Desks and Writing Tables
2010s American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Late 19th Century French Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood, Pearwood
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-19th Century Rococo Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Gold Leaf
2010s Belgian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Ash, Maple, Walnut, Sapele Wood
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1880s British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Rosewood
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1880s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Slate, Brass
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood
Late 19th Century French Régence Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s Italian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Cork, Walnut
19th Century European Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century British Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
19th Century British Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
2010s American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1890s French Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1820s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Late 19th Century English Chippendale Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century European Chippendale Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
19th Century French Empire Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Gold Leaf
1880s French Empire Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1890s English Adam Style Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Other
1880s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass, Bronze
2010s American Modern 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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