Desks and Writing Tables
Mid-18th Century English Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
18th Century Irish George II Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1960s French French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo, Laminate
20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
18th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
18th Century Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1970s Italian French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo, Rattan
1780s Irish Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1770s English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1930s British Georgian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Early 1800s Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1820s English George IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 18th Century British Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Mid-18th Century English Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Early 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood
18th Century British George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Early 1800s British George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1940s French French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
20th Century European French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1820s British George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1810s English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1790s English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Sycamore, Satinwood, Yew, Burl
1790s English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 20th Century American Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1930s British Georgian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Elm
1950s British Georgian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Early 18th Century Irish George II Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1780s French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
18th Century English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
20th Century American French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Chestnut
18th Century English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century English Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Hardwood
1980s French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Oak
Early 1800s Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century Swedish French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Pine, Paint
1790s English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ivory, Satinwood, Rosewood, Leather
Mid-19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut
1980s American Georgian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1760s English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1960s American French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s American French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s American French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese George III Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1760s English Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
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.