Jean Prouve Compas Writing Desk, with original Perriand drawers, circa 1950
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Jean Prouvé, Compas Desk, circa 1950 Black melamine laminated plywood top on black lacquered folded steel legs, with original drawer pack in yellow moulded plastic by Charlotte Perr...
Steel
Jean Prouvé Compas Desk
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Paris, FR
Desk Compas designed by Jean Prouvé circa 1950.
Wood
Jean Prouvé Black Compas Desk, 1950s
By Jean Prouvé
Located in New York, NY
Elegant desk by Jean Prouvé in black color. Produced by Atelier Jean Prouvé in 1950s. Original Oak top.
Metal
Jean Prouvé Rare Green Compas Desk
By Jean Prouvé
Located in New York, NY
Elegant green desk by Jean Prouvé in green color. Original untouched condition, produced by Atelier Jean Prouvé in 1950s.
Metal
Unavailable
H 28.54 in W 48.03 in D 27.55 in
Office Desk "Compas" Designed by Jean Prouve, circa 1950, France
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Barcelona, ES
Office desk Compas designed by Jean Prouvé. Version with bent lacquered steel, metal casing and drawers and a painted laminated plywood, circa 1950, France.
Metal, Steel
Unavailable
H 28.75 in W 49.22 in D 23.63 in
Vitra Compas Direction Desk in Smoked Oak and Black by Jean Prouvé
By Jean Prouvé, Vitra
Located in New York, NY
The slender, elegantly splayed metal legs of the Compas Direction desk by Jean Prouvé call to mind the hinged arms of a compass – ‘le compas’ in French.
Steel
Jean Prouve Compas Desk
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Jean Prouve Compas Desk with original file drawers, repainted legs and original wood top.
Iron
Jean Prouve Compas Desk
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Stunning example of the iconic Compas desk, manufactured by Ateliers Jean Prouve, circa 1953.
Steel
Jean Prouvé Original "Compas desk" by
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Zürich, CH
"Compas desk" by Jean Prouvé is raw yet elegant and classic modernist furniture.
Steel
Jean Prouvé 512 compas table red France 1953
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Rare model 512 Compas table designed by Jean Prouvé and manufactured by Ateliers Jean Prouvé in France, 1953. This particular example originates from a restaurant in the north of Fra...
Metal
"Compas" desk by Jean Prouvé
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
"Compas" desk by Jean Prouvé in metal and formica.
Metal
"Compas" desk by Jean Prouvé
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original compas desk by Jean Prouvé (1901-1984). Jean Prouvé, one of the great designers of the 20th century, was trained as an ornamental ironworker in Nancy.
Jean Jean Prouvé Compas Desk, circa 1948
By Jean Prouvé
Located in New York, NY
An original early "Compas" desk by Jean Prouvé. France, dating to 1948.
Metal
Sold
H 28.75 in W 63 in D 31.5 in
Jean Prouvé, Large Compas Desk, White Formica Top Black Lacquered Metal
By Jean Prouvé
Located in High Point, NC
Manufactured by Les Ateliers Jean Prouvé, Nancy, France. Circa 1953, black coated steel sheet base, white Formica top, grey lacquered metal container with two drawers. An excellent e...
Sheet Metal
Jean Prouve Compas Desk, 1950
By Jean Prouvé
Located in New York, NY
Iconic Compas desk, created by Jean Prouve and manufactured by Atelier Prouve in the 1950s.
Metal
Jean prouvé Office Desk "Compas"
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Antwerp, BE
Office desk "Compas" Jean Prouvé The drawers are adjustable, left or right of the top.
Iron
Jean Prouvé Small "Compas" Curve Desk
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Brussels, BE
Beautiful small "Compas" curve desk. Manufactured by Les Ateliers Jean Prouvé, Nancy, circa1950.
Steel
Jean Prouvé Large "Compas" Curved Desk
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Brussels, BE
Beautiful large "Compass" curved desk. Manufactured by Les Ateliers Jean Prouvé, Nancy, circa 1950. Compass base sheet folded black lacquered steel and top in black formica. J...
Steel
Workshop "Compas" Curved Desk Jean Prouvé, circa 1950
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Lyon, FR
Workshop compass desk Jean Prouvé large model office rectangular tray in black laminate with a rounded cut. Piétemement side painted metal. Side boxes hanging on the right and left g...
Steel
Jean Prouve 'Compas' Cafeteria Table , France 1953
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Los Angeles, CA
jean prouve 'compas' table , private collection.paris , france.
