Industrial and Work Tables
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Steel, Chrome
20th Century Neoclassical Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1820s German Biedermeier Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
Early 1900s French Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
Late 20th Century American Folk Art Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Metal, Iron
19th Century English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Zinc
1810s American American Classical Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century American American Colonial Industrial and Work Tables
Hardwood, Birdseye Maple
Early 20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Early 2000s North American Post-Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Stainless Steel
Early 20th Century Belgian Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century American William and Mary Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
2010s North American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Bronze, Steel, Zinc
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Leather
Mid-20th Century Unknown Baroque Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
18th Century French Directoire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century Hungarian Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Leather, Rosewood
19th Century European Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
Mid-18th Century American Queen Anne Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
20th Century Regency Industrial and Work Tables
Velvet, Wood
1860s French Louis Philippe Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Poplar, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Wicker
19th Century English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Copper
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
19th Century English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Late 18th Century William IV Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
1920s American Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Aluminum
19th Century Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany, Pine
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Zinc
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Plastic, Laminate, Teak
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Bronze, Iron
1830s English William IV Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
19th Century English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 1900s American Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Stainless Steel, Iron
Early 20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Steel, Iron
Early 20th Century German Art Nouveau Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Victorian Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
19th Century British George IV Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Brass, Stainless Steel
19th Century English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Hardwood
19th Century European Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Late 20th Century English Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
19th Century English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
19th Century American American Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century American American Colonial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Maple, Pine
1960s Italian Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
1930s American Machine Age Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century American American Classical Industrial and Work Tables
Bamboo, Raffia, Hardwood
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.