Desks and Writing Tables
1890s British Sheraton Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Satinwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Rustic Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood
1940s French Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1940s Italian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
Late 19th Century Swedish Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1870s French Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1870s French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Hungarian Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Other
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
1940s American Aesthetic Movement Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wicker, Oak
1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1940s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1940s Danish Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1870s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Sycamore
1870s Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1940s Italian Other Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century French Louis XIV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Walnut
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1940s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1940s Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Lucite, Burl
1870s French Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1880s French Renaissance Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century Swedish Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
1890s American Arts and Crafts Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood
1940s French French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1940s French Campaign Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1940s French Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1940s American Regency Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1890s British Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1940s Swedish Gustavian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1890s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
1890s Danish Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1940s Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Paint
1890s English Campaign Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1890s British Edwardian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1890s British Chippendale Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1890s American Mission Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1890s British Late Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century Italian Rustic Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Pine
1940s French Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1940s French Louis XV Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Late 19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
1890s Scottish Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century Danish Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
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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