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Desks and Writing Tables

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Desks and Writing Tables For Sale
Style: Folk Art
Style: Louis XIII
19th Century French Louis XVIII Style Stripped Writing Table
Located in Houston, US
This country table exemplifies the rustic style seen in Southern France and Spain. The style as seen in Louis XIII country interpretations, developed in France an Spain and mirror th...
Category

19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak, Walnut

Early 19th Century Folk Art Side Table or Desk, Scandinavia
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Danish or Swedish Rectangular Folk Art Table or Desk. The table has tonnes of charm, wear and tear to the finish that gives thus table an unbeatable patina. Most of the original pai...
Category

Early 19th Century Scandinavian Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Large 19th Century French Leather Top Carved Bleached Oak Table Desk with Drawer
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a study or office with this elegant antique table desk. Crafted in Northern France, circa 1870, the large writing table stands on carved b...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak, Leather

Folk Art Secretary Style Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 20th century. Handmade and hand painted. Roof drops down to a desk or storage. Extra storage below. Desk Height - 29.5"
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Folk Art Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

19th Century Spanish Baroque Carved Bleached Walnut and Iron Writing Table Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Add a focal point to your study or library with this elegant antique fruitwood desk. Carved in Spain circa 1870, the tall trestle table stands on four carved barley twist legs ending in round feet, and connected with a decorative forged iron stretcher. The desk features three carved drawers across the front decorated with floral motifs and dressed with decorative iron knobs. The thick rectangular top surface built with one single plank of walnut, is embellished with a carved molded trim around the edges. The large writing table...
Category

Mid-19th Century Spanish Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Spanish Walnut Table 18th Century
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Spanish walnut table from the beginning of the 18th century rare travel table which has a very beautiful one-piece walnut top with iron decorations the table has its original hinges ...
Category

18th Century Spanish Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

French 19th Century Writing Table
Located in Stockbridge, GA
Very nice scale, warmth color and nice carving on the belt, always useful anywhere at home.
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

French 19th Century Writing Table Carved Oak Desk Lion Mask Louis XIII Style
Located in Labrit, Landes
Writing table or desk Henri II (also named Louis XIII style) 19th century with lion masque drawer handle Table height: 27.56 in. (70 cm) Hand carved oak R...
Category

1880s French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Louis XIII Period 1630s Carved Walnut Barley Twist Table with Black Painted Top
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Louis XIII period walnut writing table from circa 1630 with two lateral drawers, barley twist base, black painted top and carved X-Form cross stretcher accented with central...
Category

17th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Barley Twist Mahogany Desk Console or Library Table by Imperial
Located in Southampton, NJ
A stunning 19th Century single drawer desk or library console table having turned mahogany legs and frame with outstanding grain throughout having hand carved aprons with gold detail...
Category

Late 19th Century American Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Rare Early American Country Pyrography Desk
Located in Forney, TX
A rare, one-of-a-kind antique American folk decorated desk with beautifully aged distressed patina found in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Hand-crafted in the Southern United States in the late 19th century, featuring elaborate hand carving and pyrography wood burning decoration in classical motif, kneehole desk form with raised gallery dated "1899", having a topped with a single door cabinet, supported by two columns of three drawers. Provenance / Acquisition: Found in a Mt. Juliet, Tennessee farmhouse Acquired from highly reputable auction house, Bright Star Antiques, Sulfur Springs, Texas. Specializing in early American antiques...
Category

Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

19th Century French Louis XIII Style Walnut Side Table
Located in Winter Park, FL
A Louis XIII style French side table made of solid walnut with turned legs connected by an X-form stretcher with centre finial. Dovetailed drawer with iron ring pull. Pegged construc...
Category

19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

18th Century French Louis XIII Style Walnut Table
Located in Madrid, ES
French walnut table in Louis XIII style, late 18th century, walnut with a single drawer from the 18th century. The legs are characteristically turned and the base is in the shape of ...
Category

Mid-18th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

French Sculptural Baroque Style Desk in Stained Pine, Early 20th Century
Located in Odense, DK
A fabolous french baroque style freestanding desk in solid stained pined. Finely handcrafted in the first half of the 20th century. Decorative decadent carvings. This fine desk w...
Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XIII Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

19th Century French Louis XIII Style Barley Twist Oak Desk
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Diminutive 19th century French oak writing table or desk. Featuring a single drawer case supported by carved barley twist legs conjoined by an H-shaped stretcher. The oak top has a l...
Category

19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Antique French Louis XIII Style Draw Leaf Dining Table with Barley Twist Legs
Located in Sheffield, MA
Antique French Louis XIII style oak draw leaf extending dining table with barley twist legs. This table has been lovingly restored...
Category

1920s French Louis XIII Vintage Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

French Louis XVIII Style Walnut Side Table
Located in Winter Park, FL
A Louis XVIII style French side table made of solid walnut with carved decoration. Dovetailed drawer with small brass ring pull. Turned legs connected by an X-form stretcher with cen...
Category

Early 19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Mid-Century Italian Baroque Carved Walnut Secretary Chest of Drawers
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant, multi-function antique chest was created in Italy, circa 1960. Siting on bracket feet over a straight bottom plinth, the fruit wood cabinet features what appears to be three drawers with raised burled panels and dressed with iron handles and matching escutcheons across the front. The hinged top half surface raises up while the top drop-front hinged drawer folds down, and reveals a writing surface with inside theater and four small drawers over a niche gallery. The bottom section features two large functional drawers for extra storage. Both sides are also decorated with burled walnut raised panels. The narrow and versatile baroque writing table commode is in excellent condition with a rich walnut patina, and has beautiful gothic hardware...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XIII Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Spanish Provincial Desk Table
Located in Mjöhult, SE
19th century Spanish provincial bleached walnut desk table with one drawer and great patination to the surface. Ca 1820 Spain.
Category