Wood
Beautiful Antony Compas Desk by Jean Prouvé
By Charlotte Perriand, Jean Prouvé
Located in Brussels, BE
Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) Compas desk from the Cité Internationale Universitaire, Antony Manufactured by Les Ateliers Jean Prouvé, Nancy, France, circa 1954 Original lacquered stee...
Steel
Mid-Century Modern Italian Writing Desk, 1960s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Italian desk from the 1960s, restored and shellac polished. Note the brass handles and feet, the green glass top with original period adhesive paper underneath and the black painted ...
Brass, Iron
Small desk – France 1950
Located in Girona, Girona
Small desk in solid lemon wood and lemon wood veneer, waxed finishing. Original glass top, polished brass cabochons. France circa 1950
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Writing Desk, Netherlands, 1960s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Sleek writing desk featuring a dual-panel tabletop with a crisp white finish and red trim. This piece offers a minimalist aesthetic perfect for any contemporary space. The sturdy met...
Metal
$2,808
H 30.71 in W 50.01 in D 24.22 in
Stylish Mid-Century Modern Wooden Desk from Italy, 1960s, 127cm Wide
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern wooden desk, Italy, 1960s.
Wood
$3,200
H 26.5 in W 34.5 in D 16 in
Early George Nelson Desk / Return, Child's Desk, Modernist, Herman Miller
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early George Nelson desk / return, child's desk, Modernist, Herman Miller, Retains original Herman Miller foil label, 4 drawers, pencil dividers, steel frame, minor pitting (lower ri...
Aluminum, Steel
$5,266
H 30.71 in W 51.19 in D 25.6 in
Jean Prouvé, Bureau "Surveillant" Bois Métal Laqué Et Plateau Formica Noir 50's
By Jean Prouvé
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
jean Prouvé (1901-1984, France) : Bureau " Surveillant" Rare modèle du bureau "surveillant : structure des pieds à section carré en métal laqué noir, caisson bois plaqué et plate...
Metal
$57,343
H 28.75 in W 86.62 in D 37.41 in
Midcentury Modernist “Architect's Desk”, Hans J. Wegner, Denmark, 1960s
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Amazing “Architect’s Desk”, model #JH571, by Hans J. Wegner, made from teak in a generous size. Subtly tapering oak legs supported by brass stretchers. Deep drawers with custom made ...
Metal
$1,095
H 29.5 in W 33.625 in D 21.75 in
Coen de Vries 1957 Desk for Devo w/ Yellow Drawer, Dutch Mid-Century Modern
By Coen de Vries, Devo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Coen de Vries designed this distinctive desk for Dutch manufacturer Devo in 1957, representing the pinnacle of Dutch industrial design innovation. One of the Netherlands' pioneering ...
Metal
Vintage Modernist Desk by Ib Kofod Larsen, Sweden, 1960s
By Ib Kofod-Larsen
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Stylish teak desk by Ib Kofod Larsen, with a spacious table top and two drawers. The open sides give a lightness to the design.
Teak
Modernist Reconstruction Design Writing Desk, France 1950's
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Midcentury Modern Modernist Reconstruction Period Design Writing Desk. Made in France, early 1950's period. Solid oak constructed desk with two drawers and slender tapered le...
Oak
1950s desk from "La cité d'Anthony"
By Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina
Located in PAU, FR
Elegant office 50 from the prestigious Cité universitaire d'Anthony decorated by some Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Marcel Gascoin... Formica top, tubular metal legs, solid wood b...
Metal
$12,100
H 28.15 in W 38.78 in D 22.84 in
Pierre Jeanneret PJ-BU-08-B Student Desk / Authentic Mid-Century Modern
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Zürich, CH
This item is raw and sturdy. Its rugged textures and bold lines define that radical character. Its presence is uncompromising and captivating. The visible nonchalance here celebrates...
Teak
Mid Century Heywood Wakefield Trimline Desk by Kem Weber Design
Located in Asheville, NC
A vintage Mid Century desk designed by Kem Weber and made by Heywood Wakefield. A chrome tubular frame with solid birch drawers, and gray modesty panel. 59.5”W x 29.5”D x 28 3/4”H
Chrome
Willy Van Der Meeren Desk by Tubax Belgium 1955
By Tubax, Willy Van Der Meeren
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Nice Industrial desk designed by Willy Van Der Meeren and manufactured by Tubax, Belgium 1955. This typical fifties Industrial desk has a very nice Industrial look with the black met...
