Desks and Writing Tables
Late 19th Century European Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Oak
1970s Unknown Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stone, Brass
1970s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1890s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1970s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1890s French Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Cherry
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1870s Scottish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1890s Japanese Anglo-Japanese Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Cherry
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1880s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
Late 19th Century French Rococo Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1890s French Directoire Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass, Bronze
1970s Dutch Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
1890s Indian Anglo Raj Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1970s German Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Ash
1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Burl, Lacquer
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Glass
Late 19th Century European Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mirror, Mahogany
1880s French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century French Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Laminate, Lucite, Wood
1970s European Neoclassical Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1870s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1970s German Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Ash
1890s English Adam Style Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
1970s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Beech
1880s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1970s Italian Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s North American Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Pine
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Boxwood, Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Late 19th Century American Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1880s French Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1970s Czech Space Age Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1970s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
1970s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1890s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
1970s Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
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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