Tiger Maple Writing Table
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century English Edwardian End Tables
Birdseye Maple, Ebony, Mahogany, Rosewood, Satinwood
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21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
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2010s Danish Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
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2010s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Chrome, Aluminum, Nickel
2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
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Carrara Marble, Wrought Iron
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Brass, Metal
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
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Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and...
Metal, Brass
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2010s British Scandinavian Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Mohair, Velvet, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs
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Antique Early 19th Century French Charles X End Tables
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Antique Mid-19th Century Great Britain (UK) Early Victorian Desks and Wr...
Early 20th Century American Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
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Early 20th Century Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
Antique Early 19th Century French Charles X Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Antique 1820s American Federal Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Maple
Early 20th Century American Tables
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
Antique Late 19th Century American Shaker Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
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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