Desks and Writing Tables
Late 19th Century English Gothic Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1930s Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stone, Chrome
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
19th Century Scandinavian Other Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine, Paint
18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine, Paint
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Laminate, Plywood
Late 18th Century British Sheraton Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Onyx, Brass, Aluminum
1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
2010s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Glass, Smoked Glass, Pine
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-18th Century French Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Pine
1950s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron, Brass
Mid-20th Century American Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
19th Century English Neoclassical Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1880s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Late 18th Century British Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century French Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
2010s Portuguese Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
20th Century Spanish Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Pine, Wood
1940s German Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
1870s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Burl
1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
21st Century and Contemporary American Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Ormolu
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Desks and Writing Tables
Copper, Stainless Steel
1950s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 20th Century Danish Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
1870s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1830s British William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
20th Century German Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary English William and Mary Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1880s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
1930s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel, Bronze
19th Century English Campaign Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Resin
2010s Renaissance Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary English Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble, Steel
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Early 1900s French Neoclassical Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
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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