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Jean Pascaud, Ebonized Lacquered Coffee Table, France, 1940s
Jean Pascaud, Ebonized Lacquered Coffee Table, France, 1940s

Jean Pascaud, Ebonized Lacquered Coffee Table, France, 1940s

By Jean Pascaud

Located in New York, NY

Low, black table with glass top and gently tapering legs characteristic of the French Deco master.

Category

Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Biedermeier Mahogany Ebonized and Parcel-Gilt Globe Form Work Desk
Biedermeier Mahogany Ebonized and Parcel-Gilt Globe Form Work Desk

Biedermeier Mahogany Ebonized and Parcel-Gilt Globe Form Work Desk

Located in Queens, NY

Biedermeier (19th Century) globe-form work desk with a mahogany structure that opens to reveal a

Category

Antique 19th Century Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Mahogany, Giltwood

19th Century English Ebonized Writing Desk with Leather Top, 1890s
19th Century English Ebonized Writing Desk with Leather Top, 1890s

19th Century English Ebonized Writing Desk with Leather Top, 1890s

Located in Florence, IT

19th century English ebonized writing desk with leather top from 1890s.

Category

Antique 1890s English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Black Ebonized French Empire Desk with Green Leather Writing Surface
Black Ebonized French Empire Desk with Green Leather Writing Surface

Black Ebonized French Empire Desk with Green Leather Writing Surface

Located in Antwerp, BE

Black ebonized French Empire desk with green leather writing surface .There are additional pull-out

Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Ebonized Campaign Desk
Ebonized Campaign Desk

Ebonized Campaign Desk

Unavailable|$10,625

Ebonized Campaign Desk

Located in New York, NY

Ebonized two-drawer campaign desk with nickel plated fittings on sawhorse legs

Category

Vintage 1940s English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Nickel

Contemporary 'Nodum' Desk in Ebonized Ash
Contemporary 'Nodum' Desk in Ebonized Ash

Contemporary 'Nodum' Desk in Ebonized Ash

By Object Studio

Located in London, GB

'Nodum' has been produced as a one off piece.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ash

Modern - Wilde - Branch-Shaped Legs Writing Desk
Modern - Wilde - Branch-Shaped Legs Writing Desk

Modern - Wilde - Branch-Shaped Legs Writing Desk

By NB Milano

Located in Milan, Lombardy

Characterized by clean shapes and linear design, this striking writing desk rests on elegant branch

Category

2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Beech

Small Regency Ebonized Writing Table, circa 1815
Small Regency Ebonized Writing Table, circa 1815

Small Regency Ebonized Writing Table, circa 1815

Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire

This is a beautiful small ebonized writing table, featuring three drawers, tooled leather top with

Category

Antique 1810s English Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

German Jugendstil Period Rosewood Freestanding Writing Desk
German Jugendstil Period Rosewood Freestanding Writing Desk

German Jugendstil Period Rosewood Freestanding Writing Desk

Located in Hudson, NY

Rectangular desk top resting on a pair of cabinets, each having a door and opposing side decorated

Category

Antique Early 1900s German Jugendstil Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Glass, Rosewood, Giltwood, Wood

19th Century Ebonized Napoleon III Desk
19th Century Ebonized Napoleon III Desk

19th Century Ebonized Napoleon III Desk

Located in New York, NY

19th century ebonized Napoleon III desk, polished top, pedestal base containing five drawers on

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Leather Topped Charak Modern Ebonized Desk Attributed to Parzinger
Leather Topped Charak Modern Ebonized Desk Attributed to Parzinger

Leather Topped Charak Modern Ebonized Desk Attributed to Parzinger

By Charak Furniture Company, Tommi Parzinger

Located in Stamford, CT

Mid-Century ebonized desk by Charak Modern with camel colored leather top and embossed Greek key

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Contemporary sculptural 'knotted' desk hand carved in natural or ebonized ash
Contemporary sculptural 'knotted' desk hand carved in natural or ebonized ash

