Can a library table be used as a desk?

Yes, you can use a library table as a desk. In fact, many people like the spacious tops found on library tables because they usually have enough room to accommodate a computer and provide additional work space. Find a range of library tables on 1stDibs.

Mission Library Table

Stickley Writing Desk

Limbert Oak

Charles Limbert Arts And Crafts Furniture

Stickley Mission Oak

Gustav Stickley Copper

Library 1900

Vintage 1910s American Mission Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

$1,085Sale Price|30% Off

Antique Park Furniture Quartersawn Oak Mission Arts Crafts Library Table Desk

Located in Dayton, OH

Antique quartersawn oak library table or desk by The Park Furniture Company of Rushville Indiana.

Category

Early 20th Century American Mission Desks

Materials

Oak

Stickley Style Mission Oak Arts & Crafts Library Table Newly Refinished

$4,500

Stickley Style Mission Oak Arts & Crafts Library Table Newly Refinished

By Gustav Stickley

Located in South Bend, IN

An exceptional antique Mission or Arts & Crafts period metamorphic library table or monk's chair In the manner of Gustav Stickley USA, Circa 1900 Solid oak, with keyed tenon joine...

Category

Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks

Materials

Oak

Antique Mission Arts Craft Quartersawn Oak Library Bookcase Table Desk Inkwell

$2,000

Antique Mission Arts Craft Quartersawn Oak Library Bookcase Table Desk Inkwell

Located in Dayton, OH

The desk is finished on all sides allowing for use in the middle of any room or library. The defining genius of this piece lies within its highly specialized central drawer system, ...

Category

Early 20th Century American Desks

Materials

Oak

Limbert Antique Mission Oak Arts & Crafts Desk, Newly Refinished

$4,800

Limbert Antique Mission Oak Arts & Crafts Desk, Newly Refinished

By Charles Limbert

Located in South Bend, IN

An exceptional antique Mission or Arts & Crafts period library table or writing desk By Charles P.

Category

Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Copper

Recent Sales

Superb Stickley Style Mission Desk Writing Library Table Marquetry Top

Unavailable

Sold

H 30.5 in W 46.5 in D 28 in

Antique Mission Arts & Crafts Quartersawn Oak Library Desk Table Craftsman 47"

Located in Dayton, OH

Antique handmade Mission desk made by James Dietz an Ohio craftsman, circa 1920s. A rectangular form made from quartersawn oak with classic slatted sides and lower shelf / foot rest....

Category

Vintage 1920s Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Antique Imperial Quartersawn Oak Mission Arts Crafts Library Table Writing Desk

Sold

H 30 in W 48 in D 30 in

Antique Imperial Quartersawn Oak Mission Arts Crafts Library Table Writing Desk

Located in Dayton, OH

"Antique Imperial Funtiure library table or writing desk. Made of quartersawn oak featuring one large drawer, squared legs and trestle base. Marked on underside, Imperial Furniture, ...

Category

Vintage 1940s Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

$2,795

$11,500

H 29.5 in W 63 in D 35 in

English Oak Extension / Drawleaf Table

Located in Woodbury, CT

This oak extension / drawleaf table with self-storing leaves is just the right size for six, but pull the 18" leaves out from each end and seating ten isn't out of the question. In a...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary English French Provincial Farm Tables

Materials

Upholstery

Fumed Oak Round Top Foundation Side Table / Stool

$635 / item

H 18 in W 12 in D 12 in

Fumed Oak Round Top Foundation Side Table / Stool

Located in Portland, OR

Solid wood stool / side table in fumed white oak with round top. The fuming process reacts with the tannins in the wood and results in a color through, rich amber tone. With a clean ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Stools

Materials

Oak

The 'Matisse' Etagere

$2,655 / item

H 21.66 in W 24.02 in D 16.54 in

The 'Matisse' Etagere

Located in London, GB

The 'Matisse' wrought iron side table. A hand made and patinated wrought iron etagere with whimsical Matisse style cut-out decoration. Made to order based on a 1960s original. Avail...

Category

2010s English Folk Art Side Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Mid-Century Modern Display Cabinet by Young Manufacturing Company

$1,600

$7,950

H 34.65 in W 57.88 in D 23.63 in

Guillerme et Chambron "José" Sofa for Votre Maison, France 1970s

By Guillerme et Chambron, Votre Maison

Located in Utrecht, NL

The company Votre Maison is one that has left an indelible mark on the history of French design. The 'José' model sofa, designed by Robert Guillerme along with his sales partner Jacq...

Category

Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Oak

Weave Double Sided Credenza, from Ringvide, Oak Wood, Natural Oil

$11,350 / item

H 29.14 in W 79.93 in D 15.75 in

Weave Double Sided Credenza, from Ringvide, Oak Wood, Natural Oil

By Lukas Dahlén

Located in Visby, SE

Weave Double sided Credenza, made of solid birch wood and veneér. Modern yet classic, bold yet modest the Weave serves as a great example of Scandinavian contemporary design. Des...

Category

2010s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Sideboards

Materials

Birch, Oak

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Mission Library Table For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal mission library table for your home. Frequently made of oak, wood and metal, every mission library table was constructed with great care. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer mission library table, there are earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. A mission library table, designed in the Arts and Crafts style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. You’ll likely find more than one mission library table that is appealing in its simplicity, but Gustav Stickley, Charles Limbert and Stickley Brothers produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Mission Library Table?

The average selling price for a mission library table at 1stDibs is $1,895, while they’re typically $550 on the low end and $14,500 for the highest priced.

A Close Look at Arts And Crafts Furniture

Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.

The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.

American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.

Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.

Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right Desks-writing-tables for You

Vintage desks and writing tables span centuries of design. The writing table came first, a simple surface built for correspondence, while the drawered desk followed as record-keeping at home and in the office grew more demanding.

Styles to Know

Any desk at least 20 years old falls under this broader vintage category. If you want a tapered-leg, mid-century look specifically, browse mid-century modern desks; Louis XVI and Art Deco secretary desks bridge the writing-table and desk forms. A vintage table lamp adds task lighting to either.

How to Choose the Right Vintage Piece

Writing tables often carry little to no storage of their own, so a separate file cabinet or desk organizer may be worth planning for, alongside a close look at the surface dimensions against the space available. Each piece comes from a vetted 1stDibs seller, with era, designer and condition detailed, and every purchase is covered by the 1stDibs Promise.

Questions About Mission Library Table

Can a library table be used as a desk?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
Yes, you can use a library table as a desk. In fact, many people like the spacious tops found on library tables because they usually have enough room to accommodate a computer and provide additional work space. Find a range of library tables on 1stDibs.