Desks and Writing Tables
1860s British High Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1950s Indian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Early 2000s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1870s Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century American Edwardian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Birdseye Maple
1810s English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Leather
Early 19th Century English Gothic Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Oak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
20th Century English Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1880s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wicker, Rattan, Mahogany
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Teak
19th Century Austrian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bentwood
2010s Swiss Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1820s German Biedermeier Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Elm, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
20th Century Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Birdseye Maple, Maple
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Granite, Copper
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood, Oak
1920s French Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Mid-19th Century American American Empire Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1830s English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
20th Century Indian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
20th Century Danish Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
1920s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Plywood, Lacquer
1970s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Dutch Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1950s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Dutch Desks and Writing Tables
Resin
1950s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Ceramic, Wood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1920s American Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
19th Century British George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Ebony, Satinwood
1950s French Neoclassical Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Country Desks and Writing Tables
Glass, 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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