Desks and Writing Tables
1920s French Napoleon III Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Early 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Mirror
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stone
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut, Burl
Late 19th Century English George I Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
1960s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Late 19th Century British Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Chinese Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1940s French French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood, Leather
1970s French Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1940s French Louis XVI Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1850s Italian Louis Philippe Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Canadian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Pakistani Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Ash, Bentwood
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Oak
19th Century English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Other
Early 2000s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum, Steel
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Early 19th Century Spanish Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Desks and Writing Tables
Copper, Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Central Asian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Early 20th Century French Louis XIII Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1950s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Aluminum
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Yew
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1970s Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Steel
Late 19th Century French Louis XIV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Other
1960s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1960s American French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Indian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary English Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble, Steel
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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