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Desks For Sale
Period: 1940s
Jean PROUVE - "Standard BS"
Located in Saint ouen, FR
Jean PROUVE (1901-1984). "Standard BS" desk in folded and white lacquered sheet steel and oak suspended pedestals. Manufactured by the Jean Prouvé workshops around 1948. H: 74 cm - W...
Category

1940s Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

Hunting Aviation Metal Desk Ernest Race
Located in New York, NY
Ernest Race designed Metal Desk for P.W. Cow / Hunting Aviation, United Kingdom 1946. A wonderful piece of British Design History Desk by Ernest Race. The aluminum metal has a pattern to its surface as aircraft panels...
Category

1940s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Alvar Aalto Mahogany Desk for Artek with Drawers and Pull Out Work Surfaces
Located in Chicago, IL
The model #500 mahogany desk designed by Alvar Aalto, made in Sweden for Artek, Finland. Six drawers with two pull-out work surface boards. A nice example...
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Mahogany

Gilbert Rhode for Herman Miller EOG No. 17 Receptionist Desk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
For your consideration is this rare Gilbert Rohde EOG No. 17 Receptionist Desk manufactured by Herman Miller in the 1940s. The desk is in original, unrestored condition. It's compose...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Steel

Art Deco Secretary Cabinet Desk in Book Matched Walnut by Gilbert Rohde
Located in New York, NY
This rare and captivating Art Deco Drop Front Secreter Desk in Book-matched Hand-Rubbed Walnut is by the esteemed furniture designer Gilbert Rohde and originates from the United Stat...
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Walnut

Italian 1940s Solid Oak Wood Writing Desk with Shutter Doors
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Vintage Italian writing desk circa 1940s in solid oak wood. Comfortable size for a practical use. Characterized by two doors on the sides with shutter opening, internally four drawer...
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

France Desk Art Deco, 1950, France, Material: Wood Attributed to Jean Souvrain
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
French Desk Style: Art Deco Year 1940 Wood and bronze Finish: polyurethanic lacquer. It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Bronze

Folk Art Red Hand Painted Figures and Flowers Small Pine Slant Top Desk 1940's
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
1573 Folk Art hand painted pine stant lap desk Hand painted figures and floral design Pencil compartments and place for note paper and cards
Category

1940s Vintage Desks

Materials

Pine

Art Deco oak desk, France, Circa 1940
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
Business or administration desk from the 1940s. France, Art Deco. 4 Drawers with common locking, a leaf extension and a retractable shelf above the drawer unit. Footrest bar. Key ...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood, Oak

French modernist desk in solid oak ceruse from the 40's style Jacques adnet
Located in Lyon, FR
Imposing modernist desk of the 50s in the taste of the work of Jean Michel Frank. Structure in solid oak and veneer, ceruse work on the whole desk. It is composed of three lateral dr...
Category

1940s French Post-Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Stow Davis Kidney Shaped Executive Desk
Located in Hanover, MA
Handsome late 1940's American Art Deco kidney shaped desk designed by Giacomo "Jack" Buzzita for Stow Davis' Executive collection. Beautifully refinished bleached walnut large kidney shaped top overhangs ovoid shaped satin finished dark walnut case of drawers with cast bronze pulls and a crescent moon shaped pedestal support, both on a shaped ebonized plinth. Case appears like four drawers but is actually three as the middle is double height and fitted for files. Organizer vide poche in top drawer along with metal label "Stow & Davis Furniture Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan". Crescent moon pedestal can be reversed if preferred so the cove faces inside (see last two detail images). Stylistically similar to designs of Gilbert Rohde. Depth of top from center is 39 inches. This particular desk is unusual insofar as all the others I've seen are oriented the other way so that the ovoid case is on the left side and the crescent pedestal is on the right while the kidney top...
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Bronze

Black Lacquered Ormolu Desk / Bureau Plat
Located in Dallas, TX
French Louis XV writing desk featuring cabriole legs, exquisite ormolu, and a glossy black lacquered top. The elegant gilt bronze fittings protect the edges and at the same time acce...
Category

1940s French Louis XV Vintage Desks

Materials

Brass

Scandinavian desk from the 1940s
Located in Brescia, IT
1940s white desk with metal handles. Art Deco-style white desk with dark-colored metal handles. This original vintage office desk features a large work surface with slightly curved ...
Category

1940s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

Restored Rattan and Mahogany Desk with Stacked Rattan Sides
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Experience the allure of tropical sophistication with our Restored Rattan and Mahogany Desk. This Tiki-style masterpiece boasts stacked rattan sides, exuding exotic charm. The desk f...
Category

1940s Vintage Desks

Materials

Rattan, Mahogany

Desk in Wood, 1940, Made in France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
French Desk Year: 1940 It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood used make it unique. It is an icon of distinction. You want t...
Category

