Desks and Writing Tables
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1840s Danish Other Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1930s Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1970s American Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Beech
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Early 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Late 17th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s Danish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1930s French Louis XVI Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass
2010s Danish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
2010s Danish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
2010s Danish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s Italian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Other
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1880s British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Oak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stained Glass, Wood
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Portuguese Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century French Adirondack Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
2010s Croatian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Gold Leaf
2010s Italian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
19th Century French Adirondack Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Croatian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Croatian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Ash
2010s Croatian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Ash
2010s Croatian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s Croatian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
2010s Danish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Teak
2010s Chinese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
18th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s Danish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1910s Finnish Art Nouveau Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Danish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s Finnish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Ash
2010s French Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Antique and Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
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.