Desks and Writing Tables
1890s British Sheraton Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Satinwood
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
1930s Czech Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
Late 19th Century French Rustic Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Chrome
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1960s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Early 19th Century Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Plywood, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Wood, Plywood
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Plywood, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
2010s Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Ash, Hardwood, Bentwood
2010s German Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
2010s Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Walnut, Plywood
2010s Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Plywood, Oak, Birch
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
2010s Mexican Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
2010s American Primitive Desks and Writing Tables
Reclaimed Wood
19th Century Irish Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Mid-19th Century German Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
1810s English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Desks and Writing Tables
Resin
19th Century English Louis XV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass, Bronze
1950s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood
19th Century British Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century British Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Marble
19th Century English Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
1820s Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Faux Leather
19th Century French Charles X Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
1940s French Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Beech
1920s French Louis XVI Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Hardwood
Early 19th Century British Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Birch, Oak, Plywood
Mid-20th Century Argentine Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1920s American Aesthetic Movement Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1820s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Gold, Brass
1940s Italian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Elm
21st Century and Contemporary British Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fabric, Birch
Antique and Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Choosing the perfect writing desk or writing table is a profoundly personal journey, one that people have been embarking upon for centuries.
Queen Atossa of Persia, from her writing table circa 500 B.C., is said to have been the originator of the art of handwritten letters. Hers was reportedly the first in a long and colorful history of penned correspondence that grew in popularity alongside literacy. The demand for suitable writing desks, which would serve the composer of the letters as well as ensure the comfort of the recipient naturally followed, and the design of these necessary furnishings has evolved throughout history.
Once people began to seek freedom from the outwardly ornate styles of the walnut and rosewood writing desks and drafting tables introduced in the name of Queen Victoria and King Louis XV, radical shifts occurred, such as those that materialized during the Art Nouveau period, when designers longed to produce furniture inspired by the natural world’s beauty. A prime example is the work of the famous late-19th-century Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí — his rolltop desk featured deep side drawers and was adorned with carved motifs that paid tribute to nature. Gaudí regularly combined structural precision with decorative elements, creating beautiful pieces of furniture in wood and metal.
Soon afterward, preferences for sleek, geometric, stylized forms in furniture that saw an emphasis on natural wood grains and traditional craftsmanship took hold. Today, Art Deco desks are still favored by designers who seek to infuse interiors with an air of luxury. One of the most prominent figures of the Art Deco movement was French decorator and furniture designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann. With his use of neoclassical motifs as well as expensive and exotic materials such as imported dark woods and inlays of precious metals for his writing desks, Ruhlmann came to symbolize good taste and modernity.
The rise in appreciation for Scandinavian modernism continues to influence the design of contemporary writing desks. It employs the “no fuss” or “less is more” approach to creating a tasteful, sophisticated space. Sweden’s master cabinetmaker Bruno Mathsson created gallery-worthy designs that are as functional as they are beautiful. Finnish architect Alvar Aalto never viewed himself as an artist, but, like Mathsson, his furniture designs reflected a fondness for organic materials and a humanistic approach. Danish designers such as Hans Wegner introduced elegant shapes and lines to mid-century desks and writing tables, often working in oak and solid teak.
From vintage desks to contemporary styles, 1stDibs offers a broad spectrum of choices for conducting all personal and business writing and reading activities.
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