Metal
$1,397Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.53 in W 51.19 in D 22.05 in
Design Midcentury Writing Table / Desk, Germany, 1960s
Located in Praha, CZ
- Germany - around 1960s - good original condition, stable, refreshed jt
Wood
$4,750
H 29.5 in W 51.5 in D 27.75 in
Jean Prouve Style La Residence Universitaire Jean Zay Student Desk
By Jean Prouvé
Located in West Hollywood, CA
In the style of Jean Prouve a patinated eggshell blue student desk with single drawer and in inset white laminate top from the dormitories of the La Residence Universitaire Jean Zay,...
Wood, Beech
$4,447
H 19.69 in W 17.33 in D 13.78 in
Swedish Grace Stool in White Lacquered Birchwood, Sweden, 1930s
Located in Odense, DK
Charming Swedish Modern stool made in the 1920-30s. The stool is made of birchwood. It retains the original white greenish lacquer and an amazing cushions in beautiful green and whit...
Birch
forged bronze tables with cast glass by Lothar Klute
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
- stunning coffee table set by Lothar Klute - forged bronze & cast glass - thick glass, remarkable quality - 1980s made in Germany - very good condition with beautiful patina co...
Bronze
Custom Made Sheepskin Armchair
Located in London, England
A reproduction armchair in the 1940s Danish modern style. These high-end, custom-made pieces are handmade to order at our workshops in England. The chair legs are available in oiled...
Sheepskin, Beech, Oak, Walnut
Contemporary Chaise Longue 'Cherlon' by Carmworks
By Camilo Andres Rodriguez Marquez
Located in Paris, IDF
Chaise Longue Cherlon by Camilo Andres Rodriguez Marquez (aka CarmWorks) Rattan / Burnt wood or natural Each piece is made to order and hand crafted by the artist. Dimension...
Leather, Rattan, Wood
Ceramic Tissue Box
By Project 213A
Located in Macieira de Sarnes, PT
CERAMIC TISSUE BOX, designed in 2023. Artisanal ceramic tissue box created by skilled artisans in Project 213A's own ceramic workshop. Each piece is unique due to its handmade natu...
Ceramic, Clay
$5,827
H 26.78 in W 25.2 in D 29.14 in
Sculptural lounge ' Etcetera ' chair By Jan Ekselius Sweden 1970S
By Jan Ekselius
Located in Antwerpen, Antwerp
Swedish designer Jan Ekselius studied at the art academy in Stockholm and later at the Royal College of Art in London. He made his international breakthrough in the early 1970s with ...
Fabric
$14,628
H 29.93 in W 48.04 in D 12.6 in
Authentic Pierre Jeanneret 6-hole File Rack, PJ-R-27-A, Chandigarh, 1950s
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Pierre Jeanneret's work in Chandigarh during the 1950s represents a seminal moment in design history, where form met function in the most harmonious way. Jeanneret, in collaboration ...
Teak
$29,880 / item
H 18.12 in W 53.94 in D 16.15 in
Pierre Jeanneret Bench from the Administrative Buildings of Chandigarh
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Soho, London, GB
Bench from the administrative buildings of Chandigarh. The rarity of this piece is further enhanced by the presence of a typical hand-stenciled marking on the rear crossbar that read...
Cane, Teak
Pierre Jeanneret X-Leg Sofa in Cowhide, 1950s Chandigargh
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning teak sofa fully reupholstered in beige cowhide designed by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigargh. Rectangular seat resting on two compass type side legs. New cushions. Sofas were...
Cane, Teak, Cowhide
Pierre Jeanneret Sewing Stool
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in San Francisco, CA
A simple yet eye-catching piece, Jeanneret’s authentic sewing stool made from solid teak, is the ultimate interior addition for any modernist design collector. Markings of PNR-64 i...
Teak
Xavier Pauchard Vintage French Square Metal Bistro Table
By Jean Prouvé
Located in North Miami, FL
This is a vintage square shaped French bistro table designed by Xavier Pauchard, but very much in the style of Jean Prouve with tapering sword legs and ALL original colors. A fantas...
Metal
Pierre Jeanneret Chandigarh Desk Chair
By Pierre Jeanneret
Located in London, GB
A classic desk chair designed by Pierre Jeanneret, originally created for the iconic Chandigarh project in India during the 1960s. Crafted from solid teak, this chair features Jeanne...
