Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MODERN STYLE
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
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Item Ships From: USA
Style: Modern
Nancy Corzine Wakefield Executive Desk
Located in Countryside, IL
Nancy Corzine Wakefield executive desk in excellent condition
Piece comes fully restored free of dents and scratches.
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Glass Modern Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Glass modern desk with gold-plated decorative plates, beautifully designed, gold plated plates gives it that elegant and vintage look.
Category
20th Century French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Gold Plate
Contemporary Lucite and Inset Mirror Top Desk
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary lucite desk with 3 inset antiqued mirror squares on the top surface, a shallow glass compartment/shelf, and geometric scroll-shaped ...
Category
20th Century American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Mirror, Lucite
Walnut Entry or Library Table Shagreen / Walnut in the style of Karl Springer
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A walnut topped entry or library or sofa table with shagreen or sharkskin base having turned lower leg area in the manner of Karl Springer. Heavy and well crafted with dark olive gre...
Category
Late 20th Century American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Modern Eglomise Glass Pink Dust Vanity with Forged Metal Legs by Ercole Home
By Ercole Home
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The églomisé pink dust vanity by Ercole Home has a 5-drawer, with silver leaf wood finish. Hand painted églomisé glass panels are inset on the su...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Allegory Desk in Beech Wood
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Allegory desk, a perfect handy stand for home office spaces and for the most intimate contract solutions, by the Italian-Danish duo GamFratesi, enriches the furniture proposal of Wiener GTV Design with elegance and simplicity. The wide disk in steam-bent solid beech contains a woven cane screen...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Italian Mahogany & Lacquer Dining Table
Located in Denton, TX
Italian mahogany & lacquer dining table. This table top stands on a black lacquer and wood accented pedestal. One leaf extends this table out to fit up...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany, Lacquer
Kartell Earl of Wood Desk by Philippe Stark in Black Slatted Ash
Located in Brooklyn, NY
EARL OF WOOD is a simple new desk with a curved wooden surface, offering the perfect solution to the Office and Habitat worlds on account of its myriad diffe...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
'005' Desk in the Manner of Pierre Chareau
Located in Glendale, CA
'005' desk in the Manner of Pierre Chareau.
Handcrafted in the Los Angeles and French workshops of noted French designer and antiques dealer ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Modern Black Walnut Burl Curved Desk with Leather Inset
Located in Hobart, NY
Walnut burl veneered desk, with 2 pencil drawers and leather worktop.
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Walnut, Burl
Organic 2fold black walnut desk With Pencil Drawers
Located in Hobart, NY
2fold black walnut with leather lined drawer and bronze handles
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Williams Hairpin Writing Desk Maple Pink
Located in Cincinnati, US
A thin, elegant and light desk that can be customized to any color desired. This handcrafted item perfectly blends industrial hairpin legs with a beveled wooden top. The irregular be...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Elevado Desk in Cerused Wenge Wood by Kelly Wearstler
Located in West Hollywood, CA
The elegantly scaled Elevado desk has a simple architectural silhouette and utilizes our signature ivory cerused and wire brushed Wenge finish. Below the ...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Modern Spalted Roundback Maple Reception Desk with Acrylic and Blackened Steel L
Located in Hobart, NY
Spalted maple round back with rose gold fill and 2' thick acrylic and blackened steel legs.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Oslo Writing Desk in Ash by Studio Moe
Located in Portland, OR
Look to the clean lines and natural keep-it-simple design of the Oslo Writing Desk, to bring inspiration to your next idea or project. A single spacious dovetailed drawer provides ut...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ash
Radius Cutaway Reclaimed Walnut Desk
Located in brooklyn, NY
Radiused outer edges and a scalloped inner edge create a contrasting profile that adorns this minimal desk. Made from hand oiled solid walnut, this desk blends simple lines with unique subtle details. Three deep drawers with recessed pulls offer ample storage options, while offering soft close drawer slide movement. Finished with a water resistant non toxic finish from Germany. Hand made in our small studio in Red Hook Brooklyn...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
American Maple Butcher Block Parsons Table
Located in Chicago, IL
A supremely chic 20th century American maple butcher block parsons waterfall table constructed of two inch thick strips of laminated maple and ...