Contemporary sculptural 'knotted' desk hand carved in natural or ebonized ash

By Tom Vaughan

Located in London, GB

The 'Nodum Desk' by British designer-maker, Tom Vaughan, is part of a series of work tracing three

Category

2010s British Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ash

Vintage Milo Baughman Chrome, Ebonized Oak Dining/Writing Table, circa 1970
Vintage Milo Baughman Chrome, Ebonized Oak Dining/Writing Table, circa 1970

Vintage Milo Baughman Chrome, Ebonized Oak Dining/Writing Table, circa 1970

Located in Houston, TX

and see them first! Vintage American Milo Baughman chrome, ebonized oak table circa 1970. The

Category

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

Materials

Chrome

Jansen Ebonized Wood, Leather And Hard Stones Decoration Desk
Jansen Ebonized Wood, Leather And Hard Stones Decoration Desk

Jansen Ebonized Wood, Leather And Hard Stones Decoration Desk

By Maison Jansen

Located in Madrid, ES

Ebonized wood, leather top "bureau mazarin" with ivory, agathe, lapis and hard stones decoration

Category

Vintage 1930s French Desks and Writing Tables

Unique Regence Ormolu-Mounted Ebonized-Walnut Desk, circa 1720
Unique Regence Ormolu-Mounted Ebonized-Walnut Desk, circa 1720

Unique Regence Ormolu-Mounted Ebonized-Walnut Desk, circa 1720

Located in Bordeaux, FR

A beautiful and unique large Regence desk, in blackened walnut and ornamentation of chased and

Category

Antique 1720s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Vito Latis Midcentury Ebonized and Striped Wood and Glass Italian Desk, 1950s
Vito Latis Midcentury Ebonized and Striped Wood and Glass Italian Desk, 1950s

Vito Latis Midcentury Ebonized and Striped Wood and Glass Italian Desk, 1950s

By Vito Latis

Located in Milan, IT

Desk with four drawers in ebonized and striped wood. Top in glass. Designed by Vito Latis, Italy

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Glass, Wood

Modern Ebonized Ash Odin Desk from the Signature Series by Pompous Fox
Modern Ebonized Ash Odin Desk from the Signature Series by Pompous Fox

Modern Ebonized Ash Odin Desk from the Signature Series by Pompous Fox

Located in Barrie, ON

The Odin desk has been designed to be as minimal as possible without reducing the functionality

Category

2010s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Ash

Ebonized Mahogany Table
Ebonized Mahogany Table

Ebonized Mahogany Table

Unavailable|$8,800

Ebonized Mahogany Table

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Occasional table in ebonized mahogany with natural mahogany drawers. Features turned legs and bone

Category

Early 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Biedermeier Oval Desk Designed by Josef Danhauser
Biedermeier Oval Desk Designed by Josef Danhauser

Biedermeier Oval Desk Designed by Josef Danhauser

Located in Bantam, CT

A highly unusual Biedermeier second period oval desk with ebonized highlights and inlaid writing

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables

Louis XV Style Ebonized and Parcel Gilt Bureau Plat, France circa 1920
Louis XV Style Ebonized and Parcel Gilt Bureau Plat, France circa 1920

Louis XV Style Ebonized and Parcel Gilt Bureau Plat, France circa 1920

Located in New York, NY

A Louis XV Style Carved, Ebonized and Parcel Gilt Bureau Plat, with Gilt Tooled Leather Top

Category

Vintage 1920s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Art Deco Desk in Black Piano lacquer
Art Deco Desk in Black Piano lacquer

Art Deco Desk in Black Piano lacquer

Located in Paddock Wood, Kent

Art Deco desk in black Piano lacquer A Twin Pedestal Art Deco Desk from France circa 1925 having

Category

Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Mahogany

Brutalism Inspired Modern Walnut Desk by Eero Moss
Brutalism Inspired Modern Walnut Desk by Eero Moss

Brutalism Inspired Modern Walnut Desk by Eero Moss

By Eero Moss

Located in Ghimbav, RO

Step up your office game with this stunning post-modern style walnut desk from Eero Moss Studio

