Desks and Writing Tables
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
18th Century Italian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Olive, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
1910s American Arts and Crafts Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Early 1900s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Ormolu
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 1900s American Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1910s American Arts and Crafts Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century American Late Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
17th Century European Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Chestnut, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century British Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
17th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Iron
17th Century Spanish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Chestnut, Walnut
18th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 20th Century Unknown Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Nickel
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1920s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1910s English Adam Style Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1920s French Empire Revival Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Jacobean Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1920s English Edwardian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany, Oak
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Colonial Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
18th Century British George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Boxwood, Rosewood
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
18th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Cocobolo
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1920s English Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1910s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1770s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1920s Italian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Early 20th Century English Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
18th Century Italian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
1920s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
1920s Charles II Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Elm, Oak
Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Mahogany
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Mid-18th Century Unknown Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 1900s American Mission Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Early 20th Century Javanese Dutch Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
1920s French Louis XVI Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1920s French Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
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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