Lap and Portable Desks
19th C Original Paint Decorated Lap Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fine painted and hand made early lap desk in post master format on high turned legs. The paint
Category
Antique Early 19th Century American Adirondack Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Antique English Rosewood Regency Inlaid Lap Desk, circa 1830
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English rosewood regency inlaid lap desk, circa 1830.
Category
Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Antique English Regency Rosewood Travelling Lap Desk Box, Circa 1830
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English Regency rosewood travelling lap desk box, circa 1830.
Category
Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
19th-Century Pine Lap Desk Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl
Located in Opole, PL
19th-Century Pine Lap Desk Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl
A small and lined with a fabric lap desk
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century European Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut, Mother-of-Pearl, Pine, Burl
Early 19th Century English Lap Desk on Stand with Original Leather
Located in Middleburg, VA
Early 19th Century English Lap Desk on Stand with Original Leather. England, circa 1800-1830
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood
Travel Lap Desk Walnut 19th C. on Stand as Side Table Decorative Gift Antique La
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Exquisite English lap traveling desk portable. Countryside writing bureau in good condition
Category
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
H 20 in W 19.5 in D 10.5 in
19th Century 3-Piece Diminutive Lacquer Secretary Desk with Nice Chinoiserie
Located in Milford, NH
decoration, including a base table, brass-handled lap desk, and two door cabinet with compartmentalized
Category
Antique 19th Century English Chinoiserie Desks
Materials
Mahogany
H 64.5 in W 24 in D 24 in
19th Century Laptop
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 19th century laptop is also known as a writing slope, or a lap desk! It became wildly popular
Category
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Rare 19th Century English Eclipse Patented Telescopic Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
central section which functions just like a lap desk with a storage compartment underneath.
Above it is a
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Desks
Materials
Brass
Antique Victorian Burr Walnut Dickens Pedestal Desk 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a truly superb antique Victorian Period burr walnut Dickens pedestal desk, circa 1880 in
Category
Antique 1880s English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Outdoor Coffee Table by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Cassina, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Outdoor coffee table that invites companionship, designed for days of outdoor fun lived in the lap
Category
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Late 17th Century Italian Walnut Wood Library Table
Located in Dallas, TX
stretcher attaches to each of the fretted legs via a dovetail lap joint, further strengthening the base
Category
Antique Late 17th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Outdoor Coffee Table by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
By Cassina, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Outdoor coffee table that invites companionship, designed for days of outdoor fun lived in the lap
Category
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
People Also Browsed
19th Century English Victorian Campaign Style Travel Desk Writing Box
Located in Forney, TX
A antique Victorian era English campaign style brass bound mahogany portable lap desk / writing slope with nicely aged patina. circa 1850
Commonly used by military officers in the f...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Campaign Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
Teak and Brass Nautical Ship's Clinometer
Located in Nantucket, MA
A handsome brass and teak ship's clinometer with a black melamine type background. An brass embossed clipper ship at the top. Used to measure the degree of healing on a boat, or on l...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Nautical Objects
Materials
Brass
Georgian Military Campaign Brass Bound Rosewood Writing Slope
Located in High Wycombe, GB
A stunning georgian military campaign rosewood & brass bound hand crafted writing slope.
With Red Tooled Leather Interior, Befit with the original glass inkwells.
Made by Esteemed Ma...
Category
Antique 19th Century British Campaign Desk Sets
Materials
Brass
Monumental Antique Pennsylvania Farmhouse Painted Wood Bench
Located in Forney, TX
A monumental 12' Long Pennsylvania farmhouse painted wood bench.
Born in the 19th Century, early American country style with Dutch / Scandinavian influence, simple primitive hand...
Category
Antique 19th Century American Country Benches
Materials
Wood, Paint
19th Century Mahogany Writing Slope Befit with a Pair of Inkwells by J J Mechi
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Exquisite craftsmanship from the early 19th century a Mahogany writing slope befit with A black velvet interior & A pair of glass inkwells by J J Mechi of No 4, Leadenhall Street, Ci...
Category
Antique 19th Century British Campaign Desk Sets
Materials
Brass
H 7.88 in W 19.69 in D 10.83 in
Antique Grand Tour Pietra Dura Specimen Paperweight 19th C
Located in London, GB
This is a superb decorative antique Italian Grand Tour marble Pietra Dura mounted desk paperweight, circa 1880 in date.
This splendid rectangular paperweight is exquisitely inlai...