Early 19th Century Spanish Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Table Pine Dining Desk Classical Leg Vernacular Folk
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Pine farmhouse table with a single plank top Rare to find a piece of vernacular or folk furniture with sophisticated features like the leg turnings on this table Length 206cm 81...
Category

19th Century French Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Mid-18th Century Spanish Louis XIII Carved Walnut Library Console Table Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Crafted in Spain circa 1760, the antique writing table stands on thick carved turned legs ending with bun feet, and embellished with an elegant rectangular box stretcher at the base. The tall table features two hand carved drawers...
Category

Mid-18th Century Spanish Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

19th century French Carved Secretary Petite Writing Desk Barley Twist Louis XIII
Located in Shreveport, LA
19th century French Carved Secretary Petite Writing Desk Barley Twist Louis XIII. Direct from France, a beautifully appointed petite drop front walnut secretary...
Category

1890s French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

19th Century French Oak Barley Twist Bureau Plat Desk
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Spectacular 19th century French bureau plat writing table or desk featuring barley twist legs and stretcher. Crafted from oak in the grand Louis XIII style fronted by a large 27 inch...
Category

19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

19th Century French Oak Library Desk Console Sofa Table Barley Twist Louis XIII
Located in Shreveport, LA
19th century French oak office library desk sofa table barley twist Louis XIII ~Direct from France~ ~Lovely antique French writing desk, versatile for so many uses; in addition to s...
Category

19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

French Louis XIII Style Oak Barley Twist Library Table Desk
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fine 19th century French carved oak library table, or writing table desk made in the grand Louis XIII taste. Features thick barley twist legs conjoined on the bottom with barley twis...
Category

19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

19th Century Masonic Table with Leather Book Compartment Flip Lid Compass Legs
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Rare and fabulous 19th century faux book with compass legs as legs. Mustard paint on the legs with Gilt on the pages of the leather bound book. Looks to be original tassle.. Possibly...
Category

1860s American Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Hardwood, Paint

19th Century Spanish Baroque Marble Top Carved Walnut and Iron Dining Table
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a dining or breakfast room with this elegant antique table. Carved in Spain circa 1870, the large trestle table stands on two intricate ca...
Category

Mid-19th Century Spanish Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Wrought Iron

Louis XIII Style French Walnut Side Table
Located in Winter Park, FL
A Louis XIII style French side table made of solid hand-carved walnut. Elaborately detailed in a Neo Renaissance style with fine turned legs forming an arched colonnade over the cent...
Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XIII Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

19th Century French Louis XIII Carved Barley Twist Walnut Table Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Incorporate extra, functional surface space into your living room or den with this elegant antique table. Crafted in the Perigord region of Franc...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Mid-19th Century French Louis XIII Heavily Carved Oak Secretary Bookcase Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a man's office or study this this stunning Henri II two-piece antique desk cabinet. Crafted in southern France circa 1860 and built of oa...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Swedish Folk Art Desk from Dalarna
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Swedish folk art desk from the area of Dalarna, scraped to original paint. This would make a wonderful decorators piece.
Category

19th Century Swedish Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

19th Century Swedish Folk Art Desk with Untouched Originalpaint
Located in Boden, SE
19th century Swedish Folk Art desk with untouched originalpain from Skelleftea Vasterbotten, Northern Sweden. Made between 1840-1850 Decorative Folk Art Desk with two drawers in ve...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

18th Century French Louis XIII Style Barley Twist Desk with Green Leather Top
Located in Birmingham, AL
A fine 18th century carved French Louis XIII style bureau plat or desk handcrafted of solid oak by skilled Breton artisans, circa 1730s. The rectangular top with a gadrooned beveled ...
Category

18th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Antique Swedish Painted Folk Art Writing Table
Located in Kramfors, SE
Antique Swedish folk art writing table from the village of Alfta in Hälsingland in northern Sweden. The desk is made in Swedish pine and is in untouched original condition. A notable...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

19th Century French Louis XIII Style Hand Carved Cherry Writing Desk, Moleskin
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
19th century French Louis XIII style hand carved cherry writing desk moleskin top.
Category

Mid-19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cherry

Burl Top Ash Table
Located in Greenwich, CT
Very desirable early to mid-19th century ash table, the top comprising two bookmatched planks of highly figured burl ash, having double thickness carved rope twist applied edge, the ...
Category

1830s European Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ash

Primitive Hand Crafted Writing Desk in Pine, Made by a Swedish Carpenter, 1800s
Located in Odense, DK
This primitive desk, hailing from 19th-century Sweden, reflects the rustic charm and simplicity of traditional craftsmanship. Meticulously crafted in pine wood, the desk showcases th...
Category

19th Century Swedish Folk Art Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

19th Century Spanish Carved Walnut & Iron Desk Table with Single Plank Top
Located in Dallas, TX
Add an elegant focal point to your study or library with this antique Spanish desk. Carved in Spain circa 1850, the trestle table stands on two in...
Category

Mid-19th Century Spanish Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

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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