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Desks and Writing Tables

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Desks and Writing Tables For Sale
Period: Mid-20th Century
Period: 1950s
Kai Kristiansen Danish Modern Three-Drawer Floating Top Teak Desk w/ Bookshelf
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Kai Kristiansen Danish Modern Three-Drawer Floating Top Teak Desk w/ Bookshelf This Danish modern floating top desk attributed to Kai Kristiansen features a beautifully cornered teak slab desk space. One bank of three dovetailed drawers sit on the left side of the knee hole providing excellent storage. Finished on all sides, this desk can be floated in the center of any room. The back offers anopened cabinets perfect for displaying collectibles or books. In excellent refinished condition with typical wear for its vintage. A versatile size Dimensions: 47 in W x 23.5 D x 29 H. Clearance for legs and chair 28...
Category

1960s Danish Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Exquisite Restyled Vintage 1950s Desk by RETRO4M
Located in Rome, IT
Presenting a masterpiece of timeless elegance: the meticulously restored and restyled vintage desk from the 1950s, crafted with meticulous care by RETRO4M. This exceptional piece sea...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass, Iron

Danish Oak Desk attributed to Henning Kjaernulf, mid-century
Located in Store Heddinge, DK
Solid oak writing desk complete with drawers, attributed to the Danish furniture designer Henning Henry Kjærnulf, a compelling piece. This creation harmoniously blends bold Baroque e...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

A Mid-Century Writing Desk Attributed to Gio Ponti
Located in Forest Row, East Sussex
A Mid-Century writing desk. Mahogany and beech wood with three draws and lift up hinged top. Attributed to Gio Ponti. Dimension: H 78cm W 120cm D 69cm Origin: Italian Date: 1950 ...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Drop Leaf Extending Desk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Teak mid-century desk with extra leaf that lifts and slides to extend the desk to 5.5 feet wide. Two drawers, including file size, with inset wood handles. Please confirm location NY...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Antique Military Campaign Style Desk
Located in London, GB
A top quality antique military campaign style desk. This was made in England, it dates from around the 1930’s. It is very well ma...
Category

1930s British Campaign Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Desk by Valdemar Mortensen, 1960s.
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak desk by Valdemar Mortensen, 1960s. High-end freestanding executive teak writing table by Danish master carpenter Valdemar Mortensen from Odense, Denmar...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Art Deco Table J. Halabala
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
Art Deco table by J. Halabala from 1960s. Art Deco table by the famous Czech designer J. Halabala, 1940. Jindrich Halabala, (a Czech designer ranked among the most outstanding creat...
Category

1950s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Black Onyx Glass & Walnut Italian Mid-Century Modern Executive Desk by Gio Ponti
Located in New York, NY
A Rare and Elegant Italian MId-Century Modern Neoclassical Desk / Writing Table by Gio Ponti in solid walnut with an inset top of black onyx glass and brass details. Ponti's design a...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Onyx, Brass

Classic Mid-Century Three Drawer Oak Desk
Located in San Francisco, CA
Classic Mid-Century Three Drawer Oak Desk Beautiful grain top and brass feet 48 x 20 3.75 x 29
Category

1940s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Large Executive Walnut Writing Desk by Jens Risom, 1960s
Located in Chesham, GB
A walnut executive Danish designed desk by Jens Risom and manufactured in the U.S.A by by Jens Risom Design. Designer - Jens Risom Manufacturer - Jens Risom Design Design Period -...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Early variant Osvaldo Borsani desk with two drawers for Tecno, Italy 1950s
Located in Milan, IT
Minimal Osvaldo Borsani 1950s desk for Tecno, Italy Carries all the original Tecno transfer labels
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Brass

Art Deco Table J.Halabala from 1960
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
Art Deco table by J. Halabala from 1960s. The piece of furniture was made of walnut tree. Art Deco table by the famous Czech designer J. Halabala, 1950. Jindrich Halabala - (a Czech ...
Category

