Desks and Writing Tables
21st Century and Contemporary German Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1880s French Empire Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
20th Century Italian Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1680s English Charles II Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Pine
2010s Italian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Beech
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Glass
18th Century Finnish Rococo Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Mid-19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Paint
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Iron
Late 18th Century British George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
2010s Italian Other Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 18th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s Indian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak, Wool
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut, Plywood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1660s Danish Scandinavian Modern Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Straw, Wood
1980s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Spruce, Cherry
20th Century German Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Crystal, Travertine, Marble
2010s South African Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Masonite
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1950s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak, Walnut
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Plywood, Oak
2010s Chinese Desks and Writing Tables
Glass
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century English Gothic Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s Portuguese Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Metal
Mid-19th Century European Empire Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Amethyst
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1950s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Metallic Thread
Mid-18th Century English George II Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
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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