19th Century Federal Mahogany Lift Top Writing Desk / Work Table
Located in Germantown, MD
A 19th Century Federal Mahogany Lift Top Writing Desk or Work Table. Features two drawers with working keys.
Brass
$840Sale Price|30% Off
Vintage Early American Style Petite Maple Lift Top Secretary Desk & Hutch 70"
Located in Dayton, OH
1960s American Country Diminutive Desk & Hutch. Made from maple with a lift top writing desk topped by a large backsplash with shelves and drawer.
Brass
Vintage Boho Rattan Lift Top Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Infuse your home with the quaint charm and practical elegance of this Vintage Boho Rattan Lift Top Desk. Its delicate bamboo frame, accented with a distinctive gallery rail featuring...
Bamboo, Rattan
ANTIQUE 1684 DATED HAND CARVED 17TH CENTURY LIFT TOP WRITiNG TABLE DESK BIBLE
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this stunning, late 17th century, hand caved 1684 lift top writing work table traditionally used for bible s...
Oak
French Restoration Style Desk on Brass Base with Lift Top
Located in Troy, MI
French Restoration style desk on brass base with lift top desk has a brass curule style base and mahogany veneered desk with decorative brass mounts and hardware. Desk top is beveled...
Brass
Primitive Antique Varnished Chestnut Lift Top Child Desk Secretary w/Bench NICE!
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Primitive Antique Varnished Chestnut Lift Top Child Desk Secretary w/Bench NICE!
Chestnut
Spanish Childrens Lift Top Writing Desk, 19th Century
Located in Cookeville, TN
This Spanish writing desk for a child has a lift top for storage.
Wrought Iron
Walnut Writing Desk with Lift Top, Victorian
By Manchip & Sons
Located in Cookeville, TN
A detailed Victorian lift top writing desk by Manchip and Sons of Bridgewater.
Leather, Wood
Unavailable
H 30.32 in W 41.34 in D 22.84 in
Rare Georgian Mahogany Kneehole Desk Lift Up Top, 18th Century, circa 1780
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Rare Georgian mahogany kneehole desk lift up top, 18th century, circa 1780 A rare 18th century George III mahogany gentleman's kneehole desk, England, circa 1780, the lockable hin...
Mahogany
Unavailable
H 58 in W 37 in D 31 in
French Turn of the Century Pine Desk with Lift Top, Inner Cubbies and Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French lift top pine desk from the turn of the century (late 19th to early 20th). You don’t have to be an antiques connoisseur to appreciate this handsome French pine desk. You hav...
Wood, Pine
Unavailable
H 40.5 in W 46.5 in D 28 in
Hand Built Lift-Top Desk and Chair by California Artist Dale Holub circa 1970s
By Dale Holub
Located in Palm Springs, CA
An amazing custom hand-built lift-top desk and chair by the super talented Northern California studio furniture artist Dale Holub. Built out of solid California walnut, this desk is ...
Leather, Walnut
Unavailable
H 28.5 in W 22.5 in D 16 in
Fine Mahogany Work Table with Convex Corners and Lift Top, New York, circa 1810
Located in Providence, RI
This is an exceptional work table of beautiful form. We have never seen the convex corner so well executed, which reduces the mass of the form. With, basically, a lift-top and drawer...
Mahogany
Sold
H 25.2 in W 36.62 in D 24.81 in
19th Century Antique French Mahogany Wooden Childrens Lift Top Writing Desk
Located in Baambrugge, NL
19th century antique French mahogany wooden, low by the ground, childrens writing desk. This lift top desk has a little drawer and secret compartments.
Mahogany
Walnut Lift Top Desk Drafting Table
By Knoll, George Nelson
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Very nice Mid-Century Modern lift top desk drafting writing table.
Metal
Late Regency Tulipwood & Leather Lift-Top Writing Table
Located in Middleburg, VA
Late Regency Tulipwood and leather lift-top writing table, 19th century Fitted interior with reading stand Provenance: Property from the Private Collection of Steven Stark Measur...
Leather, Tulipwood
French Mahogany Lift Top Architect's Desk, circa 1930
Located in Dallas, TX
French mahogany lift top architect's desk from Marseilles area, circa 1930.
