Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
LOUIS XVI STYLE
Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
210
6
to
25
132
75
216
213
214
1,782
788
384
354
317
216
215
204
156
108
101
90
73
55
48
37
26
11
42
108
60
6
27
20
5
5
3
1
4
5
3
1
1
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
207
121
67
53
52
200
175
11
5
4
5
2
2
1
1
Style: Louis XVI
Louis XVI Style Desk with Vitrine Top
Located in Stamford, CT
A Louis XVI style desk with vitrine Top. This fine custom quality Louis XVI style desk has long tapering bronze-mounted legs supporting a center drawer flanked by larger drawers leading to a set of three smaller drawers under a vitrine mirrored shelving...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
18th century Louis XVI Writing Desk, cherry veneer, South Germany
Located in Belmont, MA
Rare Louis XVI writing desk, South German 1780, exquisite cherry and plum wood veneer on front back, sides and top. The writing top is framed by...
Category
1780s German Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry
French Louis XVI Style Side Table or Writing Table, Entretoise Legs
Located in Montreal, Quebec
French Louis XVI style side table or writing table, Entretoise legs.
Lovely model decorated with musical instruments, scrolls, ribbons and feathers in the classical Louis XVI vernac...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
20th Century imperial Bureau Plat / Writing Table in the Style of Louis XVI
Located in Berlin, DE
Exotic veneer on solid oak and wood. Extremely finely chased and rich bronze applications. Rectangular body. A hand painted picture badge on the front and side view. Gilded bronze de...
Category
20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Louis XVI Mahogany and Brass Mounted Bureau a Cylindre, Late 18th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The desk with a 1/4 cylinder top that opens to reveal a leather writing surface with pigeon holes and drawers. The gallery with white Carrara marble top.
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Louis XVI Walnut Architects Table a La Tronchin
Located in Essex, MA
A fine and unusual piece with gilt bronze mounts, when in table position rectangular with a ratcheted adjustable slant lid , a winding key raised and lowers the reading, working sect...
Category
1780s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
French Louis XVI Style Parquetry Inlaid Table Desk
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI style (19th Century) parquetry inlaid top table desk with bronze trim and single drawer.
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Louis XVI Style Vernis-Martin Bonheur de Jour
Located in Uckfield, Sussex
Louis XVI style rosewood vernis-martin Bonheur de jour.
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Louis XVI Style Mahogany Table Desk
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI style (19th Century) mahogany table desk with bronze ram heads and trim with stretcher.
Category
19th Century Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Antique Walnut and Marquetry Writing Desk
Located in London, GB
This elegant writing desk was created in France in the late 18th century, during the reign of King Louis XVI (1774-1792). The desk is designed in a refined neoclassical style which w...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze-Mounted Center, Writing Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine French 19th century Louis XVI style ebonized gilt bronze-mounted tulipwood, kingwood and fruitwood floral marquetry single-drawer center table, desk or writing table. The ornately decorated marquetry top, centered with a floral bouquet, butterflies, scrolls and acanthus. The raised on four fluted ebonized legs surmounted with gilt-bronze spigots...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French Louis XVI Carved Walnut Writing-Side Table with Drawer
Located in Dallas, TX
A French carved walnut small writing table, perfect end table or bedside table, late 18th century.
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
French Louis XVI Style Satinwood and Inlaid Kidney Desk
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI style (19th Century) satinwood and inlaid 6 legged kidney shaped desk with side slides.
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Satinwood
French Louis XVI Black Leather Top Bureau Plat Desk by Simon Loscertales Bona
Located in Philadelphia, PA
French Louis Style XVI black leather top bureau plat desk by Simon Loscertales Bona. Item features black tooled leather top, bronze ormolu, bron...
