Industrial and Work Tables
Early 20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
19th Century Country Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Iron
19th Century American Rustic Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century American American Classical Industrial and Work Tables
Bamboo, Raffia, Hardwood
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Bronze, Stainless Steel
1940s Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Early 20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Bronze, Stainless Steel
18th Century Spanish Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Chestnut, Pine
19th Century European Primitive Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood, Paint
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Late 18th Century Unknown George III Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century American American Craftsman Industrial and Work Tables
Maple
19th Century European Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
19th Century English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
1790s English Regency Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
19th Century English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
1850s French Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Late 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
2010s French Industrial and Work Tables
Steel, Iron
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Teak
Mid-20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Late 19th Century French Rustic Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Fruitwood, Pine
1930s American Machine Age Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Aluminum
20th Century English Campaign Industrial and Work Tables
Copper
1810s English Regency Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Other Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Leather, Maple, Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood, Elm
1880s French Neoclassical Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Birdseye Maple
Late 19th Century English Early Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Leather, Boxwood, Walnut
2010s American Primitive Industrial and Work Tables
Reclaimed Wood
1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1930s Italian Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1830s English William IV Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Resin, Lacquer, Teak
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
1920s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Spanish Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Wood, Oak
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Mid-18th Century English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
19th Century Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Rosewood
Early 20th Century Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 19th Century Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
Early 2000s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
Early 20th Century French Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Spanish Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Other Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Elm, Cherry
Antique and Vintage Industrial Tables and Work Tables
From drafting tables to preparation tables to kitchen islands and more, the collection of antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables on 1stDibs features a wide range of robust furnishings that fit seamlessly into modern interiors.
Work tables, just like most tables, have evolved considerably over the years.
More than 1,000 years before iconic American furniture brand Herman Miller would help shape the way we work — and later, how we live at home — monks who lived and worked in medieval-era monasteries stood at what you might call crude writing desks, translating religious texts and copying them by hand.
While those who practiced the art of handwritten letters definitely needed a suitable writing desk, the world wouldn’t see proper roll-top desks and the like until the 19th century. Owing to the work of architects such as Antoni Gaudí, these monastery “desks” were essentially work tables. (Chairs, much less actual desk chairs, weren’t a part of the workspace until the Renaissance.) It was a far cry from the cozy home office that affords many of us the opportunity to work remotely today.
Near the end of the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution brought with it the founding of mills and factories, and hand production methods gave way to machinery and mass production. Factory workers needed sturdy industrial tables to perform tasks that required precision and to support the manufacturing industry. Spare work tables — durable and easy to clean — were constructed of metal and wood and became essential on assembly lines and in packing facilities. Today, industrial-style furniture celebrates the past even as it suggests vigor, productivity and brawn.
Aside from how well antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables will fit in your industrial-style interior — think raw brick walls, exposed steel beams and oak floors — these furnishings have practical uses. They’re a must-have item for a number of creative endeavors: They’re an ideal food-prep surface in your kitchen or an efficient work surface for any kind of hands-on workshop or painting and drawing studio. With some creativity, you can turn a vintage wood industrial table or work table into a desk, dining room table or coffee table.
At 1stDibs, we love the industrial-style furniture trend, and here you can find a wide range of antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables as well as other furnishings that will look wonderful in your heavenly loft space.