1950s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Art Deco Table J.Halabala from 1960
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
Art Deco table by J. Halabala from 1960s. The piece of furniture was made of walnut tree. Art Deco table by the famous Czech designer J. Halabala, 1950. Jindrich Halabala - (a Czech ...
Category

1950s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Art Deco Table J.Halabala from 1960
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
Art Deco table by J. Halabala from 1960s. The piece of furniture was made of walnut tree. Art Deco table by the famous Czech designer J. Halabala, 1950. Jindrich Halabala - (a Czech ...
Category

1950s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Paolo Buffa grissinato wood desk with four drawers, Italy 1940s
By Paolo Buffa, Galdino Maspero
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid and essential Paolo Buffa Desk in grissinato wood with four drawers and saber legs. Iconic Paolo Buffa design manufactured by Galdino Maspero, Italy 1940s
Category

1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Italian-made executive desk from the 1950s
Located in Genova, IT
Large Italian-made executive desk from the early 1950s. Dark blue formica(original) covered worktop in excellent condition, resting on two walnut wood 'towers' with black metal legs...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Brass

Large 1960s vintage design desk with iron frame, 2 drawers, and beautiful detail
Located in Harderwijk, NL
Offered is this beautiful large design desk from the 1960s of good quality and with stunning details. Imagine yourself a villain from an old James Bond movie or the director of a lar...
Category

1960s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

Art Deco French Desk in Macassar with Leather Top Insert
Located in Houston, TX
Art Deco French desk in Macassar wood Desk is made out of Macassar wood and newly re-upholstered with a strip of brown leather in the middle of the desk’s top. Each of the legs have ...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Mid-Century Modern Teak FD-951 Diplomat Desk by Finn Juhl for France & Søn
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Magnificent and large Mid-Century Modern executive Diplomat FD-951 desk. Design by Finn Juhl for France & Søn. Striking Danish design from the 1960s. Solid teak and original teak ven...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Italian Desk by Gio Ponti Attributed, 1950s
Located in Palermo, PA
Italian desk by Gio Ponti attributed, 1950s. Dimensions: H= 78 cm; W= 180 cm; D= 85 cm.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Glass, Wood

Bauhaus tubular steel writing desk
Located in PRAHA 4, CZ
The offered tubular steel Bauhaus writing desk impresses with its hight class design. It has been professionally refurbished and is free of any defects and ready for a daily use. An ...
Category

1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Fratelli Proserpio compact rollup writing desk teak Italy 1960
Located in Etten-Leur, NL
Beautiful and compact rollup writing desk designed and manufactured by Fratelli Proserpio, Italy 1960. This elegant desk is executed in rich natural teak wood. The top has a very nic...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Military Campaign Style Desk Table in Wood, Brass and Leather, Italy 1960s
Located in Rome, IT
Amazing desk table in the antique military campaign style in wood, brass and leather top with three drawers by Sea Line Orvieto. Made in Italy in the 1960s. It has three good size...
Category

1960s Italian Campaign Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Brass

Rosewood Executive Desk for Nipu
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A stunning rosewood executive desk by Marius Byrialsen for Nipu, c.1960s, Denmark. The desk features an aluminum frame with a rosewood desk top, six drawers and two narrow pencil dra...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Art Deco French Elegant Writing Desk in Macassar
Located in Houston, TX
Beautiful and elegant Art Deco Period French writing desk. Macassar veneer - table desk with shaped top; three drawers underneath. Keyed middle drawer. Resting on tapered and channel...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Executive Desk by Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena, Italy 1960s
Located in Greding, DE
Large desk, designed by Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena in the 1960s. The desk stands on brass legs that are set back under the drawer elements, giving it an elegant, floating cha...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Severin Hansen 1950s Danish Rosewood Writing Desk
Located in London, GB
Severin Hansen Jnr. - Model 36 Writing Desk This iconic desk waa designed by Severin Hansen Jnr. in 1958 when he was in his early 20s. The desk was produced by cabinetmakers Haslev ...
Category

