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18th Century Writing Desk

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A French Mid 18th Century Louis XV Period 1-Drawer Writing Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
the rectangular top in several sections above a conforming case housing one drawer with space for an inkwell and papers having an elegantly shaped apron and raised on tapering cabri...
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Gorgeous Rare 18th Century Louis XV Walnut Slant Front Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Beautiful antique French Louis XV slant front desk with cabriole legs, original leather writing pad
Category

Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Georgian Antique Bureau, English 18th Century Mahogany Desk, circa 1780
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a beautiful Georgian antique bureau, an English piece from the late 18th century in
Category

Antique Late 18th Century English Georgian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Small Early 18th Century Walnut Kneehole Desk
Located in Lymington, GB
A small English antique walnut kneehole desk or dressing table, circa 1730. The crossbanded
Category

Antique 1730s English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Late 18th Century Italian Walnut Wood Three Drawers Desk, Italy Veneto
Located in IT
Italian walnut wood desk from late 18th century. Take a look at the legs of this desk which are
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Spanish Early 18th Century Walnut Solid Board-Top Table or Desk
Located in Round Top, TX
A very handsome early 18th century Solid Board Top desk - writing table from the Catalan region of
Category

Antique Early 18th Century Spanish Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

Handsome Warm 18th Century Cherry Slant Front Chippendale Style Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Handsome very early antique American slant front cherry desk having wonderful warm patina, original
Category

Antique Late 18th Century North American Chippendale Desks and Writing T...

Materials

Brass

Antique Sheraton Period Inlaid Mahogany Writing Table Desk
Located in London, GB
A beautiful antique writing table made from mahogany and satinwood, with an inset leather top. This
Category

Antique Late 18th Century English Sheraton Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Ebony, Mahogany, Satinwood

18th century solid walnut Spanish table
Located in Malton, GB
This is a stunning genuine 18th century Spanish walnut table. The top is a single piece of walnut
Category

Antique 18th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

French 18th Century Wood Table
Located in New York, NY
18th Century French country table. Warm, charming style and appearance. Old wood. Antique condition
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

18th Century Italian Refectory Table
Located in New Orleans, LA
Italian 18th Century Walnut Table with Harp Legs and Iron Stretcher.
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

18th Century French Louis XIV Walnut Center Writing Table on Barley Twist Legs
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A rich and wonderful writing table from the first half of the 18th-century, this absolute
Category

Antique 18th Century French Louis XIV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

Early 18th Century Italian Table
Located in Richmond, VA
Early 18th century Italian table or desk.
Category

Antique Early 18th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Fruitwood

Gustavian Ebonized Cherrywood Slant-Front Desk, 18th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a shallow top surface and a large slanted front opening to reveal a leather covered writing
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cherry

18th Century Veneto Fratino Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
This 18th-century Veneto Fratino table is a beautifully crafted and authentic example of the
Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Renaissance Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

18th Century Spanish Side Table
Located in Dallas, TX
Spanish table made of hand-carved oak wood. Item features front drawer with flower handle. Origin; Spain
Category

Antique 18th Century Spanish Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Antique French Walnