$23,900
H 30 in W 47.25 in D 27.5 in
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Ebony, Tortoiseshell, Brass, and Leather Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and unique French 19th century Louis XV st. ebony, tortoiseshell, brass, and leather
Brass, Ormolu
Exceptional Napoleon III Louis XV Style Boulle Writing Desk
Located in Macclesfield, GB
engraved brass and red tortoiseshell writing table or centre table with blue and green colored enamel
Brass
Unavailable
H 48.82 in W 21.26 in D 42.52 in
Sicilian Writing Desk in Ebony Embellished with Tortoiseshell Inserts and Silver
Located in Barletta, IT
Writing desk in ebony embellished with tortoiseshell inserts and silver finishes. Drawers along
Silver
Unavailable
H 31.5 in W 48.04 in D 24.41 in
French Louis Napoleon III Style Boulle Desk with Tortoiseshell and Brass Inlay
Located in Lentate sul Seveso (Mb), IT
Napoleon III desk with bronze applications and gold leaf gilding. Inlay in engraved brass and natural tortoise. The gendarme hat top shows ornamental motifs in floral taste. Two draw...
Tortoise Shell
Sold
H 5.12 in W 15.36 in D 11.03 in
Napoleon III Boulle Marquetry Brass Tortoiseshell Travel Writing Desk, France
By André-Charles Boulle
Located in Paris, FR
Extremely elegant big size elegant travel writing desk in Boulle style decorated with brass and
Brass
Painted Faux Tortoiseshell Shaped Kneehole Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Refined and exceptional shaped knee hole desk with a brown tooled leather top. Inspired faux tortoise or turtle case, including seven drawers with brass hardware, a finished back and...
Painted Faux Tortoiseshell Shaped Kneehole Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Refined and exceptional shaped knee hole desk with a brown tooled leather top. Inspired faux tortoise or turtle case, including seven drawers with brass hardware, a finished back and...
Mahogany
Faux Tortoiseshell Partners Desk by Maitland-Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in Lake Worth, FL
. Offering one of our recent palm beach estate fine furniture acquisitions of a 1980s Faux Tortoiseshell
Stone, Brass
Tortoiseshell and Polished Brass Maitland-Smith Desk
By Maitland Smith
Located in North Miami, FL
This most unusual laid tortoise shell tiles are in the dark brown to black palette. The variants of the tortoise shell tiles are beautiful. The inlaid brass appointments and hardwa...
Brass
19Th. English Colonial Tortoiseshell Bamboo & Lacquer Drop-Front Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Just in, this 19Th. English Colonial Tortoiseshell Bamboo & Lacquer Drop-Front Desk . Lovely
Bamboo
Antique Boulle Red Tortoiseshell Bonheur Du Jour circa 1870
Located in London, GB
This is a gorgeous antique French Red Tortoiseshell and cut brass inlaid ebonised Boulle, Bureau de
Sold
H 43.71 in W 34.65 in D 17.33 in
Napoleon III Cabinet in Tortoiseshell and Brass Boulle Marquetry, 19th Century
By André-Charles Boulle
Located in Paris, FR
Gorgeous Napoleon III cabinet in Boulle marquetry with brass and tortoiseshell. The marquetry has
Carrara Marble, Brass, Bronze
Sold
H 77.56 in W 59.06 in D 23.63 in
17th Century Italian Vargeno Mahogany Writing Desk with Bronze and Tortoiseshell
Located in Marbella, ES
17th century Italian vargeno mahogany writing desk with bronze, tortoiseshell decorations and
Bronze
Sotheby's Auction Catalogue: Fine European Furniture
Located in valatie, NY
tortoiseshell-veneered writing box, a 19th century bronze model of the colonne Vendôme, A Dutch Rococo mahogany
Paper
Sold
H 30.5 in W 50.5 in D 26.75 in
Maitland-Smith, Partners Desk, Faux Tortoiseshell Inlay, US, circa 1980s
By Maitland Smith
Located in New York, NY
A Maitland-Smith veneered Neoclassical-inspired writing table. Possesses three drawers with brass
Wood
Anglo-Indian Tortoiseshell Writing Box
Located in Northampton, United Kingdom
Rare Anglo-Indian tortoiseshell and ivory writing slope with ornate silver carry handles and latch
Ivory, Tortoise Shell
French Louis XV Style Bureau Plat Leather Top Writing Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
An outstanding French Louis XV style writing desk or bureau plat desk with bronze trim and ornate ormolu mounts and embossed leather top. The desk is finished on all sides and could ...
Leather, Walnut
$502,500
H 31 in W 61 in D 36 in
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor: An Exquisite Ormolu and Églomisé Bureau Plat
By Maison Jansen
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
A Timeless Masterpiece: The Exquisite Bureau Plat of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor In the world of fine art and antiques, certain pieces transcend time, becoming symbols of opul...
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Louis XV Style Boulle Desk
By André-Charles Boulle
Located in Houston, TX
19th Century French Louis XV Style Boulle Desk. Our outstanding antique French Louis XV style Boulle inspired bureau plat, desk or writing table was expertly crafted in the mid 19th ...
Brass, Bronze
$130,650
H 31.5 in W 61 in D 33 in
French Bureau Plat of Ebony and Brass Inlay with Ormolu Mounts, 19th Century
By André-Charles Boulle
Located in London, GB
A Fine Bureau Plat in the Manner of André-Charles Boulle Constructed in ebony with arabesque foliate cut brass inlays, with premiere-partie panels set with tortoiseshell grounds and...
Brass, Ormolu
$19,850Sale Price|42% Off
H 32.88 in W 70.25 in D 33.63 in
French 19th Century Louis XV Style Ebonized Wood and Gilt Bronze-Mounted Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine French 19th century Louis XV style ebonized wood and gilt bronze-mounted figural bureau plat (desk) with three drawers and leather top. The shaped rectangular top enclosing a ...
Bronze
$115,000
H 31.25 in W 55 in D 31 in
French 19th Century Louis XV Style Napoleon III Period Boulle Bureau Plat
By Befort Jeune
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A spectacular French 19th century Louis XV style Napoleon III period brass inlaid, tortoise shell and ormolu Boulle Bureau Plat stamped Befort Jeune. The desk is raised by beautiful ...
Brass, Ormolu
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.
Top interior designers show — and tell — us how to create delectable spaces for hosting dinner parties.
Fans of the French film star may be surprised to learn that he had a flair for furniture with sleek lines and disco-era flash.
Like other pieces in the firm’s Candy Box collection, the cheerful limited-edition design showcases French craft.
Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
The designer’s innovative use of an unexpected material gives this console a lift.
The stately piece brings both gravitas and whimsy to any work space.
Use them as tables or stools, indoors or out.