Mcm Writing Desk
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks
Brass
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century English Desks
Elm
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Plywood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks
Metal, Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Hardwood, Lacquer
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1960s Danish Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Japanese George IV Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks
Aluminum
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Rattan, Wood
Vintage 1970s Danish Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Vintage 1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Glass, Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
Aluminum, Chrome
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Italian Console Tables
Marble
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Aluminum
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Glass, Walnut
2010s American Scandinavian Modern Console Tables
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Armchairs
Upholstery, Velvet, Walnut
Vintage 1970s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Pine
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
2010s Vietnamese Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Burl
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Walnut
Vintage 1940s American Cabinets
Wood
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Gueridon
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mcm Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Mcm Writing Desk?
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.
- What is a writing desk?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
A writing desk may refer to a desk with a top, often sloping, for writing on or to a portable case with compartments to hold writing materials and a surface for writing.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021A small writing table is also called a davenport table or davenport desk. They normally feature a sloped or inclined top attached with hinges to the back of the table. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage davenport desks.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021A writing desk with drawers is also called a secretary. It is a desk with drawers, one of which can be pushed out and the front of the desk lowered to create a flat writing surface. These writing desks have been made in a variety of styles over the years. Shop for a variety of writing tables with drawers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023What an old-fashioned writing desk is called varies by design. Pieces with drop-down fronts are secretary desks (these are typically made of two parts: a chest of drawers on the bottom and a hutch or cupboard with shelves on the top), while ones that rest on two pillars, cabinets or bookcases are pedestal desks. A desk with a small writing surface positioned in front of drawers and cubbies is a bureau à gradin. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of desks.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023In French, the term for a writing desk that often featured a drop-down writing surface is secretaire. This type of desk is called a secretary desk in English. Simply put, a secretary desk is a multifunctional piece of furniture with a hinged writing surface that folds open or drops down. When the leaf is folded out, small inner storage compartments, which are called pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers, are revealed. On 1stDibs, shop antique secretary desks from some of the world's top sellers.
Read More
The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home
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.
May’s Most Popular Interiors on Instagram
Our feed is filled with the world's most beautiful spaces. See the rooms our followers have deemed the best of the best this month.
New Orleans’ Lee Ledbetter Makes Design Magic by Mixing Past and Present
The Louisiana-born and -bred architect talks to 1stdibs about the art of making timeless places that matter.
Desert Modern Designer Arthur Elrod Finally Gets His Day in the Sun
The Palm Springs interior decorator developed a mid-century style that defined the vacation homes of celebrities and other notables, including Bob Hope and Lucille Ball.
From the Hamptons to Palm Springs, FormArch’s Homes Embody Both Comfort and Cool
The houses from this New York studio cloak modernist tendencies within what are often more traditional trappings.