1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

Desk in Wood, 1940, Made in France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood used make it unique. It is an icon of distinction. You want to live in the golden yea...
Category

1940s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Desks

Materials

Bronze

Desk Style Art Deco in Wood and chrome, 1940, Made in Germany
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Only the wood is restored, not the chrome metal It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood used make it unique. It is an icon of...
Category

1940s German Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

Desk, 1950, Materials: Wood and Bronze, Made in France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
French Desk style: Art Deco Year: 1940 Material: Wood and bronze It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood used make it unique....
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Bronze

Desk Style Art Deco in Wood and chrome, 1940, Made in Germany
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Only the wood is restored, not the chrome metal It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood used make it unique. It is an icon of...
Category

1940s German Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Chrome

Desk Style Art Deco in Wood, 1940, Made in France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
French Desk style: Art Deco Year: 1940 It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood used make it unique. It is an icon of distinct...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

1940s Hollywood Regency Ladies Kidney Shaped Writing Desk -Finished in the Round
Located in Opa Locka, FL
1940's Hollywood Regency Kidney Shaped Ladies Writing Desk. This piece is finished on all sides and would "float" very nicely in your room of choice. There is drawer space and shelve...
Category

1940s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

1940s French Art Deco Extendable Oak Table
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
Presenting an exquisite French Art Deco dining table inspired by the timeless beauty of the French provincial style. Crafted from rich oak, this table showcases the wood's intrinsic ...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

1940s Traditional style Writing Desk w/ Hermes Orange Leather Top
Located in Opa Locka, FL
1940's Traditional style Writing Desk with Hermes Leather Top. Beautifully carved with 4 spacious drawers.
Category

1940s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

Vintage 1949 Mid-Century Modern Custom L-Shaped Office Desk by George Nelson
Located in Lafayette, IN
This remarkable piece is a one-off desk/wardrobe/bar/bookcase/storage cabinet custom-designed by George Nelson in 1949 to match his Basic Cabinet Series (BCS) for Herman Miller. The desk was made specifically for a client in the Promontory Apartment Building in Chicago designed by Nelson's associate, and world-renowned architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The entire apartment was outfitted in pieces from George Nelson's Basic Cabinet Series for Herman Miller that sat, untouched for nearly 70 years in their original setting! In addition to two aluminium sconces, this piece also features hidden, fluorescent lighting mounted in the upper canopy as a clever solution to Mies van der Rohe's lack of ceiling fixtures. This is a gorgeous, grandiose, and extremely rare piece of design history that will instantly outfit an entire office in striking style! Features: Desk: - Book-matched walnut veneer - Built-in Bar - Built in coat closet/wardrobe - Dual aluminum sconces - Hidden, indirect fluorescent lighting - Silver-plated Herman Miller hardware - Dual "floating" book shelves - Tapered, cantilevered peninsula desk...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Aluminum

Italian Mid-Century Executive desk designed by Osvaldo Borsani, 1940
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Questa scrivania stupenda è stata disegnata da Osvaldo Borsani negli anni '40 del Novecento. La linea sagomata sul fronte nella parte del cassetto centrale, il retro della scrivania ...
Category

1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Brass

French Extendable Art Deco Table Oak, Dudouyt, 1940s
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
French Art Deco dining table. The table features stunning oak sanded wood grain with a stunning patina. The top is encrusted with a checked marquetry. It rests on tall and Brutalist ...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Table in Solid Oak, Charles Dudouyt, 1940s
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
Immerse yourself in the timeless allure of French Art Deco design with this exceptional dining table crafted by the renowned Charles Dudouyt. This table is a true masterpiece, charac...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Elm

French Art Deco Occasionnal Table Oak, 1940s
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
Presenting a captivating and compact French Art Deco dining table that exudes timeless elegance. This exquisite table showcases the beauty of oak wood with a sanded finish, revealing...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Desk in Wood and chrome, France, 1940
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
"Free shipping in florida" It was exhibited at Palm beach "American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF)" Desk Year 1940 French Wood and chrome Finish: polyurethanic lacquer It is an ...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Chrome

1940s French Art Deco Extendable Oak Table
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
Introducing a remarkable French Art Deco dining table designed by the renowned Charles Dudouyt, a celebrated furniture designer known for his exceptional craftsmanship, innovative de...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

French Large Art Deco Table Oak, Dudouyt, 1940s
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
French Art Deco dining table. The table features stunning oak sanded wood grain with a stunning patina. The top is encrusted with a checked marquetry. It rests on tall and Brutalist ...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Rare Desk with Chair by Brown Saltman
Located in Torrance, CA
Brown Saltman, desk with chair, wood, United States, circa 1940s A cubist desk with chair. This set holds a similar idiom with clear forms and lines. Both the chair and the desk ...
Category