Category
20th Century American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Maple
Simply Modern Writing Table, 49
Located in Westwood, NJ
An elegant modern writing table with two singular leather-wrapped drawers, our Cardamon finish on the veneered frame (and handles) with panel end supports and brushed brass finish ac...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Gervasoni Gray 50 Writing Desk in Air Force Blue Lacquered Oak by Paola Navone
Located in Brooklyn, NY
When a house becomes a space for thinking, creating and working, as well as for living, desks take on a whole new dimension: Gray 50 is a small elegant desk, designed in the name of ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Kartell Earl of Wood Desk by Philippe Stark in Dark Wood and Black Frame
Located in Brooklyn, NY
EARL OF WOOD is a simple new desk with a curved wooden surface, offering the perfect solution to the Office and Habitat worlds on account of its myriad diffe...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Kartell Viscount of Wood Table by Philippe Stark in Walnut and Black Frame
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Viscount of wood tables are the latest addition. These naturally composed tables complement the collection's choice of seats and create a sustainable livin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
Whitewashed Ash Linderman Wall-Mounted Desk with Leather Wrapped Drawer in Stock
Located in Accord, NY
New York Heartwoods' Linderman wall-mounted desk is influenced by Mid-Century Modern, Shaker and Asian design, and features a hand-shaped base, leather wrapped pen drawer (shown here...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Ash, Leather
Gervasoni Writing Desk in Black Lacquer with Wooden Feet by Paola Navone
Located in Brooklyn, NY
When a house becomes a space for thinking, creating and working, as well as for living, desks take on a whole new dimension: LC 60 is an elegant desk of rather small dimensions, desi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Lacquer
Kartell Lunat Desk by Patricia Urquiola
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The LUNAT desk, designed by Patricia Urquiola, creates the ideal solution for a home smart working station as well as a desk in a hotel room. The powde...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Radius Cutaway Walnut Desk with Drawers
Located in brooklyn, NY
Radiused outer edges and scalloped inner edge create a contrasting profile that adorns this minimal desk. Made from hand oiled solid walnut, this desk blends simple lines with unique...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Simply Modern Writing Table
Located in Westwood, NJ
An elegant modern writing table with three singular leather wrapped drawers, our Cardamon finish on the veneered frame (and handles) with panel end supports and brushed brass finish ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Floor Sample Alma Desk Giorgetti Designed By Pamela Amine w/ Leather Finishes
Located in Boston, MA
Designed By Pamela Amine
Alma, from the Latin Almus, meaning “soul”, “she who nourishes”, celebrates the main function of a desk, which is to open the mind and expand one's knowle...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather
Philippe Starck Square Mahogany Dining Table M 'Serie Lang' for Driade Aleph
Located in Hanover, MA
A stealth bomber-like sleek square book-matched ribbon mahogany veneer top dining table over four sharply angled polished cast aluminum legs, each having the signature and manufacturer's mark: Aleph by Starck.
Designed by Philippe Starck in 1987 for Aleph France: a division of Driade, from the limited series Lang...