Category
Early 20th Century Spanish Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Kingwood, Mahogany
Decorative French Amboyna and Gilt Bronze Center Table
Located in London, GB
A Library Centre Table in the Louis XVI Manner
Constructed in amboyna, with purpleheart banding with gilt bronze mounts; of elliptical form, with gently everted angles; rising from ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French Tortoise Wood Louis XVI Style Maison Jansen Partners Desk or Bureau Plat
Located in Stamford, CT
Tortoise wood Louis XVI style Maison Jansen partners desk or bureau plat. The finest of quality and gilt metal bronze mounts are seen on this stunning monumental partners desk...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
18th Century French Louis XVI Walnut Writing Table or Desk, Circa 1780
Located in San Francisco, CA
A Louis XVI carved walnut writing table with a tooled inset brown leather top, standing on elegant cabriole legs ending on cloven hoof feet. Having single center drawer with a decora...
Category
18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Walnut
Frederic Schmit, Paris, Large Louis XVI Style Bureau Plat, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality 19th century marquetry inlaid French Louis XVI style bureau plat. Having an inset tooled leather top, an ormolu moulding around, three oak lined frieze drawers, with the locks stamped; Schmit, Paris. Dummy drawers to the reverse.
The frieze being bombe shaped all the way round, quartered veneers and marquetry inlay. Wonderful ormolu monopodia supports to the tops of the elegant cabriole legs that terminate in hairy paw feet.
Frédéric Schmit...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Kingwood, Mahogany
18th Century Oak Country Side Writing Table
Located in Madrid, ES
A nice French country writing table, Louis XVI period, in solid oak, with a long drawer and drawer handle in bronze, the legs finished in sabot.
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Fine Quality Louis XVI Style Bureau Plat, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th century Louis XVI style mahogany bureau plat. Having an inset leather top, wonderful gilded ormolu mounts, the single frieze drawer having a drop front, open...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French Louis XVI Style Kingwood Parquetry & Ormolu Mounted Ladies Writing Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th-20th century louis XVI style kingwood parquetry and ormolu-mounted ladies writing table, the body surrounded by bronze moldings. The apron repeats the parquet...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French Louis XVI Style Mahogany Kneehole Desk
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI style (19th Century) mahogany and bronze trimmed fluted leg kneehole desk with gallery.
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Louis XVI Style Mahogany Table Desk with Leather Top
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI style (English-19th Century) mahogany table desk with 3 drawers and various inlaid woods with bronze trim & swags on legs with a leather top (WROTHAM PARK)
Category
19th Century English Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Louis XVI Style Mahogany Greek Key Display Console
Located in North York, ON
Stunning Louis XVI style display table. Decorated with a Greek key motif around the sides. Three drop doors across the front provide access to the display area. Original glass top, t...
Category
Mid-20th Century Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Mahogany and Ormolu Mounted Desk by Grimard
By G. Grimard
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th century Louis XVI style mahogany and ormolu-mounted writing table by G. Grimard "Meubles d'Art" 5 rue de Charonne, Paris. After a model by Adam Weisweiler (Fr...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French 18th Century Table With Fluted Apron And Legs
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
French 18th Century table with fluted apron and legs
This 18th century table has a fluted apron and legs. One leg is slightly crooked but very charming.
...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Italy Mid-18th Century Olive Root Wood Desk with Drawings in Regency Style
Located in Brescia, IT
This Italian desk, was manufactured circa 1750 in Tuscany Italy by master cabinet makers in a pregiate wood, the olive root; the fine proportion and the ele...
Category
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Olive
French Louis XVI Style Kingwood Demilune Desk
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI style (18/19th Century) kingwood demilune shaped desk with bronze dore trim and gallery with leather top.
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Green Satinwood Marquetry Table with Leather Top
Located in London, GB
Constructed in satinwood, with extensive usage of green stained sycamore, harewood, bois Violette, and well cut floral marquetry, the freestanding table rises from bronze capped cylindrical tapered legs, with vertical inlays; the apron, with a running motif of inlaid circles, containing a single mahogany lined single drawer with further bronze highlight: the top is of oblong form with bowed ends, enclosing a tooled hide, with floral marquetry end panels, enclosed by a bronze angle...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Satinwood, Sycamore
Louis XVI Brass-Mounted Kingwood Bonheur Du Jour, Late 18th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
Signed L Moreau
with later marble top and mounts.
