Tessellated Black Writing Desk
Vintage 1980s Desks and Writing Tables
Stone, Brass
Late 20th Century American George III Console Tables
Marble
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21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Textile, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Card Tables and Tea Tables
Lacquer
Vintage 1960s North American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1970s American Chinoiserie Desks
Brass
Early 20th Century European Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut, Burl
1990s French Art Deco Dining Room Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Stools
Wenge, Walnut, Rosewood, Oak, Plywood
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Oak, Wood
Early 2000s Unknown Directoire Console Tables
Breccia Marble
Late 20th Century American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
Vintage 1960s American Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese George III Desks and Writing Ta...
Leather, Wood
20th Century American Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Recent Sales
Vintage 1980s Asian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Stone
Vintage 1980s Philippine Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Horn
20th Century Philippine Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Stone
20th Century Philippine Louis XV Desks
Stone, Brass
Late 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Stone, Marble, Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1980s Philippine Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
Vintage 1970s Colombian Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Bone, Goatskin
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.