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19th Century Inlaid Wood English Writing Desk, 1880s
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Elegant English writing desk from the second half of the 19th century. Finished for the center
Category

Antique 1880s British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

19th Century Inlaid Wood English Writing Desk, 1880s
19th Century Inlaid Wood English Writing Desk, 1880s
$5,750 Sale Price
20% Off
H 40.95 in W 47.25 in D 25.2 in
19th Century English Writing Desk, Partner Style, Leather Top, Wood Grain Veneer
Located in Madrid, ES
This mid-19th century English writing desk features handsomely inlaid rich-grained mahogany veneer
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century British Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Hardwood

19th Century English Writing Desk, Partner Style, Leather Top, Wood Grain Veneer
19th Century English Writing Desk, Partner Style, Leather Top, Wood Grain Veneer
$5,840 Sale Price
25% Off
H 30.32 in W 53.15 in D 29.93 in
Large original 20th Century Classical English Writing Desk, circa 1910-1920
Located in Berlin, DE
Solid wood and mahogany stained body. Leather-covered worktop. Freely adjustable in the room. Desk
Category

20th Century English Chesterfield Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

19th Century English Writing Desk with Drawers and Hinged Door and Original Hand
Located in Marbella, ES
19th Century English Writing Desk with Drawers and Hinged Door and Original Handles
Category

Antique 19th Century English Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

Rare 19th Century English Writing Desk
By Holland & Sons
Located in London, GB
by concealed spring operated buttons: the writing surface edged with a gilt bronze guard cast with
Category

Antique 1860s English Louis XV Desks

Materials

Ormolu

Rare 19th Century English Writing Desk
Rare 19th Century English Writing Desk
$171,806
H 52.5 in W 55 in D 27 in
English Writing Desk With Mother Of Pearl And Abalone
Located in Dallas, TX
An english wood Writing Desk inlaid with abalone and mother of pearl. The lock is signed by maker
Category

Antique 1860s English Desk Sets

Materials

Leather, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood

Antique English Regency Leather Top Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Handsome 19th century English writing desk handcrafted in mixed exotic hardwoods, featuring a
Category

Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Antique English Regency Leather Top Desk
Antique English Regency Leather Top Desk
$7,150
H 28.5 in W 42 in D 21.5 in
English 19th Century Mahogany Writing Desk with Fluted Legs and Leather Top
Located in Atlanta, GA
This English writing desk from the 19th century is a well-proportioned and finely crafted example
Category

Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Mallard writing desk, English Walnut
By Stout Duck Ltd
Located in Skipton, GB
This truly unique English walnut writing desk has been exquisitely crafted with the utmost care and
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Hardwood, Boxwood, Cherry, Fruitwood, Walnut, Burl

Mallard writing desk, English Walnut
Mallard writing desk, English Walnut
$27,379 Sale Price
20% Off
H 295.28 in W 472.45 in D 236.23 in
English Decorative Chinoiserie Bureau Writing Desk
Located in Staffordshire, GB
circa 1900 English Decorative Chinoiserie Bureau Writing Desk - Bonheur Du Jour. Great colour and
Category

20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

English Decorative Chinoiserie Bureau Writing Desk
English Decorative Chinoiserie Bureau Writing Desk
$7,490
H 38.19 in W 22.84 in D 14.97 in
Late 19th Century Hand-Carved Wooden Writing Desk and Document Holder, India
Located in San Francisco, CA
Rare Indo-English writing desk features a flip-top document holder, is intricately carved with a
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Desks

Materials

Wood

English Bamboo Desk or Writing Table
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Charming 19th century three drawer desk featuring leather panels on top, foldout writing shelf
Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bamboo

English Bamboo Desk or Writing Table
English Bamboo Desk or Writing Table
$5,100
H 29 in W 37 in D 20 in
Classic English Partner Desk/Writing Desk 20th Century, Mahogany
Located in Berlin, DE
Classic English Partner Desk/Writing Desk 20th Century, Mahogany Solid mahogany, partially
Category

20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

English Edwardian Solid Oak Desk / Writing Table
Located in Leicester, GB
English Edwardian oak desk, handsomely made by ‘Mills & Mills Ltd' Coventry. Classic English solid
Category

