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Desks and Writing Tables For Sale
Style: Louis XV
Style: French Provincial
Louis XV-Style Gilt Bronze Cylinder Desk by François Linke
Located in New York, NY
A stunning cylinder desk with roller shutter in the style of Louis XV, plum pudding mahogany, modeled by Jean-Henri Riesener, signed François Linke. The upper structure fitted with t...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Louis XV Style Italian Writing Desk or Dressing Table
Located in London, Park Royal
A charming, hand-painted, Louis XV style, Italian writing desk or dressing table from the early 20th century depicting floral motifs with Rococo flourishes and gilded highlighting.
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Paint
Early 20th C. French Louis XV Carved Mahogany and Marble-Top Lady Table Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a study or boudoir with this elegant antique lady’s desk. Crafted in France, circa 1900, the cabinet shaped as a kidney sits on four carved ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Men's Dressing Table, French, 19 th
Located in Nice, FR
Dressing table for men, 19th period, origin France, in beech wood, with lots of drawers, a mirror, this table can make a writing table, a lot of charm. Needs a makeover if you feel l...
Category
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Beech
Antique Louis XV Style Provincial Walnut End / Writing Table
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Louis XV provincial walnut occasional / writing table, 19th century. With a rectangular overhanging top, serpentine shaped frieze apron with a drawer , resting on finely carv...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Fine French 19th Century Louis XV Style Tulipwood and Ormolu-Mounted Ladies Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th century tulipwood, mahogany and ormolu-mounted Bureau de Dame Lady's secretary desk, attributed to Maison Millet. The supe...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Continental Louis XV Style Desk
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique continental Louis XV style walnut and beech wood desk, late 19th century. Nice color. Hand dove tailed drawer construction. Height of center of knee hole to floor 24". Width ...
Category
Late 19th Century European Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Early 20th Century Walnut & Leather Secretary Desk
Located in Miami, FL
The early 20th century French secretaire was made of walnut.
Called secretaire en abbatant by the French, in reference to the sloping-front drop-down desk surface, this particular e...
Category
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Antique French Provincial Leather Top Painted Kneehole Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Dynamic 19th century kneehole desk with a brown tooled leather top over a three piece pedestal base with nine drawers and two pullout trays retaining the original yellow and blue pai...
Category
Late 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood, Paint
Outstanding Louis XV-Style Mahogany Bureau Plat
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
An outstanding Louis XV-style mahogany bureau plat after a model by Jacques B. Dubois, from the estate of Phyllis McGuire, the shaped leather-inset top above an elaborate frieze with...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French Provincial Desk
Located in Westwood, NJ
French Provincial carved beach and walnut bureau plat or writing table with a slightly antiqued and distressed finish, serpentine molded edge top, th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
18th Century French Marquetry Louis XV Dressing Table or So-Called Coiffeuse
Located in Berlin, DE
18th century French Louis XV marquetry dressing table or so-called Coiffeuse
18th century Louis XV vanity dressing table or coiffeuse...
Category
Mid-18th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Romantic French Burled Walnut 19th Century Louis XV Kidney Shaped Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A very fine French Louis XV style 19th C kidney shaped desk with original tooled leather surface, elegantly mounted in fine gilt bronze and on cabriole legs. Faint circle mark on sur...
Category
1860s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Louis XV Style Walnut Writing Table with Red Leather Top
Located in Dallas, TX
A Louis XV style French writing table in walnut with bronze hardware and an antique red leather tooled top.
This beautiful table is probably from ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French Louis XV Black Lacquer Bronze Figural Ormolu Bureau Plat Writing Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
French Louis XV ebonized black lacquer bronze figural Ormolu Bureau plat writing desk. Item features faux 3 drawer finished back (image 10), ornate bronz...
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Desk marquetry with Ormolu Bronze by F.Linke
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Magnificent desk in marquetry and ormolu bronze bear the mark of F.Linke
transitional style XV, XVI.