Category
Antique 1880s Italian Paperweights
Materials
Agate, Amethyst, Malachite, Onyx, Marble
Antique Victorian Quality Burr Walnut Brass Bound Writing Box
Located in Suffolk, GB
Antique Victorian quality burr walnut writing box with brass bound corners and straps opening to reveal a fitted writing slope, pen tray, original ink bottle, two lift up lids openin...
Category
Antique 1860s English Victorian Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
Rare Antique English Regency Rosewood & Brass Writing Slope Box Lap Desk
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A RARE AND FINE REGENCY ROSEWOOD WRITING SLOPE
England, circa 1815; includes a circa 1849 quill by Isaac Parkes
Item # 801EZX27
An inordinately fine box, the exterior is dressed wit...
Category
Antique 1810s English Regency Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
H 6.75 in W 17.75 in D 9.75 in
Antique Regency Campaign Writing Slope Brass Mounts, 19th Century
Located in London, GB
An elegant Regency brass mounted Gonçalo Alves campaign writing slope, circa 1820 in date.
The beautifully polished goncalo alves case has a wonderful age-related patina and a key...
Category
Antique 1820s Regency Desk Sets
Materials
Wood
English Regency Walnut Traveling Lap Desk Box with Secret Compartment
Located in Savannah, GA
19th century English Regency traveling lap writing desk with original brass corner mounts and hardware, including lock and key. Outstanding stiations in the burled walnut. Other feat...
Category
Antique 1810s English Regency Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
Antique Victorian Traveling Desk With Ebony and Mother-of-Pearl Banding
Located in Morristown, NJ
Victorian English bird's eye maple lap desk, with ebony and mother-of-pearl inlay. The dome shaped top has a brass shield medallion in the center. The interior has a vibrant purple f...
Category
Antique 1880s English Victorian Decorative Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Birdseye Maple, Ebony
Regency Klismos Hall Chair, Possibly by Gillows
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in London, GB
A very fine example of Regency period mahogany cartouche-back hall chair, of Gillows style and quality. Good antique condition, superb quality, colour and patination. Ready to be pla...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Chairs
Materials
Hardwood
Antique Pine Bench, 1920s
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
A charming bench from Hungary with the original paint. Over time and use, the blue paint has been worn away in places to the wood. With storage space under the seat divided in two co...
Category
Vintage 1920s Hungarian Rustic Benches
Materials
Pine
Rectangular Box Gold Brass Cigarette Case, Italy, 1970s
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Rectangular box gold brass cigarette case, Italy, 1970s.
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Cigar Boxes and Humidors
Materials
Brass
Rare Regency Rosewood Writing Slope With Decorative Brass Trim by Wells & Lambe
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Handcrafted 19th Century Rosewood Veneer Writing Slope With A Tooled Purple Leather Writing Liner. Item Featured Brass Carry Handles & Is Finished With A Decorative Brass Inlay. Manu...
Category
Antique 19th Century British Regency Desk Sets
Materials
Brass
H 4.93 in W 14.18 in D 9.85 in
Regency Rosewood Writing Box
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A fine quality, charming 19th century Regency Italian late baroque period walnut 2-drawer table, late 17th/early 18th century period rosewood writing box having elegant brass inlaid ...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Decorative Boxes
Materials
Rosewood
Recent Sales
China Trade Camphorwood Lap Desk
Located in Wilton, CT
China Trade Lap Desk With Pop-up Compartments and Secret Drawers. Retro-fited with Brass English
Category
Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Japanese Lacquered Lap Desk on Stand
Located in Newburgh, NY
Japanese lap desk on stand with interior fold-out writing surface.
Architect, Sandy Littman of
Category
Vintage 1960s Unknown Japonisme Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
19th Century English Walnut Lap Desk
Located in Salt Lake City, UT
An English brass mounted burr walnut lap desk on later stand from the second half of the 19th
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Antique Calamander Writing Bowx on Later Stand
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A very high end English Regency Calamander, brass (with Bramah locks) and leather lap desk, now
Category
20th Century English Decorative Objects
Materials
Brass
Chippendale Partners Desk
Located in Lawrenceburg, TN
Exceptional Chippendale solid mahogany partners desk with lions head carved detailed corners and a
Category
Early 20th Century English Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Unusual Mahogany Desk attributed to Thomas Chippendale
Located in London, GB
lining, the central reading flap with detachable reading slide, the front of the desk with three drawers
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Desks and Writing Tables
Swedish Art Moderne Secretary Desk and Dry Bar in Honduran Mahogany, circa 1940
Located in Richmond, VA
Swedish Art Moderne drop front secretary desk with side cabinets for bottle storage.
