$2,450
H 31.25 in W 40.5 in D 36.25 in
Art Deco Oak Corner Desk, Amsterdam School Design, 1920s Vintage
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A remarkable example of Dutch design, this unique Art Deco 'Amsterdam School' corner desk is a
Oak
$3,975
H 29.5 in W 29 in D 21 in
19th Century French Louis XV Inlaid Walnut & Bronze Folding Game Table with Felt
Located in Dallas, TX
writing desks; each corner is further embellished with a bronze floral decorative mounts. This felt
Bronze
Unavailable
H 29.25 in W 42.25 in D 28.5 in
Mid-1800s Table of Old-Growth Pine for Hallway, Entranceway, Room Corner
Located in Madison, WI
Table of old-growth pine for hallway, entranceway, room corner. handcrafted in the mid-1800s. The
Pine, Paint
Unavailable
H 28.5 in W 22.5 in D 16 in
Fine Mahogany Work Table with Convex Corners and Lift Top, New York, circa 1810
Located in Providence, RI
This is an exceptional work table of beautiful form. We have never seen the convex corner so well
Mahogany
Sold
H 31.5 in W 47.6 in D 24.4 in
Cherry Wood Writing Desk with Kneehole Late 18th Century, Austria, circa 1790
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
embellished with inlayed brand painted flowers in each corner. This elaborate made antique writing desk offers
Brass
Rare 18th Century English Table in Walnut with Pinched Top Corners
Located in Milford, NH
molded edge and pinched corners surmounting a case with single dovetailed frieze drawer over an apron
Brass
Sold
H 39 in W 48.5 in D 35.5 in
19th Century Enlish Victorian Corner Desk with Green Leather Top in Maple.
Located in Dallas, TX
An English Victorian birdseye maple corner desk with an old green leather top with large drawers
Leather, Wood, Birdseye Maple
Victorian Walnut Corner Bureau in Queen Anne Style
Located in Heathfield, East Sussex
antique furniture for that awkward corner you have always struggled with! The writing slope is 29 inches
Brass
William IV Canted Corner Writing Table
Located in New York, NY
Unusual William IV Mahogany Writing Table with Canted Corners, Both Front and Back Apron Finished
Mahogany, Leather
$500 / item
H 18.7 in W 13.2 in D 3 in
Manly P Hall, the Secret Teachings of All Ages, First Edition Book & 4 Prints
By TASCHEN
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The classic encyclopedia of the arcane in an expanded edition. Renowned philosopher and lecturer Manly P. Hall’s masterful encyclopedia of ancient symbols, hidden rituals, and arcan...
Foil
$4,000
H 34.65 in W 69.3 in D 17.52 in
Japanese Antique Large Tansu 1860s-1900s / Sideboard Cabinet Storage Wabi Sabi
Located in Chōsei District Nagara, JP
This is a large antique Tansu chest from Japan, crafted during the Meiji period (1860s–1900s). It is made of Japanese cedar, whose surface has gained depth and character over time, c...
Cedar
Sectional Sofa by Jorge Zalszupin for L'Atelier
By Jorge Zalszupin
Located in San Francisco, CA
Amazing nine-piece sectional sofa by Jorge Zalszupin for L'Atelier. Seven of the pieces are similar shaped, much like slipper chairs on their own and two are triangularly-shaped, ser...
Leather, Rosewood
$2,838 / item
H 24 in W 24 in D 24 in
Modern Fabric Pendant Light by Studio Mirei, Nebula 60, from Costantini
Located in New York, NY
The Nebula collection is drawn out of the interstellar clouds of dust and gas in space - regions where stars begin to form. Made of a woven natural fiber from the banana tree, which ...
Natural Fiber
Rare early 20th century Sofa by Frits Henningsen
By Frits Henningsen
Located in Allerum, SE
Rare and elegant early 20th century mahogany and leather sofa by Frits Henningsen with leather-covered back, with Neoclassical tapered legs terminating in cube feet. ca 1930s Denmark...
Leather, Mahogany
Sculptural Scandinavian Modern Chair in Wood Denmark - 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Sculptural Scandinavian Modern Chair in Wood, Denmark - 1960s.