Landstrom Furniture Walnut & Mahogany Lift-Top Vanity
By Landstrom Furniture
Located in Chicago, IL
Beautifully designed flip top vanity/desk by Landstrom Furniture. Mahogany tapered dowel legs finish at polished brass sabots. They connect to the three drawer case and front apron v...
Walnut, Mahogany
19th Century Bamboo & Leather Lift Top Writing Desk
Located in San Francisco, CA
19th century bamboo & leather lift top writing desk Outstanding antique bamboo writing desk with a lift top, leather surface, various shelves and a mirror.
Bamboo
1900s French Lift-Top Writing Desk
Located in High Point, NC
An elegant lift-top provides a practical sloping writing surface, crowned with a wooden gallery rail.
Wood
Vintage Oak Slant / Lift Top Travel Desk / Laptop Desk, C.1930
Located in San Francisco, CA
Vintage oak slant / lift top travel desk / laptop desk, C.1930, 20th century writing desk Great for 21st century laptop use Measures: 13.5" wide x 15" deep x 3" high at th...
Oak
Sold
H 37 in W 50 in D 14 in
Mid-Century Brazilian Modern Rosewood Lift-Top Desk / Vanity Console, 1960s
Located in New York, NY
A refined and highly versatile example of mid-century Brazilian modern design, this lift-top desk combines sculptural proportions with thoughtful functionality.
Hardwood
19th-C. French Carved Oak Barley Twist Desk / Table W/ Lift Top Storage
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a late 19th century Victorian carved oak writing desk with lift top storage. The carved barley twist supports are in very good condition.
Oak
Very Fine 19th Century English Bamboo Lift-Top Writing Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Very fine English bamboo lift top writing desk with gold tooled leather writing surface,upper gallery and lower storage shelf.
Bamboo
Gustavian Small Chest of Drawers With Lift Top
Located in Paris, FR
Very unsual chest with 2 drawers and one lift top writing desk. In painted wood imitating faux-marble.
Wood
Victorian Carved Oak Lift Top Writing Table, Desk, Secretaire
Located in Vancouver, BC
A late Victorian carved oak lift top, slant writing table with three-quarter gallery above slant front with fitted interior carved sides and front supported by heavily carved support...
Oak
Sold
H 30.32 in W 41.34 in D 22.84 in
Rare Georgian Mahogany Kneehole Desk Lift Up Top, 18th Century, circa 1780
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Rare Georgian mahogany kneehole desk lift up top, 18th century, circa 1780 A rare 18th century George III mahogany gentleman's kneehole desk, England, circa 1780, the lockable hin...
Mahogany
Original Eames Fiberglass Shell Chairs by Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage 1960s molded fiberglass side shell chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Gleaming shells are in original condition, each with a distinct thready texture...
Fiberglass
Rosso Wall Mirror
By Specchi Veneziani
Located in Milan, IT
Crafted in the finest Murano tradition, this exquisite Venetian mirror is a true work of art. Assembled with crystal and gold elements, and adorned with red glass flowers, each piece...
Glass
$15,439 / item
H 32.68 in W 110.24 in D 40.56 in
Art Deco Sofa by Munna Design Studio with Velvet Upholstery
By Munna Design Studio
Located in New York, NY
This sofa features a wonderfully elegant fan-shaped motif, with its accentuated curvy lines with decadent and lavish finish. The feminine curves are ravishingly enhanced by the diffe...
Velvet
$530Sale Price|53% Off
H 25.2 in W 5.12 in D 5.12 in
Giltwood Baroque Ornament, Carved, Italy Circa 1650-1750
Located in Buisson, FR
Beautiful carved giltwood baroque ornament. Italy, 17/18th century. Weathered and small losses. Measurement includes the wooden base.
Wood
$3,255Sale Price|30% Off
H 37 in W 48 in D 23 in
Antique Victorian Walnut Marble Top Barley Twist Washstand Dry Sink Server Bar
Located in Dayton, OH
A large antique Victorian washstand, dry sink, server or dry bar, circa 1870. Featuring a white marble top with an arched and caged backsplash over a walnut base with two hand doveta...
