Small Desks
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Chrome
2010s Mexican Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s Slovak Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Late 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Antique Early 18th Century English George II Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Beech
Antique Early 18th Century English George I Desks
Elm
2010s French Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Side Tables
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writi...
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writi...
Oak
Antique Mid-19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Formica, Wood
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry, Beech
Antique Early 1800s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tables
Brass
Antique 1820s English Restauration Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood
Antique Early 18th Century English Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Side Tables
Mahogany
Antique Early 18th Century English Georgian Desks
Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century German Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
2010s American Modern Dining Room Tables
Steel
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s American Modern Dining Room Tables
Steel
Antique Mid-18th Century English George II Desks
Hardwood
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood
Antique Mid-19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XV Side Tables
Oak
Early 2000s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Side Tables
Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century British William IV Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Teak
2010s French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Wood, Cherry, Lacquer
Vintage 1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Aluminum
Antique 17th Century Dutch Baroque Center Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 1780s German Louis XVI Side Tables
Cherry
Vintage 1910s Austrian Jugendstil Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Desks and Writing Tables
Plastic
Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Side Tables
Walnut
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Renaissance Dining Room Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
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Small Desks For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Small Desks?
Finding the Right Desks and Writing Tables for You
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021A small writing table is also called a davenport table or davenport desk. They normally feature a sloped or inclined top attached with hinges to the back of the table. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage davenport desks.
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