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Sensational Bauhaus Avant-garde tubular steel writing desk by Bruno Weil (BeWe)
By Bruno Weil
Located in PRAHA 4, CZ
world of Bauhaus design with our sensational 1936 Avant-garde Tubular Steel Writing Desk, created by the
Category

Vintage 1930s German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Stylish Tubular Steel Executive Desk
Located in Athens, Attiki
Stylish design! Glass-top executive desk on elegant tubular steel structure with 2-sided sliding
Category

1990s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Stylish Tubular Steel Executive Desk
Stylish Tubular Steel Executive Desk
H 28.35 in W 70.87 in D 31.5 in
Functionalist Desk Czech Bauhaus Tubular Steel, 1930s
Located in Wien, AT
This functionalist desk, with a construction of bent tubular steel was made in Czech Republic
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Customizable Marcel Breuer S 285 Tubular Steel Desk
By Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
anticipated today’s home offices and mobile computers: The compact tubular steel desk S 285 that he designed
Category

2010s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Customizable Marcel Breuer S 285 Tubular Steel Desk
By Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
anticipated today’s home offices and mobile computers: The compact tubular steel desk S 285 that he designed
Category

2010s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Tubular Steel Desk RA 44 by Mauser Werke 1950s
By Mauser Werke
Located in Wien, AT
Tubular steel desk RA 44, designed and produced by Mauser Werke/Germany in the 1950s. A chromed
Category

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

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Tubular Steel Desk RA 44 by Mauser Werke 1950s
Tubular Steel Desk RA 44 by Mauser Werke 1950s
H 30.71 in W 61.42 in D 30.71 in
Mid-Century Modern Walnut Bauhaus Writing Desk
Located in North York, ON
Introducing the Mid-Century Modern Walnut Bauhaus Writing Desk, a stunning piece that seamlessly
Category

Vintage 1960s American Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Stainless Steel

Customizable Marcel Breuer S 285/5 Tubular Steel Desk
By Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
computers: The compact tubular steel desk S 285 that he designed is an elegant companion for modern
Category

2010s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Customizable Marcel Breuer S 285/1 Tubular Steel Desk
By Marcel Breuer
Located in New York, NY
computers: The compact tubular steel desk S 285 that he designed is an elegant companion for modern
Category

2010s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk by Monica Förster
By Monica Förster, Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Writing desk. Matt black varnished steel frame. Top covered with cowhide pigmentato 90. Essential
Category

2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk by  Monica Förster
Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk by  Monica Förster
H 29.14 in W 45.28 in D 20.48 in
Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk by Monica Förster
By Monica Förster, Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Writing desk. Matt black varnished steel frame. Top covered with cowhide pigmentato 90. Essential
Category

2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk by  Monica Förster
Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk by  Monica Förster
H 29.14 in W 45.28 in D 20.48 in
Bauhaus Large Desk in Wood and Tubular Metal, circa 1930
By Elmar Berkovich
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Presented here is an exquisite Bauhaus desk, designed by an unknown designer and manufactured in
Category

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

Materials

Wood

Founders Light Blonde Pecan Single Pedestal Desk Tubular Chrome Legs MINT!
By Founders Furniture Company, Henredon
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Founders light blonde pecan single pedestal desk tubular chrome legs MINT! Solid wood construction
Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Bauhaus Tubular Steel Desk, Chrome Plated Metal, Stained Wood, Germany, c. 1930
By Bruno Weil, Thonet
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus tubular steel desk designed by Bruno Weil and manufactured by Thonet or under Thonet
Category

Vintage 1930s Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Bauhaus Tubular Steel Desk by Thonet, Chrome Plated Metal, Lacquered Wood, 1930
By Thonet, R. C. Coquery
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus tubular steel desk B 282 designed by R. C. Coquery and manufactured by Thonet, c. 1930
Category