Category
Late 20th Century French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum
ClassiCon Jean Fold Out Table by Eileen Gray
By Eileen Gray
Located in New York, NY
Jean, named after Eileen Gray‘s intimate friend of many years, the architect Jean Badovici, stood in various modeis in their summer villa E 1027. "Every room has at its disposal one ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Kartell Viscount of Wood Table by Philippe Stark in Walnut and Black Frame
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Viscount of wood tables are the latest addition. These naturally composed tables complement the collection's choice of seats and create a sustainable livin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
Kartell Viscount of Wood Table by Philippe Stark in Ash and Chrome Frame
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Viscount of wood tables are the latest addition. These naturally composed tables complement the collection's choice of seats and create a sustainable livin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
Kartell Viscount of Wood Table by Philippe Stark in Ash and Black Frame
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Viscount of wood tables are the latest addition. These naturally composed tables complement the collection's choice of seats and create a sustainable livin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
Kartell Viscount of Wood Table by Philippe Stark in Walnut and Chrome Frame
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Viscount of wood tables are the latest addition. These naturally composed tables complement the collection's choice of seats and create a sustainable livin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
Modern Stainless Steel and Glass Desk
Located in Westwood, NJ
Modern stainless steel and glass desk with drawer and tempered glass writing surface.
Dimensions: 54" W x 24" D x 30" H.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Williams Writing Desk Maple Rose Copper
Located in Cincinnati, US
A thin, elegant and light desk that can be customized to any color desired. This handcrafted item perfectly blends industrial hairpin legs with a bevelled wooden top. The irregular b...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Contemporary Starburst Exotic Wood Sabre Leg Table by Costantini, Uccello
By Costantini
Located in New York, NY
The Uccello writing table or Desk can also function as a game table, or, in larger sizes, as a dining table. Shown here in a naturally finished starburst Argentine Rosewood top with ...
Category
2010s Argentine Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Rare Modernist Glass Table in the Manner of Danny Lane
By Danny Lane
Located in Forney, TX
A spectacular, Modern sculptured glass table, from the last quarter of the 20th century, in the manner of Danny Lane (United States, b.1955). This stunning table features a floating,...
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass
Williams Hairpin Writing Desk Walnut Orange
Located in Cincinnati, US
A thin, elegant and light desk that can be customized to any color desired. This handcrafted item perfectly blends industrial hairpin legs with a beveled wooden top. The irregular be...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Ebonized Oak and Antique Copper Small Dining Table
By Stephen Kenn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A solid oak top with an ebonized finish and antique copper steel frame dining table with simple and modern lines. Pairs well with the Inherita...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Williams Hairpin Writing Desk Walnut Prairie Green
Located in Cincinnati, US
A thin, elegant and light desk that can be customized to any color desired. This handcrafted item perfectly blends industrial hairpin legs with a beveled wooden top. The irregular be...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Modern Pedestal Desk
Located in Westwood, NJ
A modern pedestal desk with quartered oak veneer and with a basalt finish. With brass slab legs and handles having a long center drawer and three gradua...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Williams Hairpin Writing Desk Maple Blood Red
Located in Cincinnati, US
A thin, elegant and light desk that can be customized to any color desired. This handcrafted item perfectly blends industrial hairpin legs with a beveled wooden top. The irregular be...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Modern Eglomise Glass Byzantine Gold Vanity and Forged Metal Legs by Ercole Home
By Ercole Home
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Mystic Byzantine Gold Green vanity by Ercole Home has a 9-drawer, with ivory wood finish on oak. Hand painted eglomise glass panels are inset on the surface.
There are nine pulls in brushed brass finish.
The hand hammered metal base...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
A French Parchment Dressing Table / Desk
Located in Stamford, CT
A Parchment dressing table finished on 4 sides. Having a interior compartment that is reached by raising the central section on top of the des...
