Industrial and Work Tables
19th Century French Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century American Rococo Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Chestnut, Pine
20th Century Biedermeier Industrial and Work Tables
Wood, Beech, Maple
19th Century British Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany
19th Century European Gustavian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Metal, Steel
Early 19th Century American Country Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Pine, Paint
Mid-19th Century American Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Granite
Mid-19th Century Victorian Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Fabric, Oak
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Beech
Late 19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Early 19th Century English William IV Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Other
19th Century English Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Mahogany, Wood, Hardwood
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Gold Leaf
19th Century Swedish Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
20th Century Spanish Empire Industrial and Work Tables
Crystal
19th Century Dutch Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Brass
19th Century French Empire Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Brass
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.