1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

Sensational Bauhaus Avant-garde tubular steel writing desk by Bruno Weil (BeWe)
Located in PRAHA 4, CZ
Unleash Creativity with the 1936 Bauhaus Avant-garde Writing Desk by Bruno Weil Step into the world of Bauhaus design with our sensational 1936 Avant-garde Tubular Steel Writing Des...
Category

1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Mid-Century Danish 8 Drawer Teak Desk with Bookcase Back, 1960s
Located in Chesham, GB
Design Period - 1960 to 1969 Country of Manufacture - Denmark Style - Mid-Century Detailed Condition - Good with minimal defects. Restoration and Damage Details - Light wear cons...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Vintage Seven Drawer Desk by Beithcraft, 1960s
Located in Ely, GB
A Lovely Compact Vintage Desk with 7 Drawers by Renowned British Maker; Beithcraft. circa 1960s. The desk, designed in traditional manner, is finished in walnut veneer, which is in ...
Category

1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Scandinavian solid wood Danish desk danish
Located in Lyon, FR
Scandinavian solid wood desk from the 60s in the style of Arne vodder's work. Beautiful woodwork, sober and elegant design typical of Scandinavian furniture of the period. Very fine ...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Franco Albini Desk for Knoll International, USA 1960
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A wonderful desk designed by Franco Albini and manufactured by Knoll International in the USA around 1960. The unique frame of the table has chrome plated crossed legs on each side ...
Category

1960s European Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modern Desk by Ico Parisi for Mim Roma, Italy, 1950s
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Desk by Ico Parisi for Mim Roma, Italy, 1950s
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

American Mid Century Modern Paul McCobb Planner Group Maple # 1560 Desk 1950's
Located in Portland, OR
A good American Mid Century Modern, "Planner Group" maple desk designed by Paul McCobb, 1950's. This iconic and elegant desk by P:aul McCobb having a pair of graduated drawers to the...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Maple

Midcentury Paul McCobb #1560 Double Drawer Desk Blonde Maple Finish T pulls
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Beautiful Paul McCobb Planner Group #1560 double drawer desk blonde maple finish with steel T pull knobs solid maple. Desk has been professional refinished. Very beautiful designed d...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Art Deco Desk by Maurice Adams
Located in Lee-On-The-Solent, GB
A fine Art Deco desk by Maurice Adams, in highly polished walnut. Bow fronted, with four drawers to each side, a central door and a good size cupboard beneath. Quality, silvered hand...
Category

1930s British Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Mid 20th Century Vintage Regency Mahogany Secretary Desk
Located in west palm beach, FL
An exceptional vintage Regency desk. A soaring Secretary style with lots of little areas for storage. A beautiful Mahogany case that has a beautif...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Danish Mid-Century Rosewood Writing Desk
Located in VANCOUVER, CA
Rosewood Danish desk, circa 1960's. Unique 5 legged design with metal pulls and a bank of drawers that all lock at the same time from the top! Finished on bot...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rose Quartz, Rosewood

Paul Frankl Kidney Desk for Johnson Furniture
Located in Zürich, CH
Paul Frankl Kidney Desk produced by Johnson Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan Overall in very good condition. The wooden tabletop with light surface scratches, indentations and...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

French fruitwood marquetry top writing table, 1950’s
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Academic Revival rectangular bureau plat in the French Directoire taste. The fruitwood marquetry top is mounted on a conforming apron fitted with a divided long drawer. Each drawer f...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

ILA (Industria Lombarda Arredamenti) teak and metal desk model Ss34, Italy, 1959
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
A beautiful Italian desk made of teak and metal, produced by ILA (Industria Lombarda Arredi), model "Ss34" from 1959, equipped with ample workspace. ILA was an Italian company that,...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Mid-century teak desk, The Netherlands 1960's
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Teak veneer desk with drawers which can be locked. The top has been sand and laquered
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