Category

2010s Romanian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ash, Walnut

Antique Ebonised Ormolu Mounted Bon-Heur Du Jour Desk
Antique Ebonised Ormolu Mounted Bon-Heur Du Jour Desk

Antique Ebonised Ormolu Mounted Bon-Heur Du Jour Desk

By Edwards and Roberts

Located in Antrim, GB

A fine 19th century Antique ebonised Bon-heur Du Jour desk, with hand painted porcelain panels and

Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Rococo Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Pair of Louis XV Style Double-Sided Black Lacquered Desks
Pair of Louis XV Style Double-Sided Black Lacquered Desks

Pair of Louis XV Style Double-Sided Black Lacquered Desks

By Romeo

Located in London, GB

Pair of ebonized lacquered desks with gilt ormolu mouldings and tooled red Moroccan leather tops.

Category

Vintage 1950s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

Elegant Louis XV Style Ormolu-Mounted Ebonized Bureauplat
Elegant Louis XV Style Ormolu-Mounted Ebonized Bureauplat

Elegant Louis XV Style Ormolu-Mounted Ebonized Bureauplat

Located in San Francisco, CA

The rectangular top with tooled inset goatskin leather, “peau de chevre”; enhanced with a molded edge; over shaped frieze incorporating center long drawer and paired side drawers fit...

Category

Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

'Écritoire', a Gem-Like Desk Bridging Design and the Decorative Arts
'Écritoire', a Gem-Like Desk Bridging Design and the Decorative Arts

'Écritoire', a Gem-Like Desk Bridging Design and the Decorative Arts

By Charles Kalpakian

Located in Paris, FR

‘Écritoire’ Desk (Lacquered) by French Lebanese Charles Kalpakian is a true gem, resounding in its

Category

2010s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Desk and Armchair Bruno Paul Austrian Jugendstil Birch and Pearwood circa 1907
Desk and Armchair Bruno Paul Austrian Jugendstil Birch and Pearwood circa 1907

Desk and Armchair Bruno Paul Austrian Jugendstil Birch and Pearwood circa 1907

By Vereinigte Werkstätten Für Kunst Im Handwerk, Bruno Paul

Located in Vienna, AT

Desk and armchair Bruno Paul Austrian Jugendstil Birch and Pear Wood, circa 1907 manufactured by

Category

Antique Early 1900s German Jugendstil Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch, Pearwood

Modern Gull Wing Desk in Steel, Stone and Exotic Ebony Wood
Modern Gull Wing Desk in Steel, Stone and Exotic Ebony Wood

Modern Gull Wing Desk in Steel, Stone and Exotic Ebony Wood

By Gregory Clark

Located in Wilton, CT

Modern gull wing desk in steel, stone and exotic ebony wood A stunning mixed-media designed desk

Category

2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stone, Steel

Poul Nørreklit for Georg Petersens Møbelfabrik selectform desk model 'GP 160'
Poul Nørreklit for Georg Petersens Møbelfabrik selectform desk model 'GP 160'

Poul Nørreklit for Georg Petersens Møbelfabrik selectform desk model 'GP 160'

By Georg Petersens Møbelfabrik, Poul Nørreklit

Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB

A vintage mid-century desk designed by Poul Nørreklit for Georg Petersens Møbelfabrik. Original

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

French Art Deco Partners Desk and a Club Chair, circa 1930
French Art Deco Partners Desk and a Club Chair, circa 1930

French Art Deco Partners Desk and a Club Chair, circa 1930

Located in Warlingham, GB

Stunning original period, French Art Deco walnut double sided partners desk with stylised floral

Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Ribbon Sapele Cello Executive Desk with Silver Leaf and Black Granite
Ribbon Sapele Cello Executive Desk with Silver Leaf and Black Granite

Ribbon Sapele Cello Executive Desk with Silver Leaf and Black Granite

By Lee Weitzman

Located in Chicago, IL

This exquisite executive desk features a semi-circular black granite inset top with a sunburst

Category

Early 2000s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Granite, Silver Leaf

French Boulle Bureau Plat  / Library Table, Late 18th Century
French Boulle Bureau Plat  / Library Table, Late 18th Century

