Desks and Writing Tables
19th Century Biedermeier Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany, Giltwood
1910s Arts and Crafts Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
20th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Wrought Iron
Late 20th Century American Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1880s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century Italian Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Macassar, Burl
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
20th Century Italian Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Late 19th Century French Rococo Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1830s English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
2010s Turkish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
19th Century Italian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1670s Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1960s Belgian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Ash, Maple, Oak, Walnut
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1920s French Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1880s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1960s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1870s European Baltic Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Chinese Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Early 20th Century British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Quartz, Onyx, Brass, Stainless Steel
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Early 19th Century Swedish Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1860s French Louis Philippe Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut
1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
19th Century English 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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