Desks and Writing Tables
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
20th Century English Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
20th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Leather
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1970s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Ash
Mid-20th Century English Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Faux Bamboo
1890s British Late Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1860s British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
1950s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1890s American Mission Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Padouk
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Late 20th Century American Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Ormolu
Late 17th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Late 19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1960s French Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-19th Century English Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
20th Century Belgian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1890s English Campaign Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut, Paint
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1950s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1840s British Early Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s Slovenian Desks and Writing Tables
Ash
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Late 19th Century Italian Rustic Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Pine
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
2010s Slovenian Desks and Writing Tables
Ash
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1830s English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 20th Century French Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Chrome
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century Chinese Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Formica, Walnut
1860s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Ormolu
1890s British Edwardian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
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.
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