Desks and Writing Tables
1960s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Early 1800s Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1860s Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1920s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Late 19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
2010s Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Walnut, Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 19th Century Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Plywood, Walnut
2010s Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Ash, Hardwood, Bentwood
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
2010s Mexican Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Canadian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
Late 17th Century French Louis XIV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Pewter
19th Century French Charles X Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century English Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
19th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Ormolu
1810s English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1810s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Late 20th Century Rococo Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s French Futurist Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fiberglass
19th Century English Moorish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Late 19th Century French Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Fruitwood, Pearwood
Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Macassar
20th Century French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Steel, Stainless Steel
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s French Hollywood Regency Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s American Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Plywood
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1940s French French Provincial Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1910s French Louis XVI Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
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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