Desks and Writing Tables
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut
Early 20th Century Danish Art Nouveau Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Brass
1870s Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s German Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Aluminum
1980s German Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1890s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1980s American Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Birdseye Maple
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Quartz, Marble, Brass, Stainless Steel
18th Century German Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Spruce, Walnut
1940s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1980s Victorian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Enamel, Steel
20th Century Italian Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
2010s Argentine Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Iron
19th Century English Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1940s French Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1930s Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
18th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Late 20th Century American Classical Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass, Stainless Steel
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Ceramic, Wood, Oak
Early 1800s French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 18th Century British George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
20th Century Italian Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1880s French Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Glass
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Rattan
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Ash
1950s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1860s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Maple, Satinwood, Walnut, Burl
1940s French Neoclassical Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Stone
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Early 1900s American Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
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.
Read More
This 19th-Century Gilded Desk Displays a Fanciful Kingdom in Marquetry
The stately piece brings both gravitas and whimsy to any work space.
Ask an Interior Designer: Work-from-Home Edition
Leaping into a design project, whether it's refreshing the bedroom or redoing the whole house, can be overwhelming. Luckily, we know more than a few interior designers. You asked questions on Instagram, and now they're answering.
18 Home Offices for Workaholic Design-Lovers
Proof that working from home is a perk.