Rendered in
Category
Vintage 1940s Swedish Art Deco Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
H 45 in W 38 in D 18 in
Rosewood Lap Desk
Located in Wilson, NC
This English lap desk has a velvet writing surface which has wear commensurate with age and use
Category
Antique 1850s English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
William IV / Victorian Lap Desk on Stand
Located in New York, NY
William IV or early Victorian lap desk on stand, the brass mounted rosewood with a cartouche
Category
Antique 19th Century Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
English Campaign Style Lap Desk on Stand, 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
Antique Campaign style lap desk on stand, 19th century. Desk without stand is 24" W x 12" D x 7" H
Category
Antique 19th Century English Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Antique Writing Slope, Victorian Lap Desk, Rosewood Mother-of-Pearl, 1870
Located in Vancouver, BC
Antique writing slope, Victorian lap desk, rosewood mother-of-pearl, 1870, B1041
Scotland 1870
Category
Antique 1870s Scottish Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Rosewood
Victorian Mahogany & Brass Lap Desk Box on Stand
Located in New York, NY
Victorian brass-bound mahogany lap desk or writing box on stand, the box rectangular with central
Category
Antique 19th Century Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Mahogany Campaign Lap Desk on Stand
Located in Atlanta, GA
A oversized 19th century english mahogany lap desk on stand. Fine quality with brass mounts, “BF
Category
Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
English Mahogany Lap Desk on a Custom-Made Stand, 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
English mahogany lap desk on a custom-made stand with brass fit decorations and candle holders
Category
Antique 19th Century English Decorative Boxes
English Campaign Mahogany Lap Desk Decorative Box on Custom Stand, circa 1860
Located in Atlanta, GA
This English Campaign lap desk from the mid-19th century features a rectangular mahogany writing
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Campaign Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
H 19 in W 15 in D 9.5 in
19th Century Louis XV Style Mahogany Stand or Side Table with Lap Desk Drawer
Located in Savannah, GA
19th Century Louis XV Style Inlaid Mahogany Stand or Side Table with Lap Desk Drawer, inset black
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Side Tables
Materials
Bronze
H 27.5 in W 17.5 in D 13.5 in
Antique English Lap Desk Wedgwood Mount
Located in New Orleans, LA
Rare antique English burled walnut with Wedgwood mount signed by retailer Trussell of Brighton interior is lined with Coromandel wood and has original inkwells,pen nib holder and dip...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Boxes
Quality 19th Century Military Campaign Camphor Wood Roll Top Writing Slope
Located in Benington, Herts
quality Chinese export camphor wood metamorphic writing slope / lap desk dating to circa 1850 was made for
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Asian Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
H 11.23 in W 21.07 in D 16.74 in
19th Century Asian Burl Wood & Elmwood Scholar's Lap Floor Desk Stationary Table
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Uniquely conceived Asian scholar's writing table with flaps and drawers as well as open tier for housing paperwork, stationary etc. Simple lines with old patina. Some ink stains pres...
Category
Antique 1880s Chinese Qing Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Burl
H 13 in W 18.5 in D 13 in
18th Century Italian Renaissance Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique Italian Renaissance Desk in excellent condition with a perfect patina. The top is made of
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Renaissance Desks and Writing T...
Materials
Walnut
Rare 19th Century Bamboo Davenport Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
desk with a lift top for additional storage for a "lap top", etc.
Rare.