Vintage 1930s Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Zanotta Comacina Writing Desk in Black Top & Stainless Steel Frame
By Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Comacina Writing Desk in Black Top & Stainless Steel Frame by Piero Bottoni 18/8 stainless
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Zanotta Comacina Writing Desk in White Top & Stainless Steel Frame
By Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Comacina Writing Desk in White Top & Stainless Steel Frame by Piero Bottoni 18/8
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Small Bauhaus Tubular Steel Desk, Oak Veneer and Chromium Plated Metal c 1930
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Berlin, DE
Small Bauhaus tubular steel desk, so-called 'typewriter desk', with 4 drawers. The desk is made of
Category

Vintage 1930s German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Bauhaus Tubular Steel Desk by Bruno Weil for Thonet, Stained Wood, Germany, 1930
By Thonet, Bruno Weil
Located in Berlin, DE
Bauhaus tubular steel desk designed by Bruno Weil (Bèwè) and manufactured by Thonet, Germany, c
Category

Vintage 1930s German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Chrome

20th Century French Art Deco Walnut Writing Table - Vintage Office Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
veneered Walnut with a tubular steel footrest, in good condition. The freestanding desk is composed with
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Steel, Chrome

Bauhaus Restored Beech Writing Desk Made in 1930s by Robert Slezak, Czechia
By Robert Slezák
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Completely restored writing desk with a frame in tubular chromed steel. Designed by Robert
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

White German Bauhaus Chrome Plated Steel Writing Desk, Made in the 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Desk with a tubular chromed steel frame Manufactured in the 1930s. Wood is completely restored
Category

Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk in 0814 Cowhide Pigmentato Top with Matt Black Frame
By Monica Förster, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk in 0814 Cowhide Pigmentato Top with Matt Black Frame Matt black
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cowhide

Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk in 0801 Cowhide Pigmentato Top with Matt Black Frame
By Monica Förster, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Tucano Writing Desk in 0801 Cowhide Pigmentato Top with Matt Black Frame Matt black
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cowhide

1954, Coen de Vries for Devo Wooden Writing Desk with Red Drawer and Formica Top
By Wim Rietveld
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
. :-) Beautiful designed, original little writing desk in wood with X-base, red colored drawer and formica top
Category

Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood, Paint

Bespoke Modernist Tubular Steel Table in Chromed Metal and Glossy Lacquered Wood
By GMD Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Bespoke modernist tubular writing table made of chrome plated tubular steel and lacquered wood.
Category

2010s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Postmodern desk, interlübke
By Interlübke
Located in Neuss, NW
Postmodern desk by interlübke from the 1980s. High quality desk with a white asymethric working
Category

Vintage 1980s German Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

 Postmodern desk, interlübke
 Postmodern desk, interlübke
H 29.14 in W 87.41 in D 51.19 in
Desk by Osvaldo Borsani
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The 1960s functionalist style desk represents a fascinating piece of furniture that embodies the
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Desk by Osvaldo Borsani
Desk by Osvaldo Borsani
H 32.29 in W 39.38 in D 23.63 in
Rare Poul Kjaerholm Desk
By Poul Kjærholm
Located in Oosterbeek, NL
Very rare Poul Kjærholm custom-made desk from 1964. Desk top made of oakwood. Two black-varnished
Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Rare Poul Kjaerholm Desk
Rare Poul Kjaerholm Desk
H 25.6 in W 63.78 in D 33.47 in
JO Desk by DUVALD Contemporary Desk Handcrafted in Denmark. Hardwood, steel
By Örn Duvald
Located in Gentofte, DK
The desk explores tactility in a working environment. Modern work life is digital and rather one
Category

2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Italian Desk from the 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Designed in the 1960s the desk also features chrome tubular legs. Italian desk from the late 1960s
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Italian Desk from the 1960s
Italian Desk from the 1960s
H 31.5 in W 67 in D 30 in
Enea Desk by Studio Nove.3
By Enrico Pellizzoni
Located in Milan, IT
In line with Studio Nove.3 style, Enea is an essential desk where metal and hard leather are
Category

2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather

Enea Desk by Studio Nove.3
Enea Desk by Studio Nove.3
H 35.44 in W 49.22 in D 24.41 in
Pietro Lingeri Desk in Briar Root Veneer
By Pietro Lingeri
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pietro Lingeri, desk, briar root veneer, glass, brass, metal, Italy, 1930s This rationalist desk
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Brass

