English Writing Desk
Antique 1880s British Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Hardwood
20th Century English Chesterfield Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century English Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 1860s English Louis XV Desks
Ormolu
Antique 1860s English Desk Sets
Leather, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood, Boxwood, Cherry, Fruitwood, Walnut, Burl
20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Antique Late 19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Desks
Wood
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo
20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Vintage 1930s British Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
20th Century English Chesterfield Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Antique Late 18th Century Mexican Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s American American Classical Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique 1790s English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Antique 18th Century and Earlier British Hepplewhite Desks and Writing T...
Antique 19th Century Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Fabric, Wood, Mother-of-Pearl
Antique 19th Century Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Vintage 1980s British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Fruitwood
Antique 19th Century Classical Roman Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood, Oak
Antique Late 19th Century English Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Antique 1890s English Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Antique 1880s British Aesthetic Movement Desks and Writing Tables
Birdseye Maple, Walnut
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
Antique 1820s American Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Crystal, Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Antique Late 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany
20th Century Classical Roman Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Boxwood, Rosewood
Late 20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century English William IV Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 1820s British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Oak
Early 20th Century Unknown Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1970s British Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Vintage 1940s American Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Rosewood
Antique 19th Century English Sheraton Desks and Writing Tables
Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Gold Leaf
Late 20th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Antique 19th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
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English Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is an English Writing Desk?
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.
- What is a writing desk?1 Answer1stDibs 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, 2021A 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, 2021A 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, 2023What 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, 2023In 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.
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