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French Writing Desk Marble

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19th Century French Marble Top Writing Table/Desk with Ormolu Mounts
19th Century French Marble Top Writing Table/Desk with Ormolu Mounts

19th Century French Marble Top Writing Table/Desk with Ormolu Mounts

Located in Essex, MA

!9th century French Belle Epoque writing table with gilt ormolu mounts on the feet corners and

Category

Antique 19th Century French Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

French Marble Top Writing Table, Tooled-Leather Writing Surface, on Casters
French Marble Top Writing Table, Tooled-Leather Writing Surface, on Casters

French Marble Top Writing Table, Tooled-Leather Writing Surface, on Casters

Located in Montreal, Quebec

French Marble-Top Writing Table on Casters, Pull-Out Drawer, Gilt Tooled-Leather Writing Surface

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

French Empire style leather top mahogany writing desk, C 1890
French Empire style leather top mahogany writing desk, C 1890

French Empire style leather top mahogany writing desk, C 1890

Located in Philadelphia, PA

French Empire style leather top mahogany writing desk having bronze mounts, claw feet and resting

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Important French Brass Inlaid Paint Decorated Rolltop Ladies Writing Desk
Important French Brass Inlaid Paint Decorated Rolltop Ladies Writing Desk

Important French Brass Inlaid Paint Decorated Rolltop Ladies Writing Desk

Located in Swedesboro, NJ

This important French brass inlaid paint decorated rolltop ladies writing desk is a rare and

Category

Antique 1890s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Brass

Napoleon III Writing Desk with Unusual Marble Top, circa 1870
Napoleon III Writing Desk with Unusual Marble Top, circa 1870

Napoleon III Writing Desk with Unusual Marble Top, circa 1870

Located in Atlanta, GA

A fine Napoleon III period writing desk in mahogany, with gilt-bronze mounts and brass banding, the

Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Antique French Louis XV Style Marquetry Inlay Petite Demilune Writing Desk
Antique French Louis XV Style Marquetry Inlay Petite Demilune Writing Desk

Antique French Louis XV Style Marquetry Inlay Petite Demilune Writing Desk

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Antique French Louis XV Style Marquetry Inlay Petite Demilune Writing Desk. Item features marble

Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Antique French Louis XVI Marble Gold gilded Salon Ladies Writing Table 1800
Antique French Louis XVI Marble Gold gilded Salon Ladies Writing Table 1800

Antique French Louis XVI Marble Gold gilded Salon Ladies Writing Table 1800

Located in Doha, QA

This incredibly intricate and elegant Louis XVI French ladies writing desk table is originated from

Category

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

Materials

Marble, Gold

18th Century, Gentleman's Writing Desk and Games Table
18th Century, Gentleman's Writing Desk and Games Table

18th Century, Gentleman's Writing Desk and Games Table

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Wonderful, circa 1780, hand carved, petite writing desk inset with game chess and backgammon game

Category

Antique 1780s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Napoleon III Ebonized Desk with Marble Inlay, France, 19th Century
Napoleon III Ebonized Desk with Marble Inlay, France, 19th Century

Napoleon III Ebonized Desk with Marble Inlay, France, 19th Century

Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse

Ebonized desk with compartments on either side. Central drawer decorated with a cherub. Marble

Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

Marble Y Desk by Kelly Boukobza
Marble Y Desk by Kelly Boukobza

Marble Y Desk by Kelly Boukobza

Located in Geneve, CH

Marble Y Desk by Kelly Boukobza Dimensions: W 208 x D 75 x H 75 cm Materials: Marble. Available

Category

2010s French Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

French 19th century Mahogany, Ormolu and marble desk, attr. F. Linke
French 19th century Mahogany, Ormolu and marble desk, attr. F. Linke

French 19th century Mahogany, Ormolu and marble desk, attr. F. Linke

By François Linke

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

, and Rosalia marble center table/desk, attributed to François Linke. The desk is raised by elegant

Category

Antique 19th Century French Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Carrara Marble Small Organic Shape Desk with Black Steel Base Made in France
Carrara Marble Small Organic Shape Desk with Black Steel Base Made in France

