Claw Foot Writing Table
Antique Early 1900s Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lacquer
Wood, Cypress, Lacquer
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Antique 1830s British William IV Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
20th Century Russian Neoclassical Vases
Malachite, Ormolu
Early 20th Century European Biedermeier Secretaires
Oak
Antique 19th Century French Moorish Busts
Bronze
Antique 1880s Spanish Rococo Paintings
Canvas, Giltwood
Vintage 1920s Swedish Chippendale Secretaires
Oak
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
Antique 19th Century Italian Greco Roman Figurative Sculptures
Carrara Marble
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Tang Antiquities
Pottery
1990s American Post-Modern Sofas
Bouclé, Upholstery
Antique 1810s English Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Antique Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Tables
Oak
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1940s French Louis XVI Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Antique 1880s French Country Bookcases
Brass
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Antique Late 18th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 1860s Dutch Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1910s British Chippendale Desks
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
Early 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Swedish Rococo Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Zebra Wood
Antique Early 1800s North American Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1980s Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Empire Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 1810s English Regency Sofa Tables
Rosewood
Late 20th Century English Tables
Antique Late 19th Century Spanish Gothic Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century English Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Goatskin, Walnut
20th Century Side Tables
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
1990s American Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
Antique Late 19th Century Great Britain (UK) Chippendale Desks and Writi...
Leather, Mahogany
Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Vintage 1930s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Finding the Right desks-writing-tables for You
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.
- When were claw foot tables made?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Claw foot tables were first made in the 18th century. Typically, artisans carved the feet out of solid wood. Many Chippendale-style furniture designs show off this feature. Later works sometimes featured metal claws holding glass balls. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of antique claw foot tables.
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