Desks and Writing Tables
1970s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Teak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1970s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Formica, Teak
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany
1970s American International Style Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass, Steel
1940s American Regency Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1830s British Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Concrete
Early 1900s Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1930s British Victorian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Late 18th Century Italian Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century English Gothic Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Burl
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Lacquer
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
1930s French Louis XVI Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 2000s American Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables
Sycamore, Walnut
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1910s Danish Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Late 18th Century Italian Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Maple
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1990s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Palisander
1920s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Macassar
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
Early 20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Late 20th Century French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
2010s Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1970s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Bronze, Steel, Stainless Steel
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century German Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Maple, Fabric
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1790s French Directoire Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1890s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
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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