Berkey Desk
Early 20th Century American Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Antique Late 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
20th Century American Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century Italian Regency Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century American Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century American William and Mary Vanities
Walnut
20th Century American Queen Anne Secretaires
Brass
Recent Sales
Early 20th Century Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1940s American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1940s American Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Louis XVI Desks
Wood
20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
20th Century American Empire Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Walnut
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21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Brass
Vintage 1970s American Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century French Hollywood Regency Jewelry Boxes
Amethyst, Metal, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary English Folk Art Side Tables
Iron
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Dressers
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Night Stands
Brass
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Aluminum
2010s Queen Anne Center Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric, Upholstery, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Animal Sculptures
Marble, Spelter
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Chandeliers and Pendants
Milk Glass
Antique Late 18th Century Austrian Folk Art Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine, Paint
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Glass
Glass
Antique Mid-19th Century French Tapestries
Tapestry
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Animal Sculptures
Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Jewelry Boxes
Silver Plate, Bronze
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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