Desks and Writing Tables
1940s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Gold Leaf
1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
1920s Chinese Ming Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
Early 20th Century Chinese Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s Portuguese Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Aluminum
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Desks and Writing Tables
1960s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
1790s English George III Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany, Satinwood
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Wood, Plywood
2010s European Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Plywood, Oak
19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Burl
1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Late 19th Century Chinese Ming Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Hardwood
20th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Cherry
20th Century Chinese Desks and Writing Tables
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel
Late 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Plastic, Wood, Beech
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1950s Italian Space Age Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo, Rattan
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Plastic
1970s Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Plastic
1930s German Bauhaus Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Steel, Chrome
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Laminate, Wood, Lacquer
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Acrylic
19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
1990s Canadian Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
2010s Portuguese Desks and Writing Tables
Lacquer
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
20th Century Chinese Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Desks and Writing Tables
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.
Read More
This 19th-Century Gilded Desk Displays a Fanciful Kingdom in Marquetry
The stately piece brings both gravitas and whimsy to any work space.
Ask an Interior Designer: Work-from-Home Edition
Leaping into a design project, whether it's refreshing the bedroom or redoing the whole house, can be overwhelming. Luckily, we know more than a few interior designers. You asked questions on Instagram, and now they're answering.
18 Home Offices for Workaholic Design-Lovers
Proof that working from home is a perk.