Desks and Writing Tables
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Straw, Wood
Early 20th Century Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century European Chippendale Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Plastic, Wood, Beech
1990s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century American Country Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century American Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1890s British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ash
1880s Arts and Crafts Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1870s Scottish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1880s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Late 20th Century Bohemian Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo, Rattan
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Late 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Beech
Mid-20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
20th Century Scottish Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1980s American Bohemian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Bamboo, Rattan, Laminate
Late 18th Century French Louis XIV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1970s Unknown Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stone, Brass
19th Century Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Beech, Plywood
2010s Turkish Japonisme Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Plywood
2010s Turkish Japonisme Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1940s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century American Classical Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Poplar
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Glass
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1980s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Iron
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1890s British Edwardian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
20th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum, Brass
19th Century English Campaign Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century North American Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1970s European Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Rattan, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1950s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1910s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
18th Century English Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century American Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Gothic Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Oak
19th Century European Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
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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