Desks and Writing Tables
1960s French Futurist Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Late 17th Century French Louis XIV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Pewter
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Late 20th Century Rococo Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century English Moorish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
1970s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century French Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood, Pearwood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Maple, Fabric
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1920s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Leather, Macassar
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
19th Century English Gothic Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut, Burl
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1790s French Directoire Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s American Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut
2010s American Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
2010s Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary American Desks and Writing Tables
Cut Steel
1970s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
1940s German Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
Late 20th Century Unknown Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Steel, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass
1930s Industrial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Granite, Onyx, Marble, Brass
2010s Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Oak, Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Brass
1960s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Chrome
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Oak
1860s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Onyx, Silver Leaf, Steel, Stainless Steel
20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Travertine, Marble, Carrara Marble, Brass, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Steel
1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
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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