Carrara Marble Small Organic Shape Desk with Black Steel Base Made in France

By Slash Objects

Located in Brooklyn, NY

marble slab. This desk's innovative design is informed by the unique constraints of the stone, resulting

Category

2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Steel

French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, Ormolu and marble desk/table
French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, Ormolu and marble desk/table

French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, Ormolu and marble desk/table

By François Linke

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

. Anne marble center table/desk, attributed to François Linke. This wonderful single drawer rectangular

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Antique French Louis XVI Cylinder Desk with Marble Top, Circa 1880s
Antique French Louis XVI Cylinder Desk with Marble Top, Circa 1880s

Antique French Louis XVI Cylinder Desk with Marble Top, Circa 1880s

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Striking antique French cylinder desk with many drawers and compartments. Pull out leather writing

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Antique French circa 1870 Bonheur Du Jour Hardwood Marble Desk Bureau Faux Books
Antique French circa 1870 Bonheur Du Jour Hardwood Marble Desk Bureau Faux Books

Antique French circa 1870 Bonheur Du Jour Hardwood Marble Desk Bureau Faux Books

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

Bonheur Du Jour with marble top surmounted by brass gallery rail, leather top and faux books This is an

Category

Antique 1870s French High Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

Antique French Louis XVI Bronze Mounted Writing Table
Antique French Louis XVI Bronze Mounted Writing Table

Antique French Louis XVI Bronze Mounted Writing Table

By Claude Michel Clodion, François Linke, Jean-Henri Riesener

Located in Forney, TX

A striking French antique Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted writing table made after the model by

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Brass, Bronze

Franz West-Style Iron Chain + Marble Desk / Console Table
Franz West-Style Iron Chain + Marble Desk / Console Table

Franz West-Style Iron Chain + Marble Desk / Console Table

By Diego Giacometti, Franz West

Located in Round Top, TX

Iron chain base console table with marble top; intermittent use as a desk would be possible with

Category

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

Materials

Marble, Iron

"Japonisme" Writing-Table by G. Viardot, France, circa 1880
"Japonisme" Writing-Table by G. Viardot, France, circa 1880

"Japonisme" Writing-Table by G. Viardot, France, circa 1880

By Gabriel Viardot

Located in PARIS, FR

Beautiful "Japonisme" writing table opening with a belt drawer with engraved decoration of bamboo

Category

Antique 1880s French Japonisme Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Griotte Marble, Bronze

Spectacular 19th Century French Marble Table
Spectacular 19th Century French Marble Table

Spectacular 19th Century French Marble Table

Located in Newmanstown, PA

This incredible French table is a combination of finely carved wood and beautiful metalwork with

Category

Antique 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

French Partners Desk Louis XV
French Partners Desk Louis XV

French Partners Desk Louis XV

Located in Lake Worth, FL

Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A French Louis XV Style Partners Desk with Bronze Ormolu Mounts and

Category

Mid-20th Century Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century Louis XV Monumental Solid Carved Gilt Wood Marble Desk
19th Century Louis XV Monumental Solid Carved Gilt Wood Marble Desk

19th Century Louis XV Monumental Solid Carved Gilt Wood Marble Desk

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Indulge in the timeless elegance of this exquisite Louis style desk, dating back to the 19th

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

Rare Joseph Emmanuel Zwiener Marble Top Dore' Bronze Mounted Louis XV Desk
Rare Joseph Emmanuel Zwiener Marble Top Dore' Bronze Mounted Louis XV Desk

Rare Joseph Emmanuel Zwiener Marble Top Dore' Bronze Mounted Louis XV Desk

By Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener

Located in Swedesboro, NJ

. Featuring a richly veined marble top with graceful serpentine curves, the desk exudes refined elegance and

Category

Antique 1890s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Breccia Marble, Bronze

Maison Jansen Attributed Neoclassical Steel Quartz Marble Top Desk
Maison Jansen Attributed Neoclassical Steel Quartz Marble Top Desk

