Desks and Writing Tables





1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
2010s German Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Carrara Marble, Marble, Onyx, Steel, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Marble, Brass
2010s Portuguese Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Travertine, Marble, Carrara Marble, Brass, Steel
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Nutwood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Marble, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel
2010s French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood, Cherry, Lacquer
2010s Italian Other Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Carrara Marble, Brass, Stainless Steel
1890s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1980s American Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
2010s Canadian Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Granite, Onyx, Marble, Brass
2010s Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Oak, Plywood
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ebony
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Formica, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1980s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Early 19th Century British Early Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century European Post-Modern Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Walnut, Lacquer
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Stainless Steel
2010s Turkish Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Metal, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Steel
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Steel
2010s British Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
2010s Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Beech, Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Maple, Walnut
Early 20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
2010s Spanish Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Cowhide, Oak, Leather
17th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1920s French Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Polish Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Burl
Mid-20th Century Javanese Dutch Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Teak
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood, Oak
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1920s Charles II Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Elm, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Ash
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Chinese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
1950s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Antique and Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
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 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 vintage 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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