Cane, Teak
$9,100
H 35.04 in W 32.68 in D 31.5 in
Gastone Rinaldi DU55 Armchair for Rima, Italy, 1950s, New Mohair Upholstery
By Gastone Rinaldi
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
An early DU55 armchair by Gastone Rinaldi, 1950s, Italy. A very nice example with wood legs and brass feet, newly upholstered in a premium pure mohair fabric. Fast shipping worldwide...
Metal
$22,000 / set
H 36.03 in W 28.94 in D 34.85 in
Guglielmo Pecorini Angular Lounge Chairs in Oak and Leather
By Guglielmo Pecorini
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Guglielmo Pecorini, high back lounge chairs, ash wood, leather, brass, Italy, 1950s Wonderfully sculpted oak chairs featuring rich brown-reddish leather upholstery. Designed by Ital...
Brass
Maarten Baas ”Sculpt" Office Desk, 2009
By Maarten Baas
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
Title: sculpt office desk Series: sculpt Edition: 3/8 (+2AP) Material: steel with a dark walnut veneer finish Size: 160 x 85 x 74 (w x d x h).
Steel
$16,318
H 28.75 in W 82.68 in D 36.62 in
Important Mid Century Executive Desk by Ico Parisi for MIM 1958
By Ico Parisi
Located in Rome, IT
This large Terni executive desk was designed by Ico Parisi in 1958 for MIM (Mobili Italiani Moderni) Rome, Italy, with a rectangular tabletop, The desk contains a three drawer block ...
Wood
Engineer and metalsmith, self-taught designer and architect, manufacturer and teacher, Jean Prouvé was a key force in the evolution of 20th-century French design, introducing a style that combined economy of means and stylistic chic. Along with his frequent client and collaborator Le Corbusier and others, Prouvé, using his practical skills and his understanding of industrial materials, steered French modernism onto a path that fostered principled, democratic approaches to architecture and design.
Prouvé was born in Nancy, a city with a deep association with the decorative arts. (It is home, for example, to the famed Daum crystal manufactory.) His father, Victor Prouvé, was a ceramist and a friend and co-worker of such stars of the Art Nouveau era as glass artist Émile Gallé and furniture maker Louis Majorelle. Jean Prouvé apprenticed to a blacksmith, studied engineering, and produced ironwork for such greats of French modernism as the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. In 1931, he opened the firm Atelier Prouvé. There, he perfected techniques in folded metal that resulted in his Standard chair (1934) and other designs aimed at institutions such as schools and hospitals.
During World War II, Prouvé was a member of the French Resistance, and his first postwar efforts were devoted to designing metal pre-fab housing for those left homeless by the conflict. In the 1950s, Prouvé would unite with Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret (Le Corbusier’s cousin) on numerous design projects. In 1952, he and Perriand and artist Sonia Delaunay created pieces for the Cité Internationale Universitaire foundation in Paris, which included the colorful, segmented bookshelves that are likely Prouvé’s and Perriand’s best-known designs. The pair also collaborated on 1954’s Antony line of furniture, which again, like the works on 1stDibs, demonstrated a facility for combining material strength with lightness of form.
Prouvé spent his latter decades mostly as a teacher. His work has recently won new appreciation: in 2008 the hotelier Andre Balazs purchased at auction (hammer price: just under $5 million) the Maison Tropicale, a 1951 architectural prototype house that could be shipped flat-packed, and was meant for use by Air France employees in the Congo. Other current Prouvé collectors include Brad Pitt, Larry Gagosian, Martha Stewart and the fashion designer Marc Jacobs.
The rediscovery of Jean Prouvé — given not only the aesthetic and practical power of his designs but also the social conscience his work represents — marks one of the signal “good” aspects of collecting vintage 20th-century design. An appreciation of Prouvé is an appreciation of human decency.
Find antique Jean Prouvé chairs, tables, chaise longues and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Vintage desks and writing tables span centuries of design. The writing table came first, a simple surface built for correspondence, while the drawered desk followed as record-keeping at home and in the office grew more demanding.
Styles to Know
Any desk at least 20 years old falls under this broader vintage category. If you want a tapered-leg, mid-century look specifically, browse mid-century modern desks; Louis XVI and Art Deco secretary desks bridge the writing-table and desk forms. A vintage table lamp adds task lighting to either.
How to Choose the Right Vintage Piece
Writing tables often carry little to no storage of their own, so a separate file cabinet or desk organizer may be worth planning for, alongside a close look at the surface dimensions against the space available. Each piece comes from a vetted 1stDibs seller, with era, designer and condition detailed, and every purchase is covered by the 1stDibs Promise.