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Bamboo, Wood
Danish Teak Wood Floating Drawer Executive Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
Danish floating drawer executive desk constructed of beautifully grained teak wood. Carved
Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Exquisite Campaign Style Mahogany and Leather Folding Writing Desk
By Theodore Alexander
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Lovely compact writing desk when closed is 29 W, 17 D and 31 H. Measures: 26.75 to bottom of the
Category
1990s American Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
Charming Black Lacquered Five Drawer Desk with Nickel Pulls
Located in North Miami, FL
Lovely desk or writing table gorgeously finished in high gloss black lacquer with nickel silvered
Category
20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Nickel
Edward Wormley Model 5735 Walnut & Rosewood Writing Desk for Dunbar, 1957
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in Southampton, NJ
A rare masterfully designed writing desk designed by Edward Wormley having a single bank of drawers
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Thomas O'Brien for Hickory Chair Modern Mahogany Library Table or Desk Bookcases
By Hickory Chair Furniture Company, Thomas O'brien
Located in Dayton, OH
The Darlington oval writing desk by Thomas O'Brien for Hickory Furniture. Made from mahogany with a
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
H 30.25 in W 60 in D 36 in
Directoire Style Ebonized Bureau Plat
Located in Doylestown, PA
. Two long pencil drawers flank an open compartment (just perfect for a lap-top computer!) Simple
Category
Vintage 1950s Argentine Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Writing Slope, Antique Victorian Lap Desk, Marine Walnut Brass Desk, 1870
Located in Vancouver, BC
Writing slope, antique Victorian lap desk, marine walnut brass, Scotland, 1870, B1081.
Scotland
Category
Antique 1870s Scottish Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Military Style Victorian Lap Desk Writing Slope Box, circa 1850
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This military style Victorian lap desk writing slope has multiple internal compartments including a
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Early Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Victorian English Walnut Lap Desk Box on Stand
Located in New York, NY
Victorian braqsss-mound English walnut Lap Desk or writing box on stand, rectangular with cartouche
Category
Antique 19th Century Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
British Mahogany Officer's Campaign Lap Desk on Stand
Located in Rio Vista, CA
19th century British mahogany Campaign desk style officers chest or lap desk box on a later stand
Category
Antique 19th Century English Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Campaign Lap Desk on Stand
Located in Peabody, MA
An early 19th Century English lap desk on stand, can be used as an elegant side table.
On stand
Category
Antique 19th Century British Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
English Mahogany Lap Desk on a Custom-Made Stand, 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
English mahogany lap desk on a custom-made stand with brass fit decorations and candleholders, 19th
Category
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Antique Writing Slope, Victorian Mahogany Lap Desk, Scotland 1870, B1768
Located in Vancouver, BC
Antique writing slope, Victorian mahogany campaign lap desk, Antique Furniture, Scotland 1870
Category
Antique 1870s Scottish Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Antique English Traditional Lap Desk on Custom Stand
Located in Hopewell, NJ
English mahogany lap desk, brass bound with inlaid brass stringing and brass presentation plaque
Category
Antique 1850s English End Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Antique Victorian Writing Slope, Stationary Lap Desk, Scotland 1870, B1890Y
Located in Vancouver, BC
Antique Victorian writing slope, brass bound stationary lap desk, Scotland 1870, B1890Y
Scotland
Category
Antique 1870s Scottish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Antique Victorian Writing Slope, Brass Bound, Lap Desk, Scotland, 1870
Located in Vancouver, BC
Antique Victorian writing slope, brass bound, lap desk, Scotland 1870, B1727y
Scotland 1870
Category
Antique 1870s Scottish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Antique Mission Oak Arts & Crafts 4 Drawer Spool Thread Cabinet Writing Lap Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Mission Oak Arts & Crafts 4 drawer spool thread cabinet writing lap desk. Item features 4
Category
Antique 19th Century North American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Ta...
Materials
Oak
H 12 in W 29.5 in D 20 in
Antique English Regency Period Rosewood Lap Desk Writing Slope Box, circa 1830
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A very nice quality English Regency period rosewood and brass writing slope, this is a fine piece remaining in excellent original condition. It opens to reveal an early tooled green ...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
H 6 in W 14.75 in D 9.5 in
Antique 1830 Wooden Tambour Campaign Lap Roll Top Desk
Located in Stamford, CT
Antique 1830 wooden tambour lap campaign roll top desk.
