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Late Regency Mahogany Small Writing Table, circa 1830
Late Regency Mahogany Small Writing Table, circa 1830

Late Regency Mahogany Small Writing Table, circa 1830

Located in Sheffield, MA

Small late Regency mahogany writing table with mottled green gilt-tooled writing surface above two

Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Pierre Paulin: Small Desk, circa 1962
Pierre Paulin: Small Desk, circa 1962

Pierre Paulin: Small Desk, circa 1962

By Pierre Paulin

Located in Grenoble, FR

Very elegant desk by Pierre Paulin: black lacquered metal, oak, white laminated plywood; small

Category

20th Century Dutch Desks and Writing Tables

Small Desk Kontor Teak, Denmark, 1960s
Small Desk Kontor Teak, Denmark, 1960s

Small Desk Kontor Teak, Denmark, 1960s

Located in Zurich, Zurich

Restored: Small desk Kontor Teak, Denmark, 1960s, teak, oiled slightly curved worktop, Left: 3

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Small Modernist Desk Hansen Berlin, 1950
Small Modernist Desk Hansen Berlin, 1950

Small Modernist Desk Hansen Berlin, 1950

By Hansen

Located in Berlin, DE

From the Berlin top-manufacturer Hansen comes this practical, small desk. With the three on wheels

Category

Vintage 1950s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Italian Small Louis XVI Cherry Desk
Italian Small Louis XVI Cherry Desk

Italian Small Louis XVI Cherry Desk

Located in Moncalvo, IT

Little cherry inlayed desk from Venice, Louis XVI 1780 Circa

Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cherry

Small 18th Century George III Hepplewhite Period Mahogany Writing Table
Small 18th Century George III Hepplewhite Period Mahogany Writing Table

Small 18th Century George III Hepplewhite Period Mahogany Writing Table

Located in Bradford on Avon, GB

The mahogany writing table has recently been recovered with a light green leather top. The frieze

Category

Antique 1780s English Hepplewhite Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Small Italian Walnut Inlaid 19th Century Desk
Small Italian Walnut Inlaid 19th Century Desk

Small Italian Walnut Inlaid 19th Century Desk

Located in Moncalvo, IT

Beautiful small Italian 19th century desk made of walnut with front draw

Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

A Small Birch-wood Empire Partner's Desk
A Small Birch-wood Empire Partner's Desk

A Small Birch-wood Empire Partner's Desk

Located in Djursholm, SE

A small birch-wood and birch-root empire partner's desk made in Stockholm c:a 1830. This item is

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch

Small 1920s Vintage Side Table or Desk
Small 1920s Vintage Side Table or Desk

Small 1920s Vintage Side Table or Desk

Located in Freiburg, DE

Polished and oiled non-toxic wood-worm treatment.  

Category

Vintage 1920s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Fir

Small Desk in the Manner of Gio Ponti
Small Desk in the Manner of Gio Ponti

Small Desk in the Manner of Gio Ponti

Located in New York, NY

Small desk with heavy black lacquered metal frame and brass feet. The top is in rosewood and the

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Midcentury Continental Mahogany Dressing Table or Small Desk
Midcentury Continental Mahogany Dressing Table or Small Desk

Midcentury Continental Mahogany Dressing Table or Small Desk

Located in Hudson, NY

Traditionally made as a dressing table, this nicely proportioned piece can be perfect as a small

Category

Vintage 1970s European Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Small Fruitwood Desk with White Top from 1950s
Small Fruitwood Desk with White Top from 1950s

Small Fruitwood Desk with White Top from 1950s

Located in London, GB

Fruitwood desk with five drawers and brass details, Italian, 1950s.

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Rare Wood Small Architect Desk in Teak, 1960
Rare Wood Small Architect Desk in Teak, 1960

Rare Wood Small Architect Desk in Teak, 1960

Located in Berkeley, CA

Very elegant and attractive desk, multi positions with the 2 metal piece on the side. Every detail

Category

Vintage 1960s European Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Mid-Century Modern Small Walnut Desk with Round Pulls
Mid-Century Modern Small Walnut Desk with Round Pulls

Mid-Century Modern Small Walnut Desk with Round Pulls

Located in Belmont, MA

Mid-Century Modern small walnut desk with round pulls, circa 1970s.