Pietro Lingeri Desk in Briar Root Veneer
Pietro Lingeri Desk in Briar Root Veneer
H 31.3 in W 65.56 in D 26.58 in
John Mascheroni Polished Aluminum and Glass Desk
By John Mascheroni
Located in New York, NY
John Mascheroni polished aluminum and glass desk. Desk has a tubular frame with a 1/2 inch thick
Category

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

Materials

Aluminum

Zanotta Black or White Comacina Desk by Piero Bottoni
By Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Writing desk. 18/8 stainless steel tubular frame. Top and storage unit in medium density fiberboard
Category

2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Zanotta Black or White Comacina Desk by Piero Bottoni
By Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Writing desk. 18/8 stainless steel tubular frame. Top and storage unit in medium density fiberboard
Category

2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Spanish Baroque Walnut Desk Table, Late 17th Century
Located in CH
Spanish Baroque walnut desk table, late 17th century. A rectangular single plank (1.25-inch
Category

Antique Late 17th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Exectutive Desk by Osvado Borsani for Tecno, Italy, 1950s
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Almelo, NL
Executive desk by Osvado Borsani for Tecno, Italy, 1950s This is an unlimited opportunity to own
Category

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

Materials

Steel

Pierre Paulin for Thonet Desk Model CM141 France 1953s
By Pierre Paulin
Located in Oirlo, LI
furniture. From this collaboration are born a series of chairs and desks, including the CM 141 desk. This
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Pierre Paulin for Thonet Desk Model CM141 France 1953s
Pierre Paulin for Thonet Desk Model CM141 France 1953s
Free Shipping
H 28.75 in W 51.19 in D 25.2 in
Modernist Desk in Solid Wood 40s / 50s Bauhaus Style Vintage
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
solid Rio rosewood with a triple tubular base in chromed steel quite rare. The desk is composed of a 3
Category

Vintage 1940s French Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

20th Century Yellow Formica children's school desk with two leaves
Located in Miami, FL
Yellow formica and black metal desk, Italian modernism, ca. 1960. Small desk from a hotel room with
Category

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

Materials

Formica

Rosewood Chrome Table Desk by Tim Bates for Pieff Furniture
By Pieff and Co., Tim Bates
Located in Pasadena, TX
commercial uses. Measure: 79" Rosewood chrome table desk by Pieff Furniture Stunning boat shape rosewood
Category

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

Materials

Rosewood

1930s Restored French Art Deco Mahogany and Chrome Executive Desk w/ Bookshelves
Located in Van Nuys, CA
This fully restored French Art Deco large desk features stunning Rosewood complemented by sleek
Category

Vintage 1930s Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Italian mid-century modern blue formica and black metal desk, 1960s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern blue formica and black metal desk, 1960s. Small desk, coming from a
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

1930's Thonet Desk B 282By Bruno Weill with Unique Dutch Family Provenance
By Thonet, Bruno Weil
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Coqueri. The desk is typical of the so-called unit furniture of the 1930s. It has a simple tubular steel
Category

Vintage 1930s French Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Rationalist Desk Made Of Chrome Plated Steel And Stained Wood, Italy, c. 1930
By Cova, Italy 1
Located in Berlin, DE
Rationalist desk attributed to Cova - Milano, c. 1930. The desk is made of chrome plated tubular
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Arne Jacobsen 'AJ52' Desk with Lamp in Walnut & Leather for Carl Hansen & Son
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Arne Jacobsen
Located in Glendale, CA
to create the slender writing desk, which features a fine-structured leather top that wraps tightly
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writin...

Materials

Leather, Wood, Walnut

Arne Jacobsen 'AJ52' Desk in Oiled Walnut and Leather for Carl Hansen & Son
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Arne Jacobsen
Located in Glendale, CA
to create the slender writing desk, which features a fine-structured leather top that wraps tightly
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writin...