1940s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

1940s French Art Deco Extendable Oak Table by Dudouyt
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
Introducing a remarkable French Art Deco dining table designed by the renowned Charles Dudouyt, a celebrated furniture designer known for his exceptional craftsmanship, innovative de...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Antique American Oak Cabinet, circa 1940
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Antique cabinet unit. Made in American oak and metal. Manufactured by unknown designer, circa 1940. In good condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving a...
Category

1940s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

French Art Deco Occasionnal Table Oak, 1940s
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
Presenting a captivating and compact French Art Deco dining table that exudes timeless elegance. This exquisite table showcases the beauty of oak wood with a sanded finish, revealing...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Modernist Desk in Solid Wood 40s / 50s Bauhaus Style Vintage
Located in Lyon, FR
French desk from the 40s / 50s in modernist Bauhaus style. Structure of the desk in veneered and solid Rio rosewood with a triple tubular base in chromed steel quite rare. The desk i...
Category

1940s French Bauhaus Vintage Desks

Materials

Chrome

Desk Art Deco, 1940, Materials: Wood and Bronze, Made in France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
French Desk style: Art Deco Year: 1940 Material: Wood and bronze It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood used make it uni...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Bronze

Extraordinary Colorful Rococo Style Painted Secretary Cabinet with Chair
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Custom painted in a striking blue exterior with an electric and contrasting green interior and having a strong form, ornate gilt hinges and pulls, escutcheons (with keys) and Top fin...
Category

1940s Rococo Revival Vintage Desks

Materials

Metal

Vintage WWII Folding Military Field Desk
Located in Pasadena, TX
Vintage WWII Military Field Desk A vintage US Military aluminum celadon green painted metal folding field desk. Transforms from a rectangle to p...
Category

1940s North American Industrial Vintage Desks

Materials

Aluminum

Desk Art Deco, 1940, Materials: Wood and Bronze, Made in France
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
French Desk style: Art Deco Year: 1940 Material: Wood and bronze It is an elegant and sophisticated dream desk. The quality of the furniture and the exotic wood used make it uni...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Bronze

Mid Century Bentwood Desk by Paul Goldman for Plymold 1946
Located in Oakland, CA
Streamlined midcentury desk of Bentwood construction by designer Paul Goldman for Plymold. This unique and beautiful treatment of wood furniture was developed by Goldman, a master bo...
Category

1940s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Bentwood

Chippendale Style Mahogany Partners Desk
Located in Montreal, QC
This superb desk is a copy of one made by Thomas Chippendale in 1766 for Sir Rowland Winn . The original masterpiece of English cabinetry is at his residence, Nostell Priory in Yo...
Category

1940s English George III Vintage Desks

Materials

Leather, Wood

French Extendable Cerused Art Deco Table Oak, Dudouyt, 1940s
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
French Art Deco dining table. The table features stunning oak sanded wood grain with a stunning patina. The top is encrusted with a checked marquetry. It rests on tall and Brutalist ...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Vintage Viking Oak Kneehole Writing Desk with Matching Chair by Romweber
Located in Lafayette, IN
Excellent vintage writing desk in the Viking Oak style by the Romweber Furniture Co. of Batesville, IN. This charming desk features wonderful relief carved details, solid oak constru...
Category

1940s American Vintage Desks

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Desk, Teak, Brass, Italy, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A teak and brass desk or secretaire designed and produced by an Italian Designer, Italy, 1940s.
Category

1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Brass

Jacques Adnet Table
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Wonderful Jacques Adnet table which could also be used as a desk. Beautiful slatted oak wood top and signature caramel leather legs with contrast stitch detail New leather beautif...
Category

1940s French Vintage Desks

Materials

Leather, Oak

Rationalist Desk by Giuseppe Pagano for Maggioni, Veneered Wood, Italy, c. 1940
Located in Berlin, DE
Rationalist wooden desk designed by Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig and manufactured by Maggioni, Varedo, circa 1940. The desk was designed for the Bocc...
Category

1940s Italian Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Wood

Paul Laszlo, Freeform Desk, Oak, Brown Saltman, USA, 1940s
Located in High Point, NC
A freeform oak desk designed by Paul Laszlo and produced by Brown Saltman, USA, 1940s.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Design Desk, Curved Top, Piano Lacquer, Chrome, France, 1950s
Located in Regensburg, DE
Extraordinary curved (kidney-shaped) designer desk from the 1950/60s. Asymmetrical shape similar to that of a grand piano. Walnut, high-gloss black finish with piano lacquer. Octagon...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Stainless Steel

Table in Solid Oak, Bleached, 1940s
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
French Art Deco dining table. The table features oak raw wood grain with a stunning patina. The table is in excellent original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Charles Dudouyt Desk & Chair
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Incredible Charles Dudouyt desk and chair with signature corkscrew carved legs, checkerboard wood top and carved circular detailed sides. Great sma...
Category