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Small Victorian Side Desk or Washstand with Drawers in Mahogany
Small Victorian Side Desk or Washstand with Drawers in Mahogany

Small Victorian Side Desk or Washstand with Drawers in Mahogany

Located in Atlanta, GA

Fresh over from England, this small side desk provides function in tiny spaces. Probably made

Category

Antique 1890s English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

1940s Small Italian Desk in the style of Guglielmo Ulrich
1940s Small Italian Desk in the style of Guglielmo Ulrich

1940s Small Italian Desk in the style of Guglielmo Ulrich

By Guglielmo Ulrich

Located in London, GB

Small desk in rosewood and green glass top in the style of Guglielmo Ulrich.

Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Freestanding nutwood small desk with brass “shoes”. Top with raised edges.
Freestanding nutwood small desk with brass “shoes”. Top with raised edges.

Freestanding nutwood small desk with brass “shoes”. Top with raised edges.

By A. J. Iversen, Kaare Klint, Rud Rasmussen

Located in Vejle Øst, DK

Freestanding nutwood small desk with brass “shoes”. Top with raised edges. Front with four profiled

Category

Vintage 1930s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

19th Century Small Mahogany Pedestal Desk with Red Leather Top
19th Century Small Mahogany Pedestal Desk with Red Leather Top

19th Century Small Mahogany Pedestal Desk with Red Leather Top

Located in Glencarse, Perthshire

There are three drawers in the frieze and tohe top is raised upon twin pedestals, each with three drawers. Sizes: Width 42 inches Depth 23 inches Height 30 inches.

Category

Antique 19th Century British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Small Desk by Ben Thompson for Design Research
Mid-Century Modern Walnut Small Desk by Ben Thompson for Design Research

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Small Desk by Ben Thompson for Design Research

By Ben Thompson, Design Research

Located in Belmont, MA

Mid-Century Modern walnut small desk by Design Research, circa 1970s.

Category

Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Small Mid Century Modern Zebra Wood  Desk By Peter Protzman For Herman Miller
Small Mid Century Modern Zebra Wood  Desk By Peter Protzman For Herman Miller

Small Mid Century Modern Zebra Wood Desk By Peter Protzman For Herman Miller

By Herman Miller, Peter Protzmann

Located in Atlanta, GA

keys. Small gouges at the front of the desk. Other minor signs of wear from normal use. Huge desk with

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Zebra Wood

Antique Small English Mahogany Desk with Embossed Leather Top and Brass Gallery
Antique Small English Mahogany Desk with Embossed Leather Top and Brass Gallery

Antique Small English Mahogany Desk with Embossed Leather Top and Brass Gallery

Located in Houston, TX

Unusual bedroom-size mahogany desk with center drawer and to unusual side cabinets made to look

Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Custom Sit/Stand "Essentials Desk" with Solid Wood Top and Metal Base, Small
Custom Sit/Stand "Essentials Desk" with Solid Wood Top and Metal Base, Small

Custom Sit/Stand "Essentials Desk" with Solid Wood Top and Metal Base, Small

By Union Wood Co.

Located in Vancouver, B.C.