Materials

Leather, Wood, Walnut

Arne Jacobsen 'AJ52' Desk in Oiled Oak and Leather for Carl Hansen & Son
By Arne Jacobsen, Carl Hansen & Søn
Located in Glendale, CA
to create the slender writing desk, which features a fine-structured leather top that wraps tightly
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writin...

Materials

Wood, Leather, Oak

Early Bauhaus "B21" Side Table Desk by Marcel Breuer Produced by Thonet, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer, Thonet
Located in Stockholm, SE
Very rare and early Bauhaus "B21" desk / side table in black stained wood with chromed tubular
Category

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

Materials

Steel

Carlo Hauner's Mid-Century Modern Personal Use Desk in Caviúna Wood and Iron
By Carlo Hauner
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
This desk was where Carlo Hauner designed, at the beginning of the 1950's, several of his
Category

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

Materials

Iron

Arne Jacobsen 'AJ52' Desk with Lamp in Oiled Oak & Leather for Carl Hansen & Son
By Carl Hansen & Søn, Arne Jacobsen
Located in Glendale, CA
and materials to create the slender writing desk, which features a fine-structured leather top that
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writin...

Materials

Leather, Wood, Oak

Important Modernist Prototype Desk & Chair by U.A.M. Attributed to Le Corbusier
By Union Des Artistes Modernes, Robert Mallet-Stevens
Located in New York, NY
-commerially produced) tubular steel. The chair and desk are elegant architectural statements in their form and
Category

Vintage 1930s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Georges Frydman, Free Form Office, France 1956
By EFA, Georges Frydman
Located in Catonvielle, FR
Georges Frydman, free-form desk published by E.F.A., France 1956. Placed on a gray lacquered
Category

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

Materials

Metal, Brass

Georges Frydman, Free Form Office, France 1956
Georges Frydman, Free Form Office, France 1956
H 28.35 in W 55.12 in D 30.71 in
Bauhaus Steeltubes Deskby Mücke-Melder, Oak veneer, Czechia circa 1935
By Mücke & Melder, Marcel Breuer
Located in Regensburg, DE
Beautiful, large modernist / Bauhaus Steeltube Desk by Mücke-Melder, Czech circa 1935. Oak solid
Category

Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Charlotte Perriand Cansado Gray Table, circa 1950
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
revolutionary tubular steel furnishings and system furniture designed by the three were presented as "E
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Charlotte Perriand, Mid-Century Modern, Wood Metal Cansado Table, circa 1950
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
revolutionary tubular steel furnishings and system furniture designed by the three were presented as "E
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Charlotte Perriand Mid-Century Modern Black and Grey Cansado Table, circa 1950
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Jeanneret until 1937. The revolutionary tubular steel furnishings and system furniture designed by the three
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Vintage Modern Writing Desk by Wolfgang Hoffman
By Wolfgang Hoffmann
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stylish black lacquer writing desk features the unique vintage design of Mid-Century Modern
Category

Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Desks

Materials

Metal

Small Bauhaus Desk by Mauser Werke, Black Lacquer, Tubular Steel, Germany, 1954
By Mauser Werke
Located in Regensburg, DE
Small Mauser 'Typewriters' Desk with stool, Black Lacquer, Tubular Steel, Germany, 1954 Original
Category

Vintage 1950s German Bauhaus Desks

Materials

Aluminum, Steel, Sheet Metal

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Tubular Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal tubular writing desk for your home. Each tubular writing desk for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using metal, wood and steel. If you’re shopping for a tubular writing desk, we have 30 options in-stock, while there are 4 modern editions to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer tubular writing desk, there are earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. Each tubular writing desk bearing Mid-Century Modern, Art Deco or Modern hallmarks is very popular. You’ll likely find more than one tubular writing desk that is appealing in its simplicity, but Marcel Breuer, Robert Slezák and Rudolf Vichr produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Tubular Writing Desk?

A tubular writing desk can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $4,170, while the lowest priced sells for $1,269 and the highest can go for as much as $16,500.

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.

Questions About Tubular Writing Desk
  • 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 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 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.