Maple And Walnut Art Deco Writing Desks
2010s German Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Vintage 1920s Austrian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Maple, Walnut, Spruce, Plywood
Vintage 1950s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Antique Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Desks
Leather, Maple, Walnut
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks
Stainless Steel
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Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
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Vintage 1960s North American Desks and Writing Tables
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Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Crystal Serveware
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21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
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Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Vintage 1930s German Bauhaus Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Dressers
Steel
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
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Vintage 1930s Austrian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Birdseye Maple, Walnut
Late 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Vintage 1930s Italian Secretaires
Birdseye Maple, Walnut
Early 20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Maple, Walnut
Vintage 1980s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Birdseye Maple, Walnut
Vintage 1960s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Maple, Burl, Lacquer
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Desks
Birdseye Maple, Oak, Walnut
Vintage 1930s English Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Mid-20th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Vintage 1930s English Art Deco Tables
Wood, Walnut
Vintage 1930s Unknown Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Finding the Right desks-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.