French Boulle Bureau Plat / Library Table, Late 18th Century

By André-Charles Boulle

Located in Charleston, SC

marquetry writing desk is finished on both sides with three drawers on the front and faux drawers on the

Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XIV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass, Bronze, Ormolu

Schreibtisch & Rollschrank HOMBRE Massivholz von B. Vogtherr für Rosenthal 70er
Schreibtisch & Rollschrank HOMBRE Massivholz von B. Vogtherr für Rosenthal 70er

Schreibtisch & Rollschrank HOMBRE Massivholz von B. Vogtherr für Rosenthal 70er

By Rosenthal, Burkhard Vogtherr

Located in Mainz, DE

Rosenthal Studio Line, ein "Hombre"-Tisch aus der Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts, entworfen von Burkhard Vogtherr Hergestellt in den 1970er und 1980er Jahren Massive und robuste Struktur...

Category

Mid-20th Century German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Wood

Pair of Austrian veneered columns with lion's paw Biedermeier circa1840s
Pair of Austrian veneered columns with lion's paw Biedermeier circa1840s

Pair of Austrian veneered columns with lion's paw Biedermeier circa1840s

Located in Milano, IT

Elegant pair of Austrian columns veneered in blond mahogany and ebonized wood and decorated with lion's paw. Black marble top. Biedermeier Era circa 1840. Origin Austria. Dimensions...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Belgian Black Marble

A 19thc. Louis XV style ebonized small writing desk.
A 19thc. Louis XV style ebonized small writing desk.

A 19thc. Louis XV style ebonized small writing desk.

Located in New York, NY

A Louis XV style 19thc. ebonized small writing desk with gilted bronze sabots and a red leather

Category

Antique 19th Century French Tables

Materials

Bronze

Regence Style Ebonized Writing Desk
Regence Style Ebonized Writing Desk

Regence Style Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in Stamford, CT

A Regence style ebonized writing desk with brass stringing and a tooled leather top over two, brass

Category

Antique 1870s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Oak

Vintage Chinoiserie Style Ebonized Writing Desk
Vintage Chinoiserie Style Ebonized Writing Desk

Vintage Chinoiserie Style Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in Clarksboro, NJ

This listing is for a vintage Chinoiserie Style Ebonized Writing Desk. Featuring a straight line

Category

Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Desks

Materials

Brass

Louis XVI Ebonized Writing Desk
Louis XVI Ebonized Writing Desk

Louis XVI Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in Austin, TX

French Louis XVI style desk made of solid wood construction, primarily mahogany. It has been

Category

Vintage 1920s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Louis XVI Ebonized Writing Desk
Louis XVI Ebonized Writing Desk

Louis XVI Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in Austin, TX

French vintage Louis XVI style ebonized fruit wood writing desk with gold leaf accents. A classic

Category

Early 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Gold Leaf

19thc. Italian Ebonized Writing Desk
19thc. Italian Ebonized Writing Desk

19thc. Italian Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Nice little place to scribble...

Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chestnut

Louis XVI Style Ebonized Writing Desk
Louis XVI Style Ebonized Writing Desk

Louis XVI Style Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in Austin, TX

Ebonized Louis XVI style writing desk, with original cognac leather top with 23 carat gold-embossed

Category

Antique Early 1900s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Superb Ebonized Writing Desk With Brass Accents
Superb Ebonized Writing Desk With Brass Accents

Superb Ebonized Writing Desk With Brass Accents

Located in North Miami, FL

writing table,library table, desk or vanity.The diamond fret work legs adorn both the front and back

Category

20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables

French Louis XVI Style Ebonized Writing Desk
French Louis XVI Style Ebonized Writing Desk

French Louis XVI Style Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in BENSENVILLE, IL

Circa 1880-1900 French Louis XVI style desk or writing table like the French prefer to call them

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Hardwood

French Ebonized Writing Desk
French Ebonized Writing Desk

French Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in Austin, TX

An elegant French writing desk (or table) of ebonized mahogany, featuring an embossed leather top

