Queen Anne Style small Burr Walnut Escritoire, circa 1920s
By Waring & Gillow
Located in Dereham, GB
Fine Queen Anne Style small Burr Walnut Escritoire, circa 1920s Curved Cornice with single drawer
Walnut
Small 19th Century Gillows Writing Table
Located in Eindhoven, NL
Beautiful small mahogany writing table and/or wall table. Top is provided with green leather. Table
Mahogany
Sold
H 30 in W 22 in D 36 in
English Late Regency Period Small Rosewood Writing Table Attributed to Gillows
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in Hudson, NY
This table retains a fine old faded rosewood finish and bears striking similarities to a Gillows
Rosewood
Sold
H 30 in W 35 in D 20.5 in
Early 19th Century English Regency Gillows Mahogany Small Desk or Dressing Table
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in Richmond, London
Fine Regency period mahogany side table, almost certainly by Gillows of Lancaster and London
Mahogany
Small Writing Table Stamped 'Gillows & Co'
Located in Salisbury, GB
A superb quality small writing table with ebonized decoration in the 'arts and crafts' taste
$6,616
H 49.22 in W 77.56 in D 33.86 in
Restoration Period Mahogany and Gilt Bronze Sofa Bed, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Restoration period mahogany veneered boat-shaped bed with a slightly overturned bedside. The front is soberly dressed with an ormolu plaque with scrolls and flowers framing a female ...
Bronze
$24,500
H 29 in W 59.25 in D 29.25 in
Pair of French Louis XVI Style Carved-Wood Cream-Lacquered Settees, Jansen Attr.
By Maison Jansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine Pair of French Louis XVI Style Carved-wood Cream-Lacquered Settees, probably by Maison Jansen. The rectangular shaped Love Seats, each with scrolled carved armrests ending wit...
Fabric, Satin, Silk, Wood
$2,102Sale Price|24% Off
H 48.82 in W 55.12 in D 78.75 in
19th Century French Hand Carved and Painted Wooden Bed Frame Louis XV Period
Located in Sofia, BG
Remarkable authentic bed frame from Louis XV period made of solid hand carved walnut three with lovely decorations painted in light green to grey. Matching original upholstery in ver...
Wood
Louis XV Style Bureau Plate, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th century Louis XV style bureau plat, having an inset leather top, gilded ormolu mounts, three frieze drawers to one side, dummy drawers to the reverse, raise ...
Ormolu
$18,000
H 39 in W 78.25 in D 31.25 in
Italian Neoclassical Painted & Gilt Foliage Medallion Fluted Day Bed, Circa 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
Italian Neoclassical painted and gilt wood red lacquered day bed with fluted serpentine headboards, flanking foliage medallions, reeded posts, foliage skirts, and resting on fluted r...
Gold Leaf
Italian Rococo Revival Writing Desk, Late 19th Century
Located in Southampton, NY
Italian Rococo Revival Writing Desk, Late 19th Century This charming Italian Rococo Style painted writing desk, likely dating back to the late-19th century, showcases a delicate flor...
Wood, Paint
$3,800
H 84 in W 40 in D 20.25 in
Vintage Chinoiserie Butterfly & Bird Custom Painted Tall Secretary Desk & Chair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Chinoiserie Butterfly & Bird Custom Painted 2 Piece Tall Secretary Desk & Chair. Item features blue and off-white painted finish with intricate bird and floral motifs on the ...
Cane, Wood
19th Century English Chinoiserie Ladies Secretaire Writing Table
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Extraordinary 19th century English ladies secretaire desk or writing table. The two part desk was made in the Chinoiserie revival period of Europe in the mid-19th century. The desk f...
Brass
Antique Carved Sofa with Cane Sides , Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with some signs of age and use - Sturdy and Stable - reupholstered some time ago - Pillows filled with real feather - Carved linden wood frame - heigh of...
Fabric, Wood
Empire Period Mahogany Sofa-Bed, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Sofa-bed of the Empire period in solid mahogany and mahogany veneer with rich decoration of finely chased and gilded bronzes. This sofa is decorated in front of a lyre in the center,...
Bronze
French 19th Century Lacquered Frame bed
Located in Stockbridge, GA
This beautiful bed has its original creme lacquered color, the inside dimensions for the spring box is 31.5 x 74.5
Wood
Large Painted Louis XVI Chateau Boiserie Overdoor, Circa 1760
Located in Dallas, TX
This large painted overdoor was once part of a boiserie in a French chateau, and the upward curve of the bottom edge indicates that it was most likely placed above an arched door. Th...
Wood, Paint
Majolica Pink Stove from Florence
Located in Roma, IT
Majolica stove made by a Florentine company in the 1970s. It can run not only on wood but also on electricity. Excellent condition.
Ceramic, Majolica
Large Empire period boat bed and canopy
Located in Paris, FR
Large boat bed in solid flamed mahogany, mahogany veneer, richly decorated with finely chased and gilded bronzes, from the Empire period. Four baluster jambs, adorned with fleurons, ...
Bronze
$14,000Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 82 in W 46.5 in D 3 in
19th Century Louis XV Regency Gilded Screen and Fire Screen with Tapestries
Located in New York, NY
Gorgeous 19th century Louis XV Regency gilded screen and fire screen with Tapestries. The Rococo style tapestries are in pristine condition with very minor loss of gilding to the fra...
Wool, Satin, Giltwood
Empire period bed with its canopy
Located in Paris, FR
Empire period bed in solid mahogany and mahogany veneer, richly decorated with finely chased and gilded bronzes, with its canopy. The front of the bed features a lyre in the center, ...
Bronze
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.