Desks and Writing Tables
19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather
1960s Italian Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Ebony, Oak
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo
2010s Slovenian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Plastic, Fiberglass
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1920s British Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Laminate, Wood, Lacquer
Mid-18th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Leather
1950s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Ceramic, Wood
1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
19th Century Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Late 19th Century French Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Kingwood
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Parchment Paper, Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Glass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Late 20th Century American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Mirror, Oak
Early 19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Other
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
1910s European Edwardian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s Italian Other Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Early 19th Century German Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Mexican Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Steel
Early 20th Century French Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome, Aluminum
2010s Swiss Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Ceramic, Glass
2010s Cypriot Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
20th Century Scottish Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Sycamore
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1880s American Chippendale Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1830s American American Empire Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
20th Century Country Desks and Writing Tables
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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