Vintage 1930s British Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

English Edwardian Solid Oak Desk / Writing Table
English Edwardian Solid Oak Desk / Writing Table
$1,154 Sale Price
30% Off
H 29.93 in W 41.74 in D 26.78 in
1950s English Mahogany Writing Desk with Drawers
Located in Marbella, ES
English 1950s mahogany writing table with drawers and legs with bronze lions claws. Dimensions
Category

Mid-20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

1950s English Mahogany Writing Desk with Drawers
1950s English Mahogany Writing Desk with Drawers
$2,995
H 29.14 in W 42.13 in D 25.99 in
19th Century English Mahogany Partners’ Desk / Writing Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
19th Century English Mahogany Partners’ Desk / Writing Table with Embossed Red Leather Top & Turned
Category

Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

English Regency Desk with Foldable Desk / Writing Table 20th Century
Located in Berlin, DE
Extraordinary English regency desk with hinged sides and red leather top. 5 drawers in the front
Category

20th Century English Chesterfield Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Antique English Inlaid Rosewood Writing Desk, Circa 1890
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English inlaid rosewood writing desk on casters with leather and galleried top, Circa 1890.
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

English Hard Wood Portable Writing Desk, circa 1850
By OTHR
Located in Guadalajra, Jal
English country portable writing desk with lifting writing surface, it has its original bronze
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Mexican Rustic Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Hardwood

English Hard Wood Portable Writing Desk, circa 1850
English Hard Wood Portable Writing Desk, circa 1850
$1,800
H 14.57 in W 22.84 in D 16.93 in
Traditional English Leather Top Black Lacquered Writing Desk
Located in North York, ON
Traditional English leather top black lacquered writing desk. Newly made in the USA with iconic
Category

2010s American American Classical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Traditional English Leather Top Black Lacquered Writing Desk
Traditional English Leather Top Black Lacquered Writing Desk
$5,960 Sale Price
20% Off
H 30.75 in W 68 in D 32 in
English Mahogany Leather Top Writing Desk, Circa 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
English mahogany two-drawer leather top writing desk with carved molded edge, original brasses and
Category

Antique 1790s English George III Desks and Writing Tables

English Mahogany Leather Top Writing Desk, Circa 1780
English Mahogany Leather Top Writing Desk, Circa 1780
$12,500
H 28.75 in W 43 in D 22.75 in
English Hepplewhite Mahogany Tambour Writing Desk. Circa 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
English five drawer Hepplewhite tambour writing desk with fitted interior, satinwood string inlay
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier British Hepplewhite Desks and Writing T...

Fine 19th C. English Tunbridge Portable Writing Desk
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A fine larger Antique Travel Desk with fine wood and Mother-of-Pearl inlay. The dark mahogany
Category

Antique 19th Century Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Mother-of-Pearl

English Regency Style Mahogany Tooled Leather Top Writing Desk
Located in Bridgeport, CT
English Regency style mahogany writing desk with tooled leather top with two trimmed drawers and
Category

Antique 19th Century Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Handsome English Vintage Fruitwood Writing Desk with Leather Blotter
Located in Hopewell, NJ
English style beautiful fruitwood writing desk having black leather blotter on top. Distressed
Category

Vintage 1980s British Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Fruitwood

Antique Victorian English Oak Writing Desk / Partner Desk with a Leather Top
Located in Harderwijk, NL
Offered here is this large, unique, and antique Victorian English oak writing desk / library table
Category

Antique 19th Century Classical Roman Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Wood, Oak

Antique English Queen Anne Walnut Writing Desk, Circa 1895
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English Queen Anne walnut writing desk, circa 1895.
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Antique English Victorian Marquetry Writing Desk by Donald Ross
By Edwards & Roberts, Donald Ross
Located in London, GB
Antique English Victorian marquetry writing desk by Donald Ross English, c. 1890 Measures: Height
Category

Antique 1890s English Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

Antique Aesthetic Period Davenport, English, Walnut, Writing Desk, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique Aesthetic Period Davenport. An English, walnut and bird's eye maple writing desk
Category

Antique 1880s British Aesthetic Movement Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birdseye Maple, Walnut