1950s Knoll & Drake Formica and Walnut Desk
Located in London, GB
Designed and manufactured by Knoll & Drake, this 1950s desk is both practical and timeless. Constructed with metal legs, the desk has a white Formica table top...
Category

1950s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Formica, Walnut

Art Deco Table J.Halabala from 1960
Located in Kraków, Małopolska
Art Deco table by J. Halabala from 1960s. The piece of furniture was made of walnut tree. Art Deco table by the famous Czech designer J. Halabala, 1950. Jindrich Halabala - (a Czech ...
Category

1950s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Restored Bauhaus Small Dissociative Table, by Mücke-Melder, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
Located in Horomerice, CZ
Dissociative: 95 cm / 37.4″ It has been re-polished with polyutherane piano lacquer by our professional refurbishing team in Czechia according to the original process. The chrome p...
Category

1930s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Vintage Functionalist Desk by Alvar Aalto, Artek, Finland, 1930s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Desk by Alvar Aalto made from birch with original green top. Lovely, clean lines. Neat size, small drawer to the left.
Category

1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch

Plexiglass and ebony desk
Located in PARIS, FR
Large acrylic glass and ebony desk, 1970s. The top is made of Macassar ebony with brushed steel details, and the base is smoked plexiglass. The desk is equipped with 2 drawers. Good ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Plexiglass, Ebony

Danish Mid-Century Rosewood Desk by H. Sigh & Son
Located in VANCOUVER, CA
Rosewood mid-century desk by H. Sigh & Son, circa 1960's. Stunning bookmatched veneer top surface, beautiful carved handles and plenty of storage. Open cubbies on the finished back, ...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

Art Deco German Curved Desk in Walnut
Located in Houston, TX
Elegant German Art Deco Desk is made out of walnut wood. Has slightly curved top with leather insert in the middle. There is thin keyed drawer. Desk is supported by 2 wide rectangula...
Category

1940s German Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Göran Strand for Lelångs Möbelfabrik Model A10 MCM Swedish Desk
Located in Plainview, NY
A Mid-Century Modern desk Model A10 l masterfully crafted by Göran Strand for Lelångs Möbelfabrik in Sweden during the 1960s. The allure of the Desk Model A10 lies in its thoughtfu...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

An Italian Desk attributed to Osvaldo Borsani, circa 1940
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
An Italian desk dating back to the 1940s and attributed to Osvaldo Borsani. The entire structure, crafted from walnut-stained beech, elegantly rests on a curved base. It boasts five...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Santos Rosewood Desk by Erik Riisager Hansen for Haslev Mobelsnedkeri
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
This is a particularly nicely grained Santos Rosewood as, hopefully, the photos show and it's in very good original condition, designed by Erik Riisager Hansen and produced by Haslev...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Hardwood

Florence Knoll Model 17 Desk
Located in Saint Paul, MN
Alongside the model 75 stool, this desk was part of Florence Knoll's first collection of designs. The louvre drawers follows the same design language used in a variety of casegoods s...
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Maple

Mid Century Modern Double-Sided Desk by Lane Furniture. Circa. 1960s
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage Mid Century Modern Double-Sided Desk by Lane Furniture. Circa. 1960s Features a beautiful walnut wood grain, a quintessential Mid Century Modern Design, a faux woodgrain lam...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Dyrlund Smith Executive Desk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Spectacular Danish desk in rich rosewood grain. Made by Dyrlund Smith, featuring finished back, and hidden aluminum drawer pulls. Unique disc-shaped brass pulls that lay flat when cl...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

French neoclassical style writing desk with leather top
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Carved wood. Leather top. 31" h x 51 1/4" w x 28" d. Condition Scratches. Paint loss. Stains to leather. Minor dents in edges.
Category

1930s French Neoclassical Revival Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Walnut

1960s Mid Century Modern Walnut Writing Desk
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-century walnut executive desk designed and manufactured in the United States circa 1960s. The desk is amazing and boasts a beautiful walnut frame with a sleek formica top. The de...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Laminate, Walnut

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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