Category
1930s French Vintage Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Parchment Paper
Moooi Paper Desk in Wood & Cardboard with Oak Veneer Top by Studio Job
By Moooi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Despite the advances made in technology, many of us still use paper pad and pen for grocery lists, notes & cards while sitting busily at our desks. But have you ever dreamt of a clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Moooi Paper RHS Desk in Wood & Cardboard with Oak Veneer Top by Studio Job
By Moooi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Despite the advances made in technology, many of us still use paper pad and pen for grocery lists, notes & cards while sitting busily at our desks. But have you ever dreamt of a clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Moooi Paper LHS Desk in Wood & Cardboard with Oak Veneer Top by Studio Job
By Moooi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Despite the advances made in technology, many of us still use paper pad and pen for grocery lists, notes & cards while sitting busily at our desks. But have you ever dreamt of a clas...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Fred Desk Top in Saddle Extra Leather Polvere Grey
Located in New York, NY
This desk is a meeting of light, almost ethereal geometries. Roberto Lazzeroni creates a piece of furniture in which the visual pleasure of a continuous saddle-leather surface is underlined by delicate hand-produced incisions and cold markings that create refined graphic decorations. A special procedure makes it possible to curve the front of the saddle-leather without any need for internal supports. The ideal companion of the desk is the Ginger chair...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Ash
ClassiCon Notos Standing Desk in Black by Thomas Kühl & Andreas Krob
Located in New York, NY
Notos is an essential object in a household or office where artistically inclined persons live and work. That is because this unprecedented, multifunctional piece of furniture transforms itself in no time into a standing desk or a note stand...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Plywood
Fred Desk Top in Saddle Extra Leather Testa di Moro Dark Brown
Located in New York, NY
This desk is a meeting of light, almost ethereal geometries. Roberto Lazzeroni creates a piece of furniture in which the visual pleasure of a continuous saddle-leather surface is underlined by delicate hand-produced incisions and cold markings that create refined graphic decorations. A special procedure makes it possible to curve the front of the saddle-leather without any need for internal supports. The ideal companion of the desk is the Ginger chair...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Ash
Fred Desk Top in Saddle Extra Leather Talpa Taupe
Located in New York, NY
This desk is a meeting of light, almost ethereal geometries. Roberto Lazzeroni creates a piece of furniture in which the visual pleasure of a continuous saddle-leather surface is underlined by delicate hand-produced incisions and cold markings that create refined graphic decorations. A special procedure makes it possible to curve the front of the saddle-leather without any need for internal supports. The ideal companion of the desk is the Ginger chair...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Ash
Lucite and Walnut floating Desk
Located in Ballard, CA
A highly engineered modernist desk made from a walnut (or oak, mahogany, or rosewood veneer) case “floating” on a Lucite base, which is affixed by custom-designed hardware. Custom si...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Custom Made Modern Large Executive Desk with Aluminum Trim, circa 1990
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Custom made one of a kind executive desk made in the modern style sometime in the mid-1990s with a slight Art Deco flair. The desk features 3 drawers to the left and a place for a co...
Category
1990s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum
Karl Springer Lucite, Glass and Gold Plated Over Brass Console, Desk or Table
Located in North Miami, FL
This elegant vintage Karl Springer console table, writing desk, entry table or dining table has 4 arched lucite columns that rest on a 22 carat gold plated over brass angled plinth p...
Category
1970s American Vintage Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Gold, Brass
Genuine Shagreen Desk with Polished Chrome X-Band Base
By Venfield
Located in New York, NY
Genuine shagreen desk with polished chrome X-band base.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
Colombo Moboli Burlwood Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Countryside, IL
Colombo Moboli burlwood secretaire a abattant
Desk measures: 42 wide x 21 deep x 75.5 inches high
This piece is in excellent vintage condition with only a small dent and a coup...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Burl, Wood
Contemporary Patchwork and Iron Writing Desk
Located in Countryside, IL
Contemporary Patchwork and Iron Writing Desk
This desk measures: 65 wide x 36.5 deep x 30 high, with a chair clearance of 25 inches
This piece is in Great Vintage Condition. Ther...
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Iron
W25 Wishbone Drawer Desk by Skram
Located in Boston, MA
The W25 version of the wishbone drawer desk is an asymmetrical design. Features include book-matched veneer work with mitered, ‘waterfall’ edges, edges and corners protected with sol...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Stainless Steel
Modern desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern 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, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern desks and writing tables made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America 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 Marco Zanuso Jr., Finn Juhl, Greenapple, and Elena Salmistraro. 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 $205 and tops out at $76,270 while the average work can sell for $6,480.
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