Desks and Writing Tables
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood
Mid-19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany
1880s French Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century British Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1830s British William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
19th Century English Moorish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Plywood
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany
1820s English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century English Gothic Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Burl
Early 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Leather
1890s American Arts and Crafts Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
2010s Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1890s British Chippendale Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Concrete
1890s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Birch
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Slate, Tin, Iron
1890s Danish Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
2010s American Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s American Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut
19th Century English Jacobean Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-19th Century British Biedermeier Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 1800s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1850s Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
Mid-19th Century British William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1860s British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut
19th Century English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1840s British Early Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-19th Century English Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1890s American Mission Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Ormolu
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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