19th Century English Metamorphic Writing Desk by William Richardson
Located in Essex, MA
A Signed 19th Century Metamorphic Writing Desk by William Richardson of Leeds and Bradford
Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Oak

English Zebra Wood Military Campaign Writing Desk, Circa 1820
Located in Charleston, SC
English zebra wood military campaign writing desk with brass bound molded edges, original recessed
Category

Antique 1820s American Campaign Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Crystal, Brass

Antique English Victorian Mahogany Folding Military Campaign Writing Desks
Located in Dayton, OH
2 Civil War era British campaign writing desks. Made of mahogany featuring a folding form that
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Campaign Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Antique English Victorian Mahogany Folding Military Campaign Writing Desks
Antique English Victorian Mahogany Folding Military Campaign Writing Desks
$2,500 Sale Price / set
40% Off
H 32 in W 22 in D 22 in
Antique Correspondence Desk, English, Library, Writing Table, Cotswold School
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage correspondence desk. An English, solid teak library or writing table in the
Category

Mid-20th Century British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

English Writing Table or Desk of Mahogany with Leather Top
Located in Austin, TX
A fine English writing table or desk of mahogany from the late 19th century, featuring an inset
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Brass

English Regency Mahogany Writing Desk with Pierced Sides and Casters
Located in Atlanta, GA
This early 19th-century English Regency writing desk exemplifies the refined elegance of the period
Category

Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Mahogany

Writing desk/desk on wheels in English style with a blue leather top
Located in Harderwijk, NL
This great classic writing desk in English style is a perfect timeless addition to almost any
Category

20th Century Classical Roman Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Wood

Small English Victorian Inlaid Mahogany Writing Table / Desk c.1900
Located in Leicester, GB
A beautiful small English Victorian mahogany writing table. An elegant fitted desk from the earlier
Category

Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Small English Victorian Inlaid Mahogany Writing Table / Desk c.1900
Small English Victorian Inlaid Mahogany Writing Table / Desk c.1900
$817 Sale Price
30% Off
H 29.53 in W 29.93 in D 19.69 in
Antique Gents Correspondence Desk, English, Writing Table, Victorian, Circa 1900
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a fine antique gentleman's correspondence desk. An English, rosewood writing table with
Category

Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Boxwood, Rosewood

1980s English Root Wood Writing Desk with Door and Drawers
Located in Marbella, ES
1980s English root wood writing desk with door and drawers.
Category

Late 20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century English William IV Fruitwood Writing Table or Desk
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Handsome 19th century English William IV writing table or desk crafted from mixed fruitwood and oak
Category

Antique 19th Century English William IV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Antique Ladies Writing Desk, English, Correspondence Table, Victorian, C.1850
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique ladies writing desk. An English, mahogany and leather correspondence table
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Free Standing Mahogany English Regency Tambour Roll Top Writing Desk
Located in Kastrup, DK
An elegant 19th century freestanding mahogany roll top writing desk. Tambour top rolls back to
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Antique Thomas Turner Manchester English Mahogany Writing Desk Library Table
By Thomas Turner
Located in Dayton, OH
An antique Thomas Turner English Victorian era writing desk. Made from solid mahogany with a tooled
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Magnificent English 19th Century Faux Painted Marbleized Pedestal Writing Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
British desk with faux painted original surface and hand painted marbleized green banding. The
Category

Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Antique Scholar's Desk, English, Writing Table, Side, Study, Regency, Circa 1820
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique scholar's desk. An English, mahogany writing or side table, dating to the
Category

Antique 1820s British Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany, Oak

Antique English Georgian Crotch Mahogany Green Leather Top Small Writing Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
. Antique English Georgian Crotch Mahogany Green Leather Top Small Writing Desk. Item features 3 hand
Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Georgian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

English Kidney Shaped Kneehole Writing Desk of Mahogany with Leather Top
Located in Austin, TX
A fine English kidney shaped kneehole writing desk from the Edwardian era, featuring a demi-lune
Category

Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Brass

Large Vintage Bespoke Kneehole Desk, English, Oak, Writing Table, Mid Century
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a large vintage kneehole desk. An English, oak panelled writing table, dating to the late
Category