Break up long periods of sitting at a desk and improve your productivity by switching to standing

Category

2010s Canadian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

1940s Rare Small Desk or Sofa Table in the Style of Ico Parisi
1940s Rare Small Desk or Sofa Table in the Style of Ico Parisi

1940s Rare Small Desk or Sofa Table in the Style of Ico Parisi

By Ico Parisi

Located in London, GB

Amazing small desk / sofa table with glass top . Original glass

Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Glass, Wood

Hans Wegner RY32 'Ladies' Desk
Hans Wegner RY32 'Ladies' Desk

Hans Wegner RY32 'Ladies' Desk

By Hans J. Wegner, Ry Møbler

Located in Long Beach, CA

An uncommon smaller scale writing desk designed by Hans Wegner for Ry Mobler. Model number RY32, it

Category

Mid-20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Antique Ladies Desk from Vienna, 1820s
Antique Ladies Desk from Vienna, 1820s

Antique Ladies Desk from Vienna, 1820s

Located in Senden, NRW

Elegant ladies desk or small writing table From Vienna. Offers a distinctive red brown wooden color

Category

Antique 1820s Austrian Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cherry

Small Proportioned Arts & Crafts Oak Bureau
Small Proportioned Arts & Crafts Oak Bureau

Small Proportioned Arts & Crafts Oak Bureau

Located in Buckinghamshire, GB

Small proportioned oak Arts & Crafts bureau having a pierced gallery above a sloping fall front

Category

Antique Early 1900s English Desks and Writing Tables

Neoclassic Desk, Console-Marquetry Hand-Carved Details, 19th Century
Neoclassic Desk, Console-Marquetry Hand-Carved Details, 19th Century

Neoclassic Desk, Console-Marquetry Hand-Carved Details, 19th Century

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

19th century neoclassic stylish small desk writing table or console with carved and inlay wood

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Small Dresser Marcel Breuer 1926 with Foldable Top
Small Dresser Marcel Breuer 1926 with Foldable Top

Small Dresser Marcel Breuer 1926 with Foldable Top

By Marcel Breuer

Located in Berlin, DE

production of this versatile piece of furniture in small series. This version is no longer in production.

Category

Vintage 1980s German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Glass, Bentwood

Danish Teak Desk from the 1960s in the Manner of Arne Vodder
Danish Teak Desk from the 1960s in the Manner of Arne Vodder

Danish Teak Desk from the 1960s in the Manner of Arne Vodder

By Arne Vodder

Located in Cologne, DE

Small Danish writing desk in the manner of Arne Vodder. Interesting model, which stands out for

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Exceptional Small Iron and Copper Side Table with Chair
Exceptional Small Iron and Copper Side Table with Chair

Exceptional Small Iron and Copper Side Table with Chair

Located in Pasadena, CA

Side table and iron chair, circa 1920s. The iron work is incredibly well executed. Measures: 32" H x 31.25" W x 13" D.

Category

Vintage 1920s North American Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables

George I Walnut Antique Bureau of Small Proportions, Circa 1720
George I Walnut Antique Bureau of Small Proportions, Circa 1720

George I Walnut Antique Bureau of Small Proportions, Circa 1720

Located in Antrim, GB

An early George I Walnut Antique Bureau of small proportions. Circa 1720. Fitted Interior with

Category

Antique 1720s European George I Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Louis XVI Mahogany and Leather Small Bureau Plat RESTORED
19th Century Louis XVI Mahogany and Leather Small Bureau Plat RESTORED

19th Century Louis XVI Mahogany and Leather Small Bureau Plat RESTORED

Located in Toledo, Castilla La Mancha

Elegant small Louis XVI writing desk with wheels, leather top with two side drawers and one central

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Antique 18th Century Bureau of Small Proportions In Mahogany ( REF AF-3506 )
Antique 18th Century Bureau of Small Proportions In Mahogany ( REF AF-3506 )

Antique 18th Century Bureau of Small Proportions In Mahogany ( REF AF-3506 )

Located in Ledbury, GB

original brass handles, adding a touch of classic charm. Its attractive small size makes it a versatile

Category

Antique 18th Century British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Small Liseuse Side Table Louis XVI French Mahogany and Fruitwood, 1780s
Small Liseuse Side Table Louis XVI French Mahogany and Fruitwood, 1780s

Small Liseuse Side Table Louis XVI French Mahogany and Fruitwood, 1780s

Located in Mönchengladbach, NW

Rare small furniture in very good condition. Grey Marble top plate with old brass gallery locks and

