Desks and Writing Tables
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s German Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s English Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Finnish Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Ash
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Metal, Steel
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Enamel, Iron
2010s American Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s Turkish Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Metal, Brass
2010s German Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum, Metal
2010s German Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1960s Italian Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
2010s Indian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Zebra Wood
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Desks and Writing Tables
Gold Leaf, Copper
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1960s Unknown Directoire Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1960s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s European Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Stainless Steel
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
2010s Swiss Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Chinese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s American Neoclassical Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1960s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s Spanish Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Stainless Steel
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Aluminum
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Stone, Marble, Travertine, Limestone
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Belgian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
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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