This is truly a unique piece when opened
Category
Antique 1830s English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
19th Century English Regency Rosewood Antique Traveling Lap Writing Desk Box
Located in Shippensburg, PA
the brass lock, allowing the desk to be opened into a full writing slope; two inkwells (originality
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Desk Sets
Materials
Brass
H 6.5 in W 16.25 in D 9.63 in
Early 19th Century Pennsylvania School Masters Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
lap part of the desk has a wood trim attached for a book, to keep from sliding. This desk has a mellow
Category
Antique 19th Century American Folk Art Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Maple, Walnut
Art Deco Executive Desk in Bookmatched Mahogany
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
desk also features pullout writing top or platform, perfect for a lap top or for note books. The desk
Category
20th Century American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum
Danish Teak Executive Desk with Floating Drawers
By Ib Kofod-Larsen
Located in Chicago, IL
Danish floating drawer executive desk constructed of beautifully grained teak wood. Carved
Category
Vintage 1960s Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
Dining Table or Tulip Desk by Maurice Burke in the style of Saarinen
By Maurice Burke
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A hard to find narrow tulip writing table in the style of Eero Saarinen making this table desk
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
H 29.25 in W 71.25 in D 33.25 in
English Rosewood Box with Intricate Brass Motifs and Black Leather Writing Area
Located in Atlanta, GA
century, this English slope lap desk features a linear rosewood structure, beautifully adorned with
Category
Antique 19th Century English Decorative Boxes
Materials
Brass
H 6.25 in W 16 in D 9.635 in
French Mid-Century Wall Mounted Desk
By Bernard De Swarte
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Remarkable oak wall mounted desk. Flip down work space perfect size for a lap top. Lots of
Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Materials
Brass
19th C China Trade Roll Top Lap Desk on Stand
Located in Charleston, SC
A early-19th century Asian hardwood lap desk on stand. A similar one is pictured in "The Decorative
Category
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks
Materials
Wood
Console Table / Sofa Table / Desk
By Restored/Modified by Petersen Antiques
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Based on a 19th century wash stand, this console table can double as a desk. The top can be pulled
Category
Antique 19th Century American Serving Tables
English Lap Desk
Located in Sarasota, FL
An English rosewood lap desk with Turnbridge inlay, original red leather, two secret compartments
Category
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
William IV Period Mahogany Lap-Desk
Located in Cambridge, GB
William IV period mahogany lap-desk; the hinged lid and writing-slope inlaid with cut-brass borders
Category
Antique 1830s English Desks and Writing Tables
Lap Desk Writing Slope Box Rosewood, circa 1840
Located in Brussels, BE
Lap desk writing slope box rosewood, circa 1840.
Category
Antique 1840s Louis Philippe Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Palisander
Victorian Brass Bound Lap Desk with Stand
Located in New York, NY
English Victorian rosewood lap desk with brass banding and details including campaign side handles
Category
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Traveling Lap Desk
Located in New York, NY
A traveling desk presented to Mr. William Sangster by the employees of Messrs. Durno and Cameron
Category
Antique 19th Century British Side Tables
Materials
Brass
Burr Walnut and Brass Traveling Lap Desk
Located in Woodbury, CT
Very well dark grained burr walnut and detail engraved gilt mounts. Rounded top lifts up and back, slant front drops down. Covered in deep purple velvet. Back section of writing slan...
Category
Antique 1870s English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
B-21 Bauhaus Desk Designed by Marcel Breuer for Thonet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
as desk for a lap top or as an interesting side table.
Category
20th Century German Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Occasional Table, Writing Table, Rosewood Salon Table, Centre Table
Located in South Cotswolds, GB
for a (lap top) side table next to the desk
If you should use it as a working desk
Seat height
Category
Antique 19th Century British High Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Chippendale Partners Desk
Located in Lawrenceburg, TN
and bracket feet. This desk features a lap drawer, as well as three drawers on either side, with the
Category
Vintage 1980s English Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Swedish Secretary Chest of Drawers in Golden Flame Birch, circa 1910
Located in Richmond, VA
pulls. There is a gap within the desk, just about writing surface, which is perfect for lap top. This
Category
Vintage 1910s Swedish Secretaires
18th Century English Mahogany Lap Desk or Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An exquiste mahogany English lap desk in original condition, including all brass fittings and
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
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Lap and Portable Desks For Sale on 1stDibs
At 1stDibs, there are several options of lap and portable desks available for sale. Frequently made of wood, metal and brass, all lap and portable desks available were constructed with great care. Lap and portable desks are generally popular furniture pieces, but Victorian, Regency and Louis XV styles are often sought at 1stDibs. Some lap and portable desks are too large for some spaces — a variety of smaller lap and portable desks, measuring 12 inches across, are available at 1stDibs.
How Much are Lap and Portable Desks?
Prices for lap and portable desks start at $725 and top out at $3,800 with the average selling for $1,998.
Finding the Right Desks and 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 Lap and Portable Desks
Prices for most lap and portable desks on 1stdibs are negotiable. You’ll see a "Make an Offer" button on the item details page, indicating that the seller is willing to consider a lower price. It’s not uncommon for customers to get 15–25% off the list price after negotiating. See our tips for negotiating like a pro.
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