Category

Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Brass

SP01 Holland Console in White Carrara Marble, Made in Italy
SP01 Holland Console in White Carrara Marble, Made in Italy

SP01 Holland Console in White Carrara Marble, Made in Italy

By Metrica, SP01

Located in Sydney, NSW

hall or small writing desk. The Holland console is available with optional contrasting feet. Top

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables

Materials

Marble, Steel

SP01 Holland Console in Green Verde Guatemala Marble, Made in Italy
SP01 Holland Console in Green Verde Guatemala Marble, Made in Italy

SP01 Holland Console in Green Verde Guatemala Marble, Made in Italy

By SP01, Metrica

Located in Sydney, NSW

hall or small writing desk. The Holland console is available with optional contrasting feet. Top

Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables

Materials

Marble, Chrome

Small 19th Century English Regency Writing Table
Small 19th Century English Regency Writing Table

Small 19th Century English Regency Writing Table

Located in Alexandria, VA

Fine antique English writing table in mahogany, having a rectangular top with tooled and gilt

Category

Antique 1820s British Regency Desks

Materials

Leather, Mahogany, Wood

19th Century Gustavian Side Table or Small Writing Desk
19th Century Gustavian Side Table or Small Writing Desk

19th Century Gustavian Side Table or Small Writing Desk

Located in Copenhagen, K

Very nice painted Gustavian side table or small writing desk. Painted to look like if the top has

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Cees Braakman Small Writing Desk for Pastoe, Netherlands
Cees Braakman Small Writing Desk for Pastoe, Netherlands

Cees Braakman Small Writing Desk for Pastoe, Netherlands

By Pastoe, Cees Braakman

Located in Amsterdam, NL

Elegant small writing desk by Cees Braakman. Tripod legs black painted (original) and oak veneer

Category

Vintage 1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Italian Mid-Century Small Writing Desk by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
Italian Mid-Century Small Writing Desk by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s

Italian Mid-Century Small Writing Desk by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s

By Vittorio Dassi

Located in Traversetolo, IT

This stunning Italian small writing Desk of the 1950s, also named 'dattilo', is attributable to

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Antique English Georgian Crotch Mahogany Green Leather Top Small Writing Desk
Antique English Georgian Crotch Mahogany Green Leather Top Small Writing Desk

Antique English Georgian Crotch Mahogany Green Leather Top Small Writing Desk

Located in Philadelphia, PA

. Antique English Georgian Crotch Mahogany Green Leather Top Small Writing Desk. Item features 3 hand

Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Georgian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Baker Furniture Milling Road Carved Mahogany Small Writing Desk or Entry Table
Baker Furniture Milling Road Carved Mahogany Small Writing Desk or Entry Table

Baker Furniture Milling Road Carved Mahogany Small Writing Desk or Entry Table

By Baker Furniture Company

Located in South Bend, IN

An exceptional carved mahogany small writing desk or entry table By Baker Furniture Milling Road

Category

1990s American American Colonial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Bleached Oak Small Writing Desk
Bleached Oak Small Writing Desk

Bleached Oak Small Writing Desk

Located in New York, NY

secretary desk gives it a more contemporary and fresh look. With 2 large drawers and additional interior

Category

20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk
19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk

19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk

Located in Casale Monferrato, IT

Elegant and essential antique Italian small writing desk. The desk is made of solid walnut wood

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Desks

Materials

Walnut

Small writing desk 2 sides, 1790, Denmark
Small writing desk 2 sides, 1790, Denmark

Small writing desk 2 sides, 1790, Denmark

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

Small double-sided writing desk, 1790, Denmark

Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Danish Desks and Writing Tables

19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk
19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk

19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk

Located in Casale Monferrato, IT

essential antique Italian small writing desk. The desk is made of solid walnut wood. Important

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Desks

Materials

Walnut

Small Writing Desk with Glass Top, Italy, 1950s
Small Writing Desk with Glass Top, Italy, 1950s

