Desks and Writing Tables
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1930s Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
20th Century European French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1950s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1940s French French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass, Steel
Early 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood
Late 20th Century French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
1950s French Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Iron
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
1980s French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1780s French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Iron
20th Century American French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Chestnut
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Iron
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Oak
Mid-20th Century British Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
20th Century Swedish French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Pine, Paint
Early 20th Century French Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1930s French Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1960s American French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
18th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1930s German Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Mirror, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Italian French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s American French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French Industrial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1920s British Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s American French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s German Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum, Metal
1960s Italian Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
Early 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
Mid-20th Century Unknown Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1970s Dutch Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1920s French French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Pine
Late 18th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
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.