20th Century Neoclassical Side Chairs
Wood, Giltwood
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Desks
Leather
Early 18th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Canapes
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
2010s British Louis XV Trumeau Mirrors
Wood
Recent Sales
Antique Late 18th Century French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Antique 1880s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Antique 1870s French Desks and Writing Tables
Antique 19th Century French Louis XIV Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XIII Desks
Leather, Oak
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Desks
Fruitwood, Leather
Antique 1870s English Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Desks and Writing Tables
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
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.
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