1940s French Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

1950s Cerused Oak Desk with Brass Pulls
Located in Dallas, TX
A very well crafted oak desk produced by Huntington Chair Corporation. This incredible example of Art Deco design is a collectible piece. Restored to mint condition. The desk has a cerused finish which highlights the nubian oak wood grain. Slightly shaped rectangular top with three well proportioned drawers to each side and an upper central pencil drawer. Unique round wood insert brass pulls with Art Deco form and design. Resting on angled and tapered wooden feet, clean Modernist lines. Having carved lines to the wood break...
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Brass

Edward Wormley for Dunbar Desk and Chair in Matching Leather
Located in Dallas, TX
An elegant and early design by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Desk model 4725 in mahogany with original green leather and matching swiveling stool.
Category

1940s Vintage Desks

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

French Large Art Deco Table Oak, Dudouyt, 1940s
Located in Wiesbaden, DE
French Art Deco dining table. The table features stunning oak sanded wood grain with a stunning patina. The top is encrusted with a marquetry of diamonds. It rests on tall and Brutal...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Oak

Vintage Art Deco "Fletcher Aviation" Executive Desk by Frank Fletcher
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Beautiful vintage Art Deco “Fletcher Aviation” designed by Frank Fletcher for Fletcher Aviation in the United States, circa 1940s. Due to its design and...
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Metal

Gilbert Rohde 4140 Vanity for Herman Miller
Located in Hanover, MA
Beautifully refinished mahogany vanity/coiffeuse by Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller with original off-white "leather cloth" (Fabrikoid) top and padded drawers. Kneehole: 26" high x 22" wide x 17.5" deep See our separate listings for other pieces from this same collection. See pages from original 1941 Herman Miller catalog.
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Desks

Materials

Faux Leather, Mahogany

Large Group incl. Walnut Desk and Sideboards Made by Ove Lander in 1947
Located in London, GB
Group of furniture made to order in 1947 by Ove Lander, Bredgade, Palae, Copenhagen Denmark and a third piece made in 1957 to match the originals pieces. For the avoidance of doubt, ...
Category

1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Walnut

Saarinen 1940's Johnson Birch Desk
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Eliel Saarinen for Johnson desk circa 1948. This rare example executed in birch has three drawers, sculptural s shaped legs and formed aluminum pulls. It has been masterfully restore...
Category

1940s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks

Materials

Aluminum

Vintage and Antique Desks for Sale — Shop Handcrafted Mid-Century Modern Desks, Art Deco Desks and Other Desks and Tables on 1stDibs

There’s no reason that the corner of your home you’ve dedicated to work shouldn’t also reflect your personality and sense of style. A collection of unique vintage and antique desks can be found on 1stDibs today.

The right desk can be a good fit for your space and help keep you organized when you need it most. For many, the word “desk” can have a negative connotation. Derived from the Latin desca, meaning “table to write on,” the word can understandably evoke memories of stuffy classrooms or monotonous workdays.

As working from home has become more widespread for part of the workforce, many professionals who work remotely park themselves at the dining-room table or at the kitchen countertop to do so. If you’ve got the space, it's healthy to set aside an area in your home designated for work. A good desk can keep you on track and keep your newly minted home office free of clutter and distractions. 

Within your own walls, an office area can be both personal and productive, decorated exactly to your taste or just an unobtrusive addition that aligns with the energy of the space as is. When shopping for a desk, keep height, space and specs in mind. It’s helpful to know if you’ll need the desk to offer storage, such as drawers or a hutch, or if it should fit alongside your bedroom wall as cleanly as possible.

An antique writing desk, for example, will offer a spacious, streamlined work experience with a desktop that affords real estate for your notebooks, pens, laptop and research materials. Secretary desks reveal small inner storage compartments — pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers — when their hinged leaves are folded out.

Maybe you'd prefer a vintage mid-century modern desk that seamlessly incorporates drawers for storage.

Nebraska-born designer Don S. Shoemaker became inspired by Mexico’s tropical woods, such as cocobolo, a Mexican rosewood, and he decided to work with the material in the postwar years to create desks and other furnishings. Elsewhere, made according to the same high standards as the company’s chairs, celebrated mid-century manufacturer Herman Miller produced desks over the years in a number of versions, created by designers like George Nelson, Gilbert Rohde and Bruce Burdick.

Whether you want a dramatic rolltop-style furnishing akin to the 18th-century secretary commissioned by Louis XVI or a contemporary piece made of everything from linoleum to fallen trees, a new desk and clever arrangement of desktop accessories can brighten the workday in any home. 

For every passion project, year-end report or spontaneous million-dollar app idea, find the desk you need on 1stDibs.

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