Wood
$5,395
H 113.5 in W 85 in D 65 in
Mid-Century Italian Corner Shelving Unit, Gio Ponti Style, Bookmatched Wood
By Gio Ponti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An architecturally compelling Italian corner room divider shelving unit attributed to the Gio Ponti design aesthetic. The piece features a floor-to-ceiling adjustable support rod wit...
Metal
Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort - 1960's Italy
By Joe Colombo
Located in Lisboa, PT
Iconic Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort - Collectible Design Masterpiece The Elda Chair, designed by visionary Italian designer Joe Colombo for Comfort in the 1960s, is an unpa...
Leather, Fiberglass
$187,500
H 102 in W 84.5 in D 22.5 in
Exceptional 19th Century English Chinoiserie Pagoda Display Cabinet
Located in Houston, TX
Large-scale 19th century English display cabinet executed in the Chinoiserie tradition. Constructed in carved mahogany and conceived as a tripartite architectural façade, each glazed...
Glass, Mahogany
$15,000 / set
H 17 in W 47 in D 12 in
Pair Modernist Gouffe Cerused Oak Wall Shelf Deco, 1930s, France
By Maison Gouffé
Located in New York, NY
Pair Gouffe cerused oak wall shelf deco, 1930s, France Beautiful cerused wall shelf with an interesting shape. The shelf is a good example of timeless design. This shelf was part o...
Oak
$82,619
H 61.23 in W 40.36 in D 18.31 in
Axel-Einar Hjorth 'Lovö' Cabinet in Pine, Nordiska Kompaniet Sweden, 1930s
By Nordiska Kompaniet, Axel Einar Hjorth
Located in The Hague, NL
This very rare cabinet was designed by Axel Einar Hjorth and produced by Nordiska Kompaniet in Sweden. It is part of the iconic Lovö series, designed by Hjorth in the early 1930s. T...
Iron
$11,212
H 41.74 in W 51.97 in D 17.72 in
Scandinavian Modern cabinet '2661' by Mjölby Intarsia, Sweden, 1940s
By Erik Mattsson 1, Mjölby Intarsia
Located in Eskilstuna, SE
Exceptional cabinet or sideboard model '2661' by unknown designer and executed by Mjölby Intarsia in Sweden during the 1940s. Beautiful wooden inlay on doors. Key included. One of...
Beech, Oak, Teak, Walnut
Lio Carminati for Casa e Giardino, Gio Ponti Style Shelving Unit
By Casa e Giardino, Gio Ponti, Lio Carminati
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A masterfully designed three-section Italian Mid-Century shelving unit, a testament to the elegant modernism of its era. This piece was designed by Lio Carminati, a frequent collabor...
Wire
$12,950
H 15.375 in W 80.375 in D 39.375 in
1960's Pierre Chapo 'L03' Daybed in Solid Elm with Newly Upholstered Mattress
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1960's 'L03' daybed by Pierre Chapo with new upholstered light gray mattress. This piece is made from solid elm wood, features Chapo's signature handcrafted joints and includes two d...
Upholstery, Elm
$1,800Sale Price|35% Off
H 28 in W 44 in D 45.25 in
French Louis XV Style Handkerchief Folding Game Table
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A Classic French Louis XV style handkerchief card table that cleverly transforms from a narrower side table into a square gaming surface with embossed leather leaves, all supported b...
Wood
$27,500
H 46.46 in W 101.58 in D 20.28 in
Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega Decorative Fireplace Mantel
By Vittorio Valabrega
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ernesto Valabrega for Studio Vittorio Valabrega, decorative fireplace mantel, lacquered wood, plaster, glass, iron, Italy, 1930s This striking decorative fireplace mantel, presumabl...
Iron
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.
Top interior designers show — and tell — us how to create delectable spaces for hosting dinner parties.
Fans of the French film star may be surprised to learn that he had a flair for furniture with sleek lines and disco-era flash.
Like other pieces in the firm’s Candy Box collection, the cheerful limited-edition design showcases French craft.
Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
The designer’s innovative use of an unexpected material gives this console a lift.
The stately piece brings both gravitas and whimsy to any work space.
Use them as tables or stools, indoors or out.