Half Moon Writing Table
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Antique 1850s Irish High Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Hardwood
2010s American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Plywood
2010s North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Reclaimed Wood
Late 20th Century English Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
20th Century French Art Deco Vanities
Leather, Elm
People Also Browsed
2010s American Minimalist Beds and Bed Frames
Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Desks
Aluminum
Antique 19th Century French Restauration Table Lamps
Gold Plate
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Night Stands
Chrome
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Cabinets
Ormolu
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cockt...
Agate, Bronze
Vintage 1980s German Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century European Post-Modern Dry Bars
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century German Louis XVI Secretaires
Cherry
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Benches
Birch, Plywood, Wood
Vintage 1970s German Space Age Lounge Chairs
Fabric
Antique Late 19th Century Belle Époque Decorative Boxes
Bronze, Ormolu
Vintage 1970s Danish Post-Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood, Pine
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
Vintage 1950s English Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Karl Johan Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome, Steel
Vintage 1950s European Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Glass
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Parchment Paper
20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Granite, Steel
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Antique Early 1900s Austrian Other More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Burl
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Vintage 1980s American Desks and Writing Tables
Granite
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1950s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Formica
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern 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.
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