Category

Antique Early 1900s French Desks

Materials

Bronze

French Napoleon III Ebonized Writing Desk
French Napoleon III Ebonized Writing Desk

French Napoleon III Ebonized Writing Desk

Located in Baton Rouge, LA

A French Napoleon III ebonized marquetry and inlay writing desk. This statement table has an

Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Desks

Materials

Bone, Wood

Chinoiserie Ebonized Council Writing Desk
Chinoiserie Ebonized Council Writing Desk

Chinoiserie Ebonized Council Writing Desk

Located in Astoria, NY

Chinoiserie Ebonized Council Writing Desk, circa 20th century, mahogany, label to inside "Solid

Category

20th Century Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Ebonized Writing Table or Desk
Ebonized Writing Table or Desk

Ebonized Writing Table or Desk

Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Good English ebonized writing table or desk. Lovely old leather top, 1890 Knee hole clearance

Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Ebonized Single-Drawer Writing Desk, France, 19th Century
Ebonized Single-Drawer Writing Desk, France, 19th Century

Ebonized Single-Drawer Writing Desk, France, 19th Century

Located in New York, NY

19th century French ebonized wood with barley twist legs desk large single drawer Three smaller

Category

Antique 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Napoleon III Ebonized Mahogany Writing Desk
Napoleon III Ebonized Mahogany Writing Desk

Napoleon III Ebonized Mahogany Writing Desk

Located in Austin, TX

Antique French Napoleon III period writing desk in ebonized mahogany with intricate brass inlay on

Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

1950s Ebonized Wood Writing Desk With Blue Details
1950s Ebonized Wood Writing Desk With Blue Details

1950s Ebonized Wood Writing Desk With Blue Details

Located in IT

Elegant freestanding writing desk from the 1950s, crafted in ebonized black wood. The front is

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Ebonized Mahogany Leather Top Writing Desk, C 1940
Ebonized Mahogany Leather Top Writing Desk, C 1940

Ebonized Mahogany Leather Top Writing Desk, C 1940

Located in Philadelphia, PA

A Neoclassical style ebonized mahogany leather top writing desk in the manner of Jansen. The desk

Category

Vintage 1940s Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Wood

Fine Ebonized Maison Jansen Writing Desk
Fine Ebonized Maison Jansen Writing Desk

Fine Ebonized Maison Jansen Writing Desk

Located in Stamford, CT

A fine example of a Maison Jansen Writing Desk. Ebonized with multiple bronze mounts on tapering

Category

Vintage 1930s French Desks and Writing Tables

Ebonized Antique French Marble Top Writing Desk
Ebonized Antique French Marble Top Writing Desk

Ebonized Antique French Marble Top Writing Desk

Located in Locust Valley, NY

Ebonized antique French writing desk with coral marble top, a single drawer, and cabriole legs

Category

Early 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

French 19th Century Ebonized & Leather Writing Desk
French 19th Century Ebonized & Leather Writing Desk

French 19th Century Ebonized & Leather Writing Desk

Located in Baton Rouge, LA

A handsome writing desk of generous size is in great, antique condition. Black leather top is inset

Category

Antique 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Ebonized Leather Top Writing Desk Stamped Jansen
Ebonized Leather Top Writing Desk Stamped Jansen

Ebonized Leather Top Writing Desk Stamped Jansen

Located in Stamford, CT

A very handsome grand bureaplat, the green tooled leather top inset writing surface, over a frieze

Category

Vintage 1940s Argentine Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Leather

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Ebonized Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the ebonized writing desk you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, metal and brass, every ebonized writing desk was constructed with great care. If you’re shopping for a ebonized writing desk, we have 409 options in-stock, while there are 14 modern editions to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect ebonized writing desk — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. A ebonized writing desk is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Louis XVI, Mid-Century Modern and Louis XV styles are sought with frequency. Maison Jansen, Baker Furniture Company and Milo Baughman each produced at least one beautiful ebonized writing desk that is worth considering.

How Much is a Ebonized Writing Desk?

Prices for a ebonized writing desk can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $815 and can go as high as $125,000, while the average can fetch as much as $5,327.

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 Ebonized 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.