Pedestal Desks
Antique 19th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 1860s English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Desks
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 1890s British Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Antique Late 18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Leather
Mid-20th Century Swedish Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Desks
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique 18th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern Desks and Wr...
Stainless Steel
Antique 1840s English Early Victorian Desks
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique Early 1900s Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique 19th Century English Desks
Brass, Metal
Vintage 1960s Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Desks
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century English Early Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Antique 19th Century European George III Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century British Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Leather
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Desks
Leather, Oak
Vintage 1980s Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique Mid-19th Century English Chippendale Desks
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1950s British Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Antique Early 1900s Dutch Gothic Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Antique 19th Century English Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Vintage 1920s British Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Early 20th Century Belgian Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Antique 1860s British Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
20th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Hardwood
Early 20th Century Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Other
Antique 1860s British Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Late 20th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Antique Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century British Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Other
Antique 1860s British High Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century European Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1930s British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s British Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1960s British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Yew
Antique Mid-18th Century English Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1930s British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Antique Early 1900s British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Antique 1870s English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Antique 1860s English Desks
Ormolu
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s British Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Yew
Antique Late 19th Century English Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Burl
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Pedestal Desks For Sale on 1stDibs
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Finding the Right Desks and 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.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023The term double pedestal desk refers to a desk that features a rectangular top positioned on two pedestals rather than four legs. In some cases, the pedestals are cabinets rather than simple supports. Shop a variety of pedestal desks from some of the world's top sellers on 1stDibs.
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