Industrial and Work Tables
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Iron
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
1890s English Late Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century Swedish Neoclassical Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Iron
Late 19th Century American Folk Art Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Early 19th Century German Louis Philippe Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Cherry
19th Century English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Zinc
19th Century French Country Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1810s German Biedermeier Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Cherry
Mid-19th Century German Louis Philippe Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine, Cherry
1990s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
19th Century American Rustic Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Bronze
1850s English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Paper
Late 19th Century Danish Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Birch
1820s American American Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
1820s French Restauration Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Cherry, Mahogany
Late 19th Century Dutch Folk Art Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
Early 1800s French Directoire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Bronze, Iron
19th Century American Rustic Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
19th Century American Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
19th Century English Antique Industrial and Work Tables
1870s British Sheraton Antique Industrial and Work Tables
19th Century English Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pearl
19th Century English Regency Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
Late 19th Century German Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine
19th Century French Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
19th Century American Country Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Glass, Wood
1890s French Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Mid-19th Century European Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
19th Century British Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 1800s English Regency Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
Early 19th Century American Country Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1990s Italian Space Age Industrial and Work Tables
Aluminum
19th Century Spanish Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Elm, Pine
1890s Danish Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wicker
1890s American Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
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.