Desks and Writing Tables
Early 20th Century Japanese Showa Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Late 19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood, Teak
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s American International Style Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1970s European Neoclassical Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1980s American Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Maple, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Imbuia
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 2000s Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s European Desks and Writing Tables
Fabric, Glass, Mirror
2010s English Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
2010s Thai Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Rosewood
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
19th Century German Bauhaus Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 18th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
20th Century Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Danish Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1910s Austrian Jugendstil Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Unknown Desks and Writing Tables
Reed
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood, Oak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Marble, Steel, Brass, Stainless Steel
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 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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