Small Writing Desk with Glass Top, Italy, 1950s

Located in Greding, DE

Italian small desk with four drawers and a black writing surface with glass top. The desk stands on

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

19th Century Italian Solid Poplar Wood Antique Small Writing Desk
19th Century Italian Solid Poplar Wood Antique Small Writing Desk

19th Century Italian Solid Poplar Wood Antique Small Writing Desk

Located in Casale Monferrato, IT

Rustic and essential antique Italian small writing desk. The desk is made of solid poplar wood

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Desks

Materials

Poplar

Completely restored funkcionalism Chrome small Writing Desk, Thonet 1930-1939
Completely restored funkcionalism Chrome small Writing Desk, Thonet 1930-1939

Completely restored funkcionalism Chrome small Writing Desk, Thonet 1930-1939

By Thonet

Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj

Writing desk made in Czechoslovakia Material: Chrome Completely restored.       

Category

Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

French Louis XV Small Writing Desk With Leather Top Pullout
French Louis XV Small Writing Desk With Leather Top Pullout

French Louis XV Small Writing Desk With Leather Top Pullout

Located in West Hartford, CT

This French Louis XV petite desk embodies the elegance of 18th-century French craftsmanship

Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Small Writing Desk with two Drawers, Italian Manufactory, Mid-20th Century
Small Writing Desk with two Drawers, Italian Manufactory, Mid-20th Century

Small Writing Desk with two Drawers, Italian Manufactory, Mid-20th Century

Located in Greding, DE

Small desk with two drawers on the sides and rectangular veneered table top. The desk stands on an

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Antique French Ladies Dressing Table or Small Writing Desk Old Paint Unrestored
Antique French Ladies Dressing Table or Small Writing Desk Old Paint Unrestored

Antique French Ladies Dressing Table or Small Writing Desk Old Paint Unrestored

Located in BENSENVILLE, IL

Antique French ladies dressing table or small desk in old putty grey paint with its original marble

Category

Antique Early 1900s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

Antique 1900s Era Adams Paint Decorated Ladies Vanity or Small Writing Desk
Antique 1900s Era Adams Paint Decorated Ladies Vanity or Small Writing Desk

Antique 1900s Era Adams Paint Decorated Ladies Vanity or Small Writing Desk

Located in Swedesboro, NJ

This is a beautiful small size Adams paint decorated vanity or desk. The piece is in its original

Category

Antique Early 1900s English Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Satinwood

Mid-Century Italian Small Writing Desk Black Lacquer, Brass by Silvio Cavatorta
Mid-Century Italian Small Writing Desk Black Lacquer, Brass by Silvio Cavatorta

Mid-Century Italian Small Writing Desk Black Lacquer, Brass by Silvio Cavatorta

By Silvio Cavatorta

Located in Salzburg, AT

Small desk by Silvio Cavatorta, Italy, 1950s. Re-painted in black high-gloss lacquer. Stainless

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel

19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk or Side Table
19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk or Side Table

19th Century Italian Solid Walnut Antique Small Writing Desk or Side Table

Located in Casale Monferrato, IT

essential antique Italian small writing desk or side table. The table is made of solid walnut wood

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Side Tables

Materials

Walnut

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Small Writing Desks For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are several options of small writing desks available for sale. Each of these unique small writing desks was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, metal and hardwood. We have 725 antique and vintage small writing desks in-stock, while there are 39 modern editions to choose from as well. Small writing desks have long been popular, with older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. There are many kinds of small writing desks to choose from, but at 1stDibs, mid-century modern, Art Deco and Victorian small writing desks are of considerable interest. Vittorio Dassi, Matthias Demacker and Gio Ponti each produced beautiful small writing desks that are worth considering.

How Much are Small Writing Desks?

Small writing desks can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price at 1stDibs is $3,512, while the lowest priced sells for $83 and the highest can go for as much as $495,000.

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.

Questions About Small Writing Desks
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    A 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 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 19, 2021
    A 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, 2023
    What 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, 2023
    In 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.