Desks and Writing Tables
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary English Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble, Steel
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Maple, Walnut
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Faux Leather
2010s Canadian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s French Desks and Writing Tables
Scrap Wood
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Desks and Writing Tables
Ceramic, Resin, Fiberglass, Foam, Plaster, Wood
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Canadian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Oak
Early 2000s English Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s Canadian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Ash
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s Canadian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Beech
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Copper, Steel
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Walnut
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Dutch Desks and Writing Tables
Resin
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Metal
1950s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1980s French Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s New Zealand Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Nickel
2010s Lebanese Futurist Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s American Campaign Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1970s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Iron
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Stone, Carrara Marble
Early 1900s British Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
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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