Midcentury Inspired Writing Desk
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern Desks and Wr...
Wood
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writi...
Glass, Ash
Antique Mid-19th Century English Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Vintage 1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Antique Mid-19th Century French Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing Ta...
Oak
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Vintage 1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writi...
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Glass
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Opaline Glass, Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Glass
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1960s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
21st Century and Contemporary American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Wri...
Ash, Oak, Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Reclaimed Wood
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Cane, Teak, Upholstery
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Vintage 1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Japanese Showa Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
Antique 1860s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Fabric, Formica, Wood, Lacquer
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
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Midcentury Inspired Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Midcentury Inspired 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.
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