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
Brass
$840Sale Price|30% Off
H 70 in W 28 in D 19 in
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
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
Bamboo, Rattan
$4,766
H 39.38 in W 26.97 in D 21.07 in
ANTIQUE 1684 DATED HAND CARVED 17TH CENTURY LIFT TOP WRITiNG TABLE DESK BIBLE
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
century, hand caved 1684 lift top writing work table traditionally used for bible storage Please note
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
Brass
$7,000
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
Hardwood
$2,200
H 29.5 in W 28 in D 21 in
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. It features great metal detailing
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. Has detailed inlay
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
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
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
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
executed, which reduces the mass of the form. With, basically, a lift-top and drawer, it has a lightness of
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
Mahogany
Walnut Lift Top Desk Drafting Table
By George Nelson, Knoll
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
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
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
Bamboo
1900s French Lift-Top Writing Desk
Located in High Point, NC
An antique writing desk from France, produced during the turn of the century. An elegant lift-top
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
Oak
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
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
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
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
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
Mahogany
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
Library of Antique Leatherbound Books
Located in Brønshøj, DK
This collection consists of 400 antique decorative books, mainly dating from 1850–1950, with most published before 1920. The books are bound in leather, many with fine gold leaf embo...
Gold Leaf
$12,351Sale Price / item|20% Off
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
$2,861Sale Price|20% 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
$385Sale Price|30% Off
H 20.5 in W 22 in D 5.5 in
Mahogany Chippendale Style Wall Hanging Curio Cabinet Display Shelf 22"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage 20th century mahogany Chippendale style curio / display cabinet featuring a three sided glass front, arch top, and three interior shelves. Back of cabinet is fitted with slot...
Glass, Mahogany
$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
$3,215Sale Price|20% Off
H 55.12 in W 49.22 in D 21.26 in
1960s Swedish Neoclassic Style Vanity In Birch With Walnut Interior
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
1960s dressing table with mirror, executed in a refined neoclassical style. The piece features beautifully figured book-matched birch veneer to the exterior, contrasted by a walnut-v...
Mirror, Birch, Walnut
$420Sale Price|30% Off
H 24 in W 16.75 in D 7.25 in
Chinese Chippendale Mahogany Fretwork Hanging Trinket Curio Display Shelf 24"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage mid 20th century Chinese Chippendale style mahogany 2 tier wall hanging shelf - elegant fretwork sides supporting two shelves with scalloped edge trim. Dimensions: 16.75" x ...
Mahogany
$490Sale Price|30% Off
H 28 in W 15.5 in D 11 in
Antique American Mahogany 3 Tier Corner Hanging Shelf Pipe Rack Display Stand
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique corner pipe / spoon display stand sconce shelf. Made of mahogany featuring a scalloped design with 3 tiers, upper pipe rack and lower shelf with drawers. Dimensions: 28" x 1...
Mahogany
$1,120Sale Price|30% Off
H 48.5 in W 38.5 in D 15.25 in
Antique Novelty Wood Works Co. Mission Style Mahogany Bookcase Display Cabinet
Located in Dayton, OH
Early 20th Century Novelty Wood Works Company Craftsman Style Bookcase. Made from mahogany with two glass locking front doors that open to a divided interior with 10 shelves. The c...
Mahogany
$1,120Sale Price|30% Off
H 67 in W 37.5 in D 13 in
Antique Quartersawn Oak Side by Side Secretary Desk Bookcase Curio Cabinet
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Victorian side by side / secretary desk / bookcase / display case. Made of quartersawn oak featuring Art Nouveau styling with curio cabinet next to a drop front secretary ove...
Mirror, Oak
$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
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
H 69.75 in W 40.5 in D 23.5 in
Antique Empire Classical Flame Mahogany Secretary Desk c1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Empire Classical Flame Mahogany Secretary with Blind Door Upper, Drop Down Desk and Graduated Drawers C1840 Measures - 69 3/4" x 40 1/2" x 23 3/8"
Mahogany
$840Sale Price|30% Off
H 52.5 in W 38 in D 20 in
Antique Victorian Revival Walnut Gentleman's Chest of Drawers Cabinet Console
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Victorian gentleman's chest. Made of walnut featuring three drawers concealed behind paneled doors, flanked by multiple drawers, and supported by turned tapered fluted legs ...
Walnut
$595Sale Price|30% Off
H 45.5 in W 42 in D 81 in
Mid Century Walnut Neoclassical Pierced Accent Twin Size Pineapple Post Bed
Located in Dayton, OH
Mid Century walnut twin size bed featuring Neoclassical styling with floral and ribbon crested headboard, brass pineapple posts, and fluted columns with tapered legs and large castor...
Walnut
$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
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.