Desks and Writing Tables
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Futurist Desks and Writing Tables
Plastic
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
1880s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany, Satinwood
Mid-20th Century Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
1870s English Gothic Revival Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1890s English Sheraton Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Beech, Teak
1860s English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Burl, Walnut, Satinwood, Maple, Leather
1880s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
Early 20th Century European Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Burl
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood, Wood
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Maple
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Iron
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Teak
20th Century Italian Federal Desks and Writing Tables
Burl, Walnut
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
1950s American Campaign Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Bamboo, Burl
1940s French Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Swiss Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Stainless Steel
1890s British Sheraton Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Walnut
1840s Italian Neoclassical Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
20th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Early 20th Century French Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
18th Century French French Provincial Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Paint
1890s Arts and Crafts Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Fabric, Birch
Early 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
18th Century Georgian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
1930s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble
1830s English William IV Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Travertine, Marble
1930s American Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Reed, Wicker
Late 19th Century Swedish Country Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1980s American Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Maple, Walnut
2010s Portuguese Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Unknown Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
1980s Italian Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Cane
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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