Desks and Writing Tables
1890s Italian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
2010s French Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s Desks and Writing Tables
Copper
Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
1880s French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
2010s American Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
19th Century French Other Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1860s Swedish Art Nouveau Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Oak
Mid-19th Century French Rococo Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Tulipwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Early 19th Century English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century English Gothic Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1810s French Empire Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Early 19th Century Scandinavian Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century English Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Tulipwood
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
19th Century English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
19th Century English Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
19th Century Spanish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century European Other Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Early 19th Century English Queen Anne Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1840s English Other Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Palisander
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Leather
2010s Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Mirror
19th Century European Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood, Walnut
1890s Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1850s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Asian Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Mahogany
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century Austrian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Enamel
2010s Italian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Other
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, 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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