Desks and Writing Tables
1880s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1970s Italian French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo, Rattan
Late 20th Century Italian Bohemian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1890s Arts and Crafts Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1890s British Sheraton Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
1830s English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-19th Century English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French Other Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1980s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Cane
1840s Italian Neoclassical Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany
1860s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Burl, Walnut, Satinwood, Maple, Leather
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Palisander
1890s Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1980s Kenyan Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century American Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood, Oak
Late 19th Century Swedish Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1850s French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1850s Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
Late 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Amboyna
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1980s Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Lucite, Rosewood
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood
1980s American Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
1870s French Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1870s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Teak
Mid-19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Mid-19th Century British Early Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century Hungarian Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Other
19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Other
1980s Portuguese Baroque Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1870s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Sycamore
Late 20th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1820s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 1800s French Neoclassical Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Maple, Oak
Early 19th Century British Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
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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