Industrial and Work Tables
19th Century French Folk Art Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
2010s American Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
1930s Spanish Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Fruitwood
1960s Italian Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Industrial and Work Tables
Hardwood
1870s French Country Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1870s English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Oak, Pine
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1950s Finnish Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Elm
Mid-19th Century Spanish Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
Late 19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
1930s French Folk Art Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Beech
Early 20th Century French Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Teak
20th Century French Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
20th Century European Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
1930s Mexican Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
2010s Canadian Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century English Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Beech
Early 20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Beech, Chestnut
Mid-20th Century Swedish Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel, Zinc
1910s French Country Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
20th Century Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
1880s French Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Wrought Iron
19th Century British George IV Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
19th Century British Rococo Revival Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Rosewood
1850s Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
1860s Chinese Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood, Lacquer
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Bronze, Steel, Zinc
1930s Mexican Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
2010s Canadian Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Ash, Oak, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1930s Mexican Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
2010s Canadian Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Ash, Oak, Walnut
1930s Mexican Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Victorian Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
19th Century American Primitive Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
1810s American Federal Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
1930s Mexican Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
2010s French Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Brass, Iron
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Chestnut, Pine
20th Century Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
1920s French Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
1890s American Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1930s American Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Early 20th Century Swedish Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Zinc
19th Century English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 20th Century Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Late 18th Century William IV Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Hungarian Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
1830s French Louis Philippe Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
Antique and Vintage Industrial Tables and Work Tables
From drafting tables to preparation tables to kitchen islands and more, the collection of antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables on 1stDibs features a wide range of robust furnishings that fit seamlessly into modern interiors.
Work tables, just like most tables, have evolved considerably over the years.
More than 1,000 years before iconic American furniture brand Herman Miller would help shape the way we work — and later, how we live at home — monks who lived and worked in medieval-era monasteries stood at what you might call crude writing desks, translating religious texts and copying them by hand.
While those who practiced the art of handwritten letters definitely needed a suitable writing desk, the world wouldn’t see proper roll-top desks and the like until the 19th century. Owing to the work of architects such as Antoni Gaudí, these monastery “desks” were essentially work tables. (Chairs, much less actual desk chairs, weren’t a part of the workspace until the Renaissance.) It was a far cry from the cozy home office that affords many of us the opportunity to work remotely today.
Near the end of the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution brought with it the founding of mills and factories, and hand production methods gave way to machinery and mass production. Factory workers needed sturdy industrial tables to perform tasks that required precision and to support the manufacturing industry. Spare work tables — durable and easy to clean — were constructed of metal and wood and became essential on assembly lines and in packing facilities. Today, industrial-style furniture celebrates the past even as it suggests vigor, productivity and brawn.
Aside from how well antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables will fit in your industrial-style interior — think raw brick walls, exposed steel beams and oak floors — these furnishings have practical uses. They’re a must-have item for a number of creative endeavors: They’re an ideal food-prep surface in your kitchen or an efficient work surface for any kind of hands-on workshop or painting and drawing studio. With some creativity, you can turn a vintage wood industrial table or work table into a desk, dining room table or coffee table.
At 1stDibs, we love the industrial-style furniture trend, and here you can find a wide range of antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables as well as other furnishings that will look wonderful in your heavenly loft space.