Desks and Writing Tables
1830s British William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
1920s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Late 19th Century French Rustic Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Early 19th Century Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century Irish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century English Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
Mid-19th Century German Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood
19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Charles X Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century British Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
1810s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
1810s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
1810s English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1820s Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood, Pearwood
19th Century English Moorish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Early 19th Century English Queen Anne Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Paint
Mid-19th Century English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 1800s Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1860s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1810s English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Louis XIV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Walnut
1860s British High Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Maple, Oak
1920s French Napoleon III Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1890s British Sheraton Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Satinwood
Early 19th Century English Campaign Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1820s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
Early 1800s French Neoclassical Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1860s British High Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Alabaster
1920s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
1870s British Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1850s Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Other
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century Swedish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
1890s American Arts and Crafts Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1870s French Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century Swedish Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1890s British Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1820s English George IV Antique 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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