Industrial and Work Tables
1910s Swedish Country Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood, Paint
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Rosewood
1930s American Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Early 20th Century French Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Teak
1870s British Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Country Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Carrara Marble, Iron
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Teak
1920s French Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
1890s English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century German Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Bronze, Stainless Steel
1930s French Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Beech
1920s American American Colonial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wicker
1780s French Directoire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Fruitwood, Walnut
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Bronze, Stainless Steel
Late 19th Century Unknown American Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany, Burl
Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century French Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1880s American Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Steel, Iron
19th Century Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Elm
19th Century French Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
1850s English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 20th Century American Victorian Industrial and Work Tables
Maple
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
1950s Czech Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
19th Century British Rococo Revival Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Rosewood
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Metal, Iron
1890s French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Fruitwood
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Stainless Steel
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Wicker
Early 20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
Late 20th Century Spanish Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
1920s Danish Other Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Bronze, Steel
Late 19th Century European Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Carrara Marble, Metal, Bronze, Stainless Steel
2010s German Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Metal, Aluminum
2010s American Primitive Industrial and Work Tables
Reclaimed Wood
1940s Italian Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
20th Century American Rustic Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
1880s French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
2010s Canadian Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
1880s French French Provincial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Slate, Iron
Early 20th Century American Victorian Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
18th Century Baroque Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
20th Century French Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 19th Century Swedish Rustic Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
1920s British Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Cherry
19th Century Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
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.