Desks and Writing Tables
1970s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Late 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Formica, Plywood
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Late 19th Century Swedish Aesthetic Movement Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1890s Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1970s American Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1880s English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1870s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1880s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
1870s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1890s British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
1870s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1970s Brazilian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Late 19th Century British Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Laminate, Beech
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1890s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine
Late 19th Century French Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1880s Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1970s American Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
1890s Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Zebra Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Hardwood
1970s German Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1880s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1970s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century American Neoclassical Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
1970s German Space Age Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Plastic
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1970s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass, Rosewood
1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1880s British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Oak
1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1880s English High Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1880s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1870s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Burl
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
1890s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood
1970s German Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
Late 19th Century Spanish Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1870s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
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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