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
French Louis XVI Style Jansen Ebonized Davenport Table
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI style (1940s) ebonized davenport table with bronze trim on 2 drawers with ring handles having light green decoration matching the top (stamped: JANSEN).
Category
1940s French Vintage Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Jansen French Louis XVI Style Ebonized and Black Leather Desk
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI style (1940s) ebonized & gilt bronze trim desk / cartonnier with 2 drawers and a black leather & gold tooled top supported on 4 tapered square legs. (stamped: JANSEN)
Category
1940s French Vintage Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Gold Leaf, Ormolu
Fine Louis XVI Mahogany Leather-Top Table Attributed to Canabas
By Joseph Canabas
Located in Sheffield, MA
A Fine Louis XVI Mahogany
Leather Top Table
Attributed to Canabas
Joseph Canabas maitre 1766
Height 28 in. Width 27 in. Depth 17 in.
Tab84
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
French Louis XVI Style Parquetry Desk
Located in Pembroke, MA
A high-quality French Louis XVI style desk with geometric parquetry in mahogany with gilt-bronze mounts, including swags at the corners. The desk has three drawers with working locks...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Louis XVI Style French Writing Desk
Located in Austin, TX
Writing desk from France in the Louis XVI style. This piece has been ebonized and finished with a lustrous French polish of museum-quality. There are four dovetailed drawers each wit...
Category
1910s French Vintage Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Louis XVI Style 1890s Cream Painted Desk with Scrollwork Carved Apron
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Louis XVI style writing desk from circa 1890 with scrollwork carved apron, painted finish and fluted legs. Immerse yourself in the elegance of the Belle Époque with this exq...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Macassar Ebony Veneered Leather Top French Directoire Louis XVI Style Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a rare and unique form of desk and features the "wood of Kings" macassar ebony, a very rare and highly prized wood that covers the entire desk. The top is a gold tooled and e...
Category
1940s French Vintage Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Macassar
18th Century small Ladies Desk or Dressing Table, Louis XVI Poudreuse, c. 1780
Located in Greven, DE
Small make-up and writing desk
South Germany
Louis XVI circa 1780
Dimensions: H x W x D: 74 x 96 x 52 cm
Description:
Antique multifunctional piece of furniture from the late 18th...
Category
Late 18th Century German Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
French Ebonized Writing Table or Desk with Embossed Leather Top
Located in Austin, TX
An elegant French bureau writing desk (or table) of ebonized mahogany, in the Louis XVI style, featuring an embossed leather top with gilt bronze accents over a frieze with fitted dr...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
18th Century Italian Walnut Writing Desk / Console Table
Located in Carmine, TX
Simple and elegant table hand-crafted in Italy in the early 1700s using walnut and dovetailed construction. This is a beautiful specimen of early tables built to last centuries. Don'...
Category
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
French 1790s Walnut and Cherry Slant Front Desk with Marquetry Geometric Decor
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Louis XVI period walnut and cherry slant front desk from the late 18th century, with marquetry décor, drawers and fine details. Create...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry, Walnut
Elegant Sycamore and Box Wood Louis XVI Style Bureau Plat
Located in Montreal, QC
Elegant sycamore and boxwood Louis XVI style bureau plat decorated with gilt bronze and inset with black leather tooled top.
Category
1940s French Vintage Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Sycamore
Louis Xvi desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Louis XVI desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage desks and writing tables created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include tables, case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Louis XVI desks and writing tables made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desks and writing tables, popular names associated with this style include Maison Jansen, John Vesey, Paul Sormani, and A.M.E Fournier. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for desks and writing tables differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $956 and tops out at $230,146 while the average work can sell for $8,500.
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Antique Victorian Pedestal Desk
Inlaid Walnut Writing Desk
Folding Table Drawers
Desk Small Art Deco
George Iii Writing Desk
Campaign Desks
Antique Walnut Veneer Writing Desk
Ormolu Small Table
Contemporary Desks With Drawers
Italian Walnut Modern Desk
Vintage White Desk With Drawers
All Marble Desk
Oak Desk Victorian
Small Round Desk
Louis Xv Oak Table
Antique Kneehole Writing Desk
Antique Metal Legs For Tables
Trestle Writing Table