Vintage 1970s British Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Oak

19th Century English Regency Bronze Mounted Writing Table or Desk
Located in Troy, NY
Elegant Regency writing table, top with an inset black leather writing surface framed with burlwood
Category

Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

Baker Furniture English Regency Banded Mahogany Writing Desk or Console Table
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional English Regency or Georgian style drop leaf writing desk, console table, or sofa
Category

Vintage 1940s American Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

19th Century English Rosewood Campaign-Style Desk with Leather Writing Surface
Located in Atlanta, GA
With its richly figured surfaces and architectural detailing, this English writing cabinet from the
Category

Antique 19th Century English Campaign Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Rosewood

19th Century English Painted Satinwood Writing Desk with Sterling Silver Mounts
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very finely painted satinwood desk with Sterling silver pulls. Each pull is hallmarked. This
Category

Antique 19th Century English Sheraton Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Sterling Silver

19th Century Victorian English Partner Desk Column Shaped Legs Writing Table
Located in Berlin, DE
19th century Victorian English partner desk column shaped legs writing table Column shaped table
Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Vintage Heckman English Chippendale Tooled Leather Top Cabriole Leg Writing Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Heckman English Chippendale Style Tooled Leather Top Cabriole Leg Writing Desk Vintage
Category

Mid-20th Century American Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass, Gold Leaf

Vintage Writing Desk, English, Steel, Victorian Pine, Shop Retail, Display Table
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage writing desk. An English, steel, oak and Victorian pine shop retail display table
Category

Late 20th Century British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

English George III Mahogany & Leather Pedestal “Rent” Writing Desk ca. 1800
Located in Shippensburg, PA
period writing desk features a wonderful series of alphabetized "rent" compartments in the upper drawer
Category

Antique 19th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

English Mahogany Writing Table
Located in Woodbury, CT
This Regency style writing desk with a tooled saddle leather top and beaded edge has three
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

English Mahogany Writing Table
English Mahogany Writing Table
$9,450
H 30.5 in W 50 in D 30 in
Antique Ladies Morning Room Desk, English, Writing Table, Aesthetic Period, 1880
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique ladies morning room desk. An English, walnut and satinwood pedestal writing
Category

Antique Late 19th Century British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

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English Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the English writing desk you’re looking for. Each English writing desk for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, mahogany and animal skin. There are 805 variations of the antique or vintage English writing desk you’re looking for, while we also have 19 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. There are many kinds of the English writing desk you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 18th Century to those made as recently as the 21st Century. An English writing desk made by Regency designers — as well as those associated with Georgian — is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made English writing desk over the years, but those crafted by Maple & Co., Gillows of Lancaster & London and Heal's are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is an English Writing Desk?

An English writing desk can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $4,115, while the lowest priced sells for $304 and the highest can go for as much as $177,376.

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.

Questions About English Writing Desk
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019

    A writing desk may refer to a desk with a top, often sloping, for writing on or to a portable case with compartments to hold writing materials and a surface for writing.

  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    A small writing table is also called a davenport table or davenport desk. They normally feature a sloped or inclined top attached with hinges to the back of the table. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage davenport desks.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021
    A writing desk with drawers is also called a secretary. It is a desk with drawers, one of which can be pushed out and the front of the desk lowered to create a flat writing surface. These writing desks have been made in a variety of styles over the years. Shop for a variety of writing tables with drawers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023
    What an old-fashioned writing desk is called varies by design. Pieces with drop-down fronts are secretary desks (these are typically made of two parts: a chest of drawers on the bottom and a hutch or cupboard with shelves on the top), while ones that rest on two pillars, cabinets or bookcases are pedestal desks. A desk with a small writing surface positioned in front of drawers and cubbies is a bureau à gradin. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of desks.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023
    In French, the term for a writing desk that often featured a drop-down writing surface is secretaire. This type of desk is called a secretary desk in English. Simply put, a secretary desk is a multifunctional piece of furniture with a hinged writing surface that folds open or drops down. When the leaf is folded out, small inner storage compartments, which are called pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers, are revealed. On 1stDibs, shop antique secretary desks from some of the world's top sellers.