Desks and Writing Tables
1970s French Space Age Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Smoked Glass, Plexiglass
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Swedish Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1820s English George IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Late 20th Century North American Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century French Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century Danish Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century French Louis XIII Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1970s Unknown Campaign Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo, Wood, Lacquer
2010s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Aluminum
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Mexican Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood, Mahogany, Walnut
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Parchment Paper
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
20th Century Italian Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1980s British Regency Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Fruitwood
2010s British Futurist Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Aluminum, Steel
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Leather
Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Boxwood, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
2010s Mexican Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Chrome
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1920s French Renaissance Revival Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo, Rattan, Wicker
2010s American Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine
1890s English Arts and Crafts Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Canadian Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1870s Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Glass
2010s American American Craftsman Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Pine
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century French Rustic Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century Italian Louis XVI 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.
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