Marble
$297Sale Price|30% Off
H 20 in W 28 in D 2 in
Antique Victorian Mother of Pearl Lace Folding Fan Shadow Box Display 28"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Victorian Mother of Pearl floral lace folding hand fan in shadow box display. Dimensions: 28" x 2" x 20" (Width x Depth x Height)
Mother-of-Pearl
$1,750Sale Price|30% Off
H 24.5 in W 8 in D 8 in
Antique Victorian Aesthetic Arts Nouveau Stained Slag Glass Parlor Lamp 25"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Victorian era Aesthetic Movement / Art Nouveau style table lamp. Mushroom shaped lamp crafted of swirling blue, white, and purple slag glass framed with ornate filigree brass...
Slag Glass
$1,050Sale Price|30% Off
H 41.75 in W 39.25 in D 18 in
Antique 19th Century American Victorian Walnut Dresser Chest of Drawers
Located in Dayton, OH
Late 19th Century American Victorian Chest of drawers. Features four Knapp jointed drawers with brass drawer pulls and carved escutcheon plates. Dresser stiles are grooved matching...
Walnut
$1,050Sale Price|30% Off
H 41 in W 25.5 in D 1.5 in
Vintage John Richard French Louis XVI Style Neoclassical Beveled Glass Mirror
By John Richard
Located in Dayton, OH
Late 20th Century Louis XVI Style Mirror by John Richards. Features a rectangular giltwood frame with beveled glass plate. The crown showcases a woven basket with flowers flanked b...
Mirror, Hardwood, Giltwood
Unavailable|$3,228
H 50.4 in W 53.15 in D 18.31 in
Vintage 1960s Danish Brutalist Chevron Oak Cabinet, Style of Henning Kjærnulf
By Henning Kjærnulf
Located in Store Heddinge, DK
This exceptional Danish modern brutalist cabinet, dating from the 1960s, is in the style of renowned designer Henning Kjærnulf. This oak piece features his signature geometric, relie...
Oak
$2,613Sale Price|25% Off
H 52.76 in W 42.52 in D 15.75 in
1950s Swedish Drinks Cabinet in the Style of Eugen Höglund
By Eugen Höglund
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
This elegant Swedish drinks cabinet dates from the 1950s and is crafted in a refined combination of beech and maple wood. The cabinet stands on slender, slightly tapered legs and fea...
Beech, Maple
$6,895
H 44 in W 47 in D 23 in
George III Bureau Desk or Secretary Chest of Mahogany from the 18th Century
Located in Austin, TX
A fine George III slant top desk or bureau secretary chest of patinated mahogany, c.1770 - an inlaid slant front drops to reveal a series of small drawers and document compartments, ...
Metal, Brass
$875Sale Price|30% Off
H 35 in W 21 in D 40 in
Tell City Hitchcock Style Maple Rumford & Gold Stenciled Spindle Back Bench 40"
By Tell City Chair Co.
Located in Dayton, OH
Mid century Tell City Chair Company bench seat featuring Hitchcock styling with spindle back and stenciled gold accents. J 840, #77 Rumford & Gold w8. Dimensions: 40" x 21" x 3...
Maple
$2,625Sale Price|30% Off
H 41.5 in W 42.5 in D 21.5 in
Antique Georgian Flame Mahogany Slant Front Secretary Writing Desk Bureau
Located in Dayton, OH
Exquisite antique early 19th century secretary writing storage desk. Made of flame mahogany featuring Georgian styling with three large dovetailed drawers and a drop front that open...
Birdseye Maple, Mahogany
$1,445Sale Price|20% Off
H 30.71 in W 33.47 in D 16.93 in
Small Swedish oak Jugendstil sideboard, 1930s.
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
1930s Swedish Jugendstil cabinet crafted from solid oak. The piece features two drawers above a double-door cupboard, raised on elegantly tapered legs. The doors are decorated with h...
Oak
$315Sale Price|30% Off
H 8.5 in W 16.5 in D 10.25 in
Japanese Camphorwood Brass Okinawa Pagoda Jewelry Chest Box 17"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage Japanese chinoiserie jewelry treasure chest. Made of Camphor Wood featuring a carved cityscape with Pagoda and etched brass hardware. The box interior features a mirror and ...
Hardwood
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.