Maison Jansen Attributed Neoclassical Steel Quartz Marble Top Desk

Located in Rio Vista, CA

, France. The desk features a thick slab of quartz Carrara style marble on top with thick polished brass

Category

20th Century French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Quartz, Brass, Steel

Ashiana, a Marble and Wood Desk, Design by Matang and Natasha Sumant
Ashiana, a Marble and Wood Desk, Design by Matang and Natasha Sumant

Ashiana, a Marble and Wood Desk, Design by Matang and Natasha Sumant

By Matang, Lucien Dumas

Located in Paris, FR

A rectangular wood and marble desk. The tabletop is made out of Pink marble from Makrana. On a

Category

2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

French Empire Style Mahogany and Bronze Griffins Table Desk
French Empire Style Mahogany and Bronze Griffins Table Desk

French Empire Style Mahogany and Bronze Griffins Table Desk

Located in Queens, NY

French Empire style (19th Century) mahogany and bronze trimmed 2 drawer table desk with stretcher

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century French mahogany and marble top centre table
19th Century French mahogany and marble top centre table

19th Century French mahogany and marble top centre table

Located in Martlesham, GB

19th Century French mahogany and marble top centre / occasional table in the manor of Francois

Category

Antique 1890s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

French 19th Century Transitional St. Kingwood, Tulipwood and Ormolu Desk
French 19th Century Transitional St. Kingwood, Tulipwood and Ormolu Desk

French 19th Century Transitional St. Kingwood, Tulipwood and Ormolu Desk

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Turquin marble desk. The three drawer desk is raised by slender cabriole legs with fine foliate ormolu

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany Lady’s Cylinder Desk
French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany Lady’s Cylinder Desk

French 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany Lady’s Cylinder Desk

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A most elegant French 19th century Louis XVI st. Mahogany, brass, ormolu, and Sarrancolin marble

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Brass, Ormolu

French Cafe Table or Bistro Table with Cast Iron Base and Carrera Marble Top
French Cafe Table or Bistro Table with Cast Iron Base and Carrera Marble Top

French Cafe Table or Bistro Table with Cast Iron Base and Carrera Marble Top

Located in Hopewell, NJ

Classic and versatile French marble top cafe table or writing desk with a black iron base. The

Category

20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Carrara Marble, Iron

Louis XV Style Diminutive Kingwood Writing Table
Louis XV Style Diminutive Kingwood Writing Table

Louis XV Style Diminutive Kingwood Writing Table

Located in Bridgeport, CT

Christies label- London, 1994. A finely made French 18th c. writing table with ormolu mounts and

Category

Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

French Mid 19th Century Transitional St. Kingwood, Marble, and Ormolu Secretary
French Mid 19th Century Transitional St. Kingwood, Marble, and Ormolu Secretary

French Mid 19th Century Transitional St. Kingwood, Marble, and Ormolu Secretary

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

marble secretary desk. The desk is raised by fine cabriole legs with elegant pieced foliate ormolu sabots

Category

Antique 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

French Regency Marble Chest of Drawers, Italy, 19th Century
French Regency Marble Chest of Drawers, Italy, 19th Century

French Regency Marble Chest of Drawers, Italy, 19th Century

Located in Roma, IT

A beautiful chest of drawers realized in France in 19th Century, in Régence Style. Royale marble

Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Metal

Antique French Ormolu Mounted Roll Top Desk in the Style of Riesener
Antique French Ormolu Mounted Roll Top Desk in the Style of Riesener

Antique French Ormolu Mounted Roll Top Desk in the Style of Riesener

By Jean-Henri Riesener

Located in London, GB

Antique French ormolu mounted roll top desk in the style of Riesener French, 19th Century Height

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

19th Century French Marble-Top Secretaire in Blackened Wood Napoleon III Period
19th Century French Marble-Top Secretaire in Blackened Wood Napoleon III Period

19th Century French Marble-Top Secretaire in Blackened Wood Napoleon III Period

Located in Sofia, BG

in the lower part. White marble top surrounded in brass decoration. France, Napoleon III period

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

19th Rectangular Bouillotte Louis XVI Desk Table with Bronze Mounts
19th Rectangular Bouillotte Louis XVI Desk Table with Bronze Mounts

19th Rectangular Bouillotte Louis XVI Desk Table with Bronze Mounts

Located in Miami, FL

is a desk in a distinctly French style, after celebrated French originals, but by an English firm

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century Louis XVI Style Giltwood Marble Top Library Table
19th Century Louis XVI Style Giltwood Marble Top Library Table

19th Century Louis XVI Style Giltwood Marble Top Library Table

Located in Rio Vista, CA

Grand French 19th century library table, writing table, or bureau plat featuring an Italian Carrara

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Carrara Marble

Guillerme et Chambron, Large Oak Desk, Edition Votre Maison, circa 1950/1960
Guillerme et Chambron, Large Oak Desk, Edition Votre Maison, circa 1950/1960

Guillerme et Chambron, Large Oak Desk, Edition Votre Maison, circa 1950/1960

By Votre Maison, Guillerme et Chambron

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Guillerme et Chambron, Large oak and marble desk. Edition Votre Maison, circa 1950/1960

Category

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

Materials

Marble, Iron

Louis XVI Style Bureau Plat with Gilt-Bronze & Breche d'Alep Marble
Louis XVI Style Bureau Plat with Gilt-Bronze & Breche d'Alep Marble

Louis XVI Style Bureau Plat with Gilt-Bronze & Breche d'Alep Marble

Located in Brighton, West Sussex

A Louis XVI style gilt-bronze mounted bureau plat, with a Breche d'Alep marble top. The bureau

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Exceptional 18th C. Office Desk Center Table Console Hand Carved Wood & Stone CA
Exceptional 18th C. Office Desk Center Table Console Hand Carved Wood & Stone CA

Exceptional 18th C. Office Desk Center Table Console Hand Carved Wood & Stone CA

Located in West Hollywood, CA

Exceptional 18th C. Office Desk Center Table Console Hand Carved Wood & Stone CA . Rare large

Category

Antique Early 18th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stone, Marble

French 19th Century Louis XV St. Kingwood Inlaid Secretary
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Kingwood Inlaid Secretary

French 19th Century Louis XV St. Kingwood Inlaid Secretary

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A most elegant French 19th century Louis XV st. Rosewood, ormolu, and Brocatelle d’Espagne marble

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

French 19th Century Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant
French 19th Century Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant

French 19th Century Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant

Located in Baton Rouge, LA

lower three drawers. The front of the desk opens to reveal the writing surface and interior storage. The

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stone, Marble, Metal, Brass

Louis XVI Style French Marquetry Roll Top Bureau De Damme
Louis XVI Style French Marquetry Roll Top Bureau De Damme

Louis XVI Style French Marquetry Roll Top Bureau De Damme

Located in London, by appointment only

Violette marble top, above a marquetry roll top opening to a fitted interior, green leather sliding writing

Category

Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

French 19th Century Louis XV Style Tulipwood and Ormolu Center Table
French 19th Century Louis XV Style Tulipwood and Ormolu Center Table

French 19th Century Louis XV Style Tulipwood and Ormolu Center Table

By Maison Millet

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

, ormolu, and Rouge Royale marble center table/desk by Theodore Millet. The table is raised by elegant

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Exceptional Louis XV 19th Century Ormolu Mounted Secretaire By Befort Jeune
Exceptional Louis XV 19th Century Ormolu Mounted Secretaire By Befort Jeune

Exceptional Louis XV 19th Century Ormolu Mounted Secretaire By Befort Jeune

By Befort Jeune

Located in Swedesboro, NJ

Louis XV style 19th century marble top mahogany sceretaire desk with bronze mounts is something to be

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

Inkwell in red marble with  "Allegory of writing" in gilt bronze, signed H.CHAPU
Inkwell in red marble with  "Allegory of writing" in gilt bronze, signed H.CHAPU

Inkwell in red marble with "Allegory of writing" in gilt bronze, signed H.CHAPU

By Henri Chapu

Located in Paris, FR

Inkwell in red Griotte marble and gilt bronze representing an allegory of writing by Henri Chapu

Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Inkwells

Materials

Griotte Marble, Bronze

French Marble Top Bistro Cafe Table or Writing Desk
French Marble Top Bistro Cafe Table or Writing Desk

French Marble Top Bistro Cafe Table or Writing Desk

Located in Hopewell, NJ

Versatile French marble top rectangular cafe table or writing desk with a classic Provencal black

Category

Antique Early 1900s French Patio and Garden Furniture

Materials

Marble, Iron

19th Century French Writing Desk Secretary
19th Century French Writing Desk Secretary

19th Century French Writing Desk Secretary

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Very fine late 19th century French writing desk secretary with dore bronze mountings and Marble

Category

Antique 19th Century French Secretaires

Materials

Marble, Bronze

French Early Modern Console / Vanity /Desk /Writing Table, Robert Mallet-Stevens
French Early Modern Console / Vanity /Desk /Writing Table, Robert Mallet-Stevens

French Early Modern Console / Vanity /Desk /Writing Table, Robert Mallet-Stevens

By Robert Mallet-Stevens

Located in New York, NY

A Rare French Early Modernist Console / Vanity / Desk / Writing Table in Chromed Tubular Steel

Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Vanities

Materials

Marble, Stainless Steel, Chrome

Ossau Writing Desk Designed Black Leather, Marquina Marble Metal
Ossau Writing Desk Designed Black Leather, Marquina Marble Metal

Ossau Writing Desk Designed Black Leather, Marquina Marble Metal

By Studio AC/AL

Located in Arudy, Aquitaine

marble. Foam covered and leather wrapped top shelf. Dimensions: 124 x 50 x 92 cm Price includes French

Category

2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Metal

Ossau Writing Desk Designed Black Leather, Arabescato Marble Metal
Ossau Writing Desk Designed Black Leather, Arabescato Marble Metal

Ossau Writing Desk Designed Black Leather, Arabescato Marble Metal

By Studio AC/AL

Located in Arudy, Aquitaine

marble. Foam covered and leather wrapped top shelf. Dimensions: 124 x 50 x 92 cm Price includes French

Category

2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Metal

Ossau Writing Desk Brown Leather, Marquina Marble and Metal
Ossau Writing Desk Brown Leather, Marquina Marble and Metal

Ossau Writing Desk Brown Leather, Marquina Marble and Metal

By Studio AC/AL

Located in Arudy, Aquitaine

marble. Foam covered and leather wrapped top shelf. Dimensions: 124 x 50 x 92 cm Price includes French

Category

2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Metal

Ossau Writing Desk Brown Leather, Arabescato Marble and Metal
Ossau Writing Desk Brown Leather, Arabescato Marble and Metal

Ossau Writing Desk Brown Leather, Arabescato Marble and Metal

By Studio AC/AL

Located in Arudy, Aquitaine

marble. Foam covered and leather wrapped top shelf. Dimensions: 124 x 50 x 92 cm. Price includes French

Category

2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Metal

French Mahogany Marble-Top Desk
French Mahogany Marble-Top Desk

French Mahogany Marble-Top Desk

Located in Buckinghamshire, GB

French mahogany marble-top desk having rosewood crossbanding with three drawers and a grey marble

Category

Antique Early 1900s French Desks and Writing Tables

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French Writing Desk Marble For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the French writing desk marble you’re looking for. Frequently made of marble, stone and wood, every French writing desk marble was constructed with great care. There are 94 variations of the antique or vintage French writing desk marble you’re looking for, while we also have 2 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer French writing desk marble, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. A French writing desk marble, designed in the Louis XVI, Louis XV or Empire style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. Cassard Romano Co., Henry Dasson and François Linke each produced at least one beautiful French writing desk marble that is worth considering.

How Much is a French Writing Desk Marble?

Prices for a French writing desk marble start at $360 and top out at $48,668 with the average selling for $4,800.

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 French Writing Desk Marble
  • 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.