Category
Early 1900s Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Vintage French Louis XV Style Marquetry Inlay Bronze Ormolu Small Writing Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage French Louis XV style marquetry inlay bronze ormolu small writing desk. Item features ornate bronze ormolu, lower shelf with inlaid desk set, satinwood floral inlay throughou...
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Satinwood
Antique French Louis XV Small Inlaid Petite Demilune Writing Desk Made in France
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Louis XV style small inlaid petite Demilune writing desk, made in France. Item features marble top, green leather pullout or pull-...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Antique Italian Provincial Carved Distressed Cherry Saber Leg Desk Console Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Italian Provincial Carved Distressed Cherry Wood Saber Leg Desk Console Table. Item features solid wood construction, beautiful wood grain, dist...
Category
19th Century Italian French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry
French, Early 19th Century, Louis XV Style Bureau Plat
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exceptional and most elegant French early 19th century Louis XV st. Kingwood, Rosewood, exotic wood, and ormolu bureau plat desk. The desk is raised by cabriole legs with fine pie...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Enamel Decorated French Louis Revival Ormolu Mounted Bureau Desk Table Console
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Enamel decorated French Louis Revival Ormolu mounted Bureau plat partner desk table console mint
Both sides symmetrical, yet one side has ability to open.
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Bureau Plat / Desk in Louis XV, Paris, circa 1880
Located in Berlin, DE
French Bureau plat / desk in Louis XV, Paris, circa 1880.
Solid beech wood veneer. Extremely fine, floral bronze fittings.
Cambered and pronounced / arched wooden body. Four-side...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
18th Century French Louis XV Walnut Desk Secretary from Provence
Located in Dallas, TX
Carved in southern France, circa 1760, the fold out secretary is both stylish and functional; the elegant writing desk crafted from solid walnut, stands on cabriole legs over a scalloped apron and dressed with bombe drawer across the front embellished with the original patinated bronze handles. The top folds down to reveal a large writing surface, a theater with four smaller drawers on the sides, and a double compartment niche in the center. When sliding out the drawers and niche, the cabinet reveals different secret storage compartments underneath (see pictures). Both sides with scalloped apron are decorated with recessed panels. Flaunting beautiful lines, a rich patina, and complete functionality, this "Secretaire a Abattant" is in excellent condition and includes all the original keys; put a sophisticated spin on your study or bedroom with this antique slant front desk commode, or "commode scriban...
Category
Mid-18th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Side Table or Writing Table from the XVIII Century in Walnut
Located in Brussels, Brussels
lovely side table or small writing table from the 18th century Louis XV in walnut
Very nice little table which has a drawer in the belt and a beautiful walnut table top with a sup...
Category
18th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Gorgeous Inlaid Continental Louis XV Style Walnut Writing Desk circa 1920s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a beautiful desk that features the design of a Louis XV desk and has the traits of an Italian desk as well. The desk has beautiful inlay and even bronze hardware. The desk me...
Category
1920s European Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Kingwood and Ormolu Desk Possibly by François L
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XV st. Kingwood and ormolu desk possibly by François Linke. The desk is raised by elegant cabriole legs with handsome ...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Louis XV Style Lacquered and Gilt Bronze-Mounted Bureau Plat
Located in Dallas, TX
Fine, French bureau plat or writing table desk. Made in the grand Louis XV taste featuring bronze mounts with white lacquered frame. With original key. Fine rocaille motif moulded mo...
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Louis XV Fruitwood and Marquetry Writing Table, 'Mid-18th Century'
Located in London, GB
A Louis XV ormolu-mounted bois satine and fruitwood marquetry writing table. Adjustable writing slide with black leather panel, gilt-tooled with central motif; full length drawer wit...
Category
Mid-18th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Unusual Transition Style Marquetry and Gilt Bronze Double Sided Writing Desk
Located in London, GB
Unusual Transition style marquetry and gilt bronze double sided writing desk
French, early 20th Century
Height 98cm, width 130cm, depth 94cm
This rare doubled-sided writing desk...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French Bureau Plat of Ebony and Brass Inlay with Ormolu Mounts, 19th Century
Located in London, GB
A Fine Bureau Plat in the Manner of André-Charles Boulle
Constructed in ebony with arabesque foliate cut brass inlays, with premiere-partie panels set with tortoiseshell grounds and brass inlay work, and having extensive fine quality ormolu mounts; rising from animal paw sabots, mounted with female masks at the shoulders; the apron housing three drawers, with faux drawers to the obverse, the central drawers set with a Bacchic mask issuing foliates, the platform of serpentine form, having a brass guard edge, and inset with a gilt tooled morocco leather. Stamped to the carcass ‘BF’ and ‘Gros’.
French, Circa 1870
Denise Ledoux-Lebard’s ‘Le Mobilier Français du XIXe Siecle’. Published by les Editions de l’Amateur, 2000, lists a Benjamin Gros, whose enterprise amalgamated with the noted ebeniste Winckelsen in 1871; Gros had received an honourable mention for his ‘Boulle’ furniture in the Exposition Universelle in 1855.
Literature;
Le Mobilier Francais (qv)
Seymour de Ricci, Batsford 1929 ‘Louis XIV and Regence Furniture...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Ormolu
Early Paint Antique French Louis XV Style Bureau Plat Writing Desk & Stool
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning early painted circa 1880-1900 French Louis XV style Bureau plat writing table with later stool
This is a wonderful find, the burea...
Category
1880s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
19th Century antique Louis XV Style Bureau Plat Writing Table bronze
Located in Berlin, DE
Castle worthy desk, solid wood. Rosewood veneer edged by finely engraved brass fittings. On angled, with four looking forward, imposing female busts on curly legs, on all sides scalloped, dreischübige frame with slightly recessed and elevated knee compartment. Protruding, profiled and curved writing...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
20th Century antique Louis XV Style Bureau Plat Writing Table Piano White
Located in Berlin, DE
Bureau plat writing table in the style of Louis XV style, silvered bronze fittings. Piano lacquer white on solid beech wood. Heavily arched, four-sided passively curved tripod frame ...
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Beech
French Louis XV Style Marquetry & Gilt Bronze-Mounted Secretary Desk with Clock
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th-20th century Louis XV style tulipwood and mahogany marquetry gilt bronze-mounted petit-bureau de dame (secretary). The bombe´ structure surmounted by a pair o...
Category
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Transitional St. Kingwood, Tulipwood and Ormolu Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant French 19th century Louis XV st. Rosewood, Kingwood, Tulipwood, ormolu, and Incarnat Turquin marble desk. The three drawer desk is raised by slender cabriole legs with fin...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Louis XV Desk in Cherry Early 19th Century
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Very beautiful desk in Louis XV cherrywood from the beginning of the 19th century
very beautiful curved legs
Elegant sculpted frieze
two drawers in the frieze
Very beautiful pati...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Writing Desk by Poteau
Located in London, GB
Louis XV style gilt bronze mounted writing desk by Poteau
French, late 19th century
Size: Height 78cm, width 180cm, depth 87cm
This beautiful Louis XV style writing desk is rais...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
French Louis XV Style 19th Century Walnut Desk with Drawers and Cabriole Legs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Louis XV style walnut desk from the 19th century, with two drawers and cabriole legs. Created in France during the 19th century, this walnut desk features a rectangular plan...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Fine Louis XV Style Marquetry Bureau Plat Attributed to François Linke
Located in Montreal, QC
A fine and Important Louis XV style Bureau plat attributed to François Linke (1855-1946) after a model by Jean François Oeben. Typical of the work by François Linke, this desk featur...
Category
1890s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French 18th Century Louis XV Period Kingwood, Tulipwood and Ormolu Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant and extremely high quality French 18th century Louis XV period Kingwood, Tulipwood, and ormolu desk circa. 1750. The Bureau à Cylindre desk...
Category
18th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Kingwood Inlaid Secretary
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant French 19th century Louis XV st. Rosewood, ormolu, and Brocatelle d’Espagne marble secretary desk. The two door five drawer secretary is raised by fine cabriole legs w...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Designer Writing Desk / Bureau Plat in Louis XV Style, Piano Black
Located in Berlin, DE
Black designer writing desk / bureau plat in Louis XV style
Piano black polished veneer on solid softwood with rocaille applications. extremely Fine, floral, silvered bronze fitti...
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
French 19th Century Louis XV Style Tulipwood and Ormolu Center Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very impressive and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XV st. Tulipwood, Rosewood, ormolu, and Rouge Royale marble center table/desk by Theodore Millet...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Italian Mid 18th Century Louis XV Period Center Table/Desk circa 1740
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A spectacular and very high quality Italian mid 18th century Louis XV period Walnut, Rosewood, Charmwood and bone center table/desk circa 1740. This table from the Piedmont region is...
Category
18th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bone, Rosewood, Walnut
20th Century Desk Bureau Plat in Antique Louis XV Style Mahogany Veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
In Bois-Satiné veneer, all-round full-length mirror veneer with seed beads. Extremely fine, floral, bronze fittings in the form of chutes, handmade patinated bronze. Rosewood veneere...
Category
Late 20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Italian Louis XV Style Walnut Large Writing Desk
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Majestic antique Italian louis XV style large writing desk. Rare and precious walnut wood. Comfortable size for a practical use. The desk has elegan...
Category
1880s Italian Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
French 18th Century Louis XV Period Kingwood And Tulipwood Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A sensational and elegant French 18th century Louis XV period kingwood and tulipwood inlaid desk, with all of its original ormolu and hardware. The desk is raised by slender cabriole...
Category
18th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV Style Kingwood Gilt-Bronze Mounted Bureau Plat Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine and large French 19th century Louis XV style gilt bronze-mounted kingwood and tulipwood bureau plat (Desk or writing table). The shaped re...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze-Mounted Kingwood Three-Drawer Bureau Plat Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A French Louis XV style gilt bronze-mounted kingwood bureau plat (desk). The gilt banded rectangular top set with gilt bronze acanthus mounts at the corners centering a gilt banded i...
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Kingwood
Rounded Italian Executive Desk in Louis XV Style Marquetry Bronze 1950 Inlaid
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Breathtaking & impressive! This rounded Italian Louis XV style executive desk with inlaid wood & bronze.
A desk build to impress and impress she does, truly amazing craftsmanship ...
Category
19th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Kingwood and Ormolu Desk, Attributed to Linke
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XV st. kingwood and ormolu desk, attributed to François Linke. The desk is raised by elegant cabriole legs with fitted...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Ebony, Tortoiseshell, Brass, and Leather Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and unique French 19th century Louis XV st. ebony, tortoiseshell, brass, and leather Boulle st. desk. The desk is raised by four elegant cabriole legs with fine fitted fol...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Ormolu
Fine French 19th-20th Century Louis XV Style Giltwood Carved Center Hall Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine French 19th-20th century Louis XV style giltwood carved center gall table with marble top. The rectangular shaped frame intricately carved frame with an "X" stretcher centered...
Category
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble
French Louis XV Walnut Kidney Kneehole Desk
Located in New York, NY
19th century French Louis XV style walnut kidney shaped kneehole desk with gilt trim and brass scroll handles.
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Antique Louis XV Provincial Style Leather Top Writing Table
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Louis XV provincial style leather top writing / games table, late 19th century. With an old tooled leather top, carved aprons, with carved c scrolled...
Category
Late 19th Century European Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Oak
20th Century French Bureau Plat Desk in the Louis XV Style Black Ebonized Veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
Black ebonized, four-sided passively curved frame base on high, elegantly curved squares. Encased in finely chiseled brass fittings. Slightly protruding tabletop with profiled decorated bronze lining and gold-imprinted leather imitation insert (the color of the leather is black not blue)
Decorative perforated rocaille appliques and decorative moldings...
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Beech
Régence Style Marquetry Writing Desk
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A magnificent and very rare Régence style marquetry inlaid grand bureau plat or writing desk.
Inscribed to the carcass 'Moreaux 72'.
Dating from the second half of the nineteenth century this magnificent and very rare bureau plat has finely cast rocaille gilt-bronze mounts and is decorated overall with truly breath-taking seventeenth century marquetry, depicting fantastical townscapes, knights, soldiers, hunting and architectural-scenes.
Of serpentine rectangular form the top is veneered with superb marquetry panels within a foliate scrolled border and a rocaille shell-cast gilt-bronze surround, both sides featuring a recessed central drawer flanked on each side by a drawer applied with male and female terms, scrolled handles, and reserves with conforming drawers; the bombé sides are centred by foliate scrolls, and the whole raised on cabriole legs headed by cartouches with foliate entwined chutes terminating in scrolled sabots.
Of impressive scale this fine bureau plat, in the manner of a partners desk, features working drawers to each side.
This model of bureau plat was made by a small number of celebrated Parisian cabinet makers in the second half of the 19th century including Beurdeley, Cremer and Befort Jeune. It is incredibly rare to see this model of bureau plat inlaid in marquetry.
The exceptional quality and style indicate the use of older reused marquetry, almost certainly dating from the late 17th century and originating from the Augsburg region of Germany.
Similar models but lacking the exceptional marquetry inlay can be found in the collection of the Duke of Buccleuch at Bowhill, and the Earl of Normanton at Somerlely. Christopher Payne notes that the latter was part of a pair sold by the London dealer Toms & Luscombe in 1871. He illustrates the present bureau plat in his book ‘European Furniture of the 19th Century’ (p. 88-89), along with two related desks minus the marquetry inlay (p. 92 -93).
The exceptional and highly complex marquetry inlay and intarsia work, that sets this important bureau plat apart from other extant examples, would originally have formed the decorative panels of a late 17th century table cabinet, almost certainly ascribable to the Augsburg region of Germany.
Augsburg emerged from the middle of the 16th century as the German centre of luxury cabinet making for the international market. In particular, the development of marquetry contributed to this prominent position, favoured by the ready availability of indigenous woods and the reputation that Augsburg had the best craftsmen able to cut thin layers of veneers in the most intricate motifs (C.S. Wood, ‘The Perspective Treatise in Ruins: Lorenz Stöer, Geometria et perspectiva, 1567’, Studies in the History of Art, no. 59, p. 246).
Table cabinets, conceived as a form of Wunderkammer or cabinets of curiosities, were intended as repositories for all manner of wondrous and exotic objects and by the 1550s the grandest cabinets in Europe were being made in Augsburg. Decorated almost entirely with sumptuous marquetry, often depicting perspective views of ruins and fantastical townscapes, they become by the 1590s highly regarded as important diplomatic gifts.
Fine Augsburg marquetry panels remained popular throughout the ages and were frequently re-used to create or embellish new items of furniture, such as this magnificent bureau plat. Their inclusion was not only for their highly decorative appeal, but to contemporary eyes, a means by which to imbue a new creation with a sense of true historical authenticity.
The importance of such panels is often reflected in the high cost involved in repurposing them. A fine example of this is the celebrated 17th century cabinet on stand...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
19th Century Louis XV Style Bureau Plat Writing Table
Located in Berlin, DE
Bureau plat in the style of the Louis XV Napoleon III Paris, circa 1850-1880.
In Bois-Satiné veneer, all-round full-length mirror veneer with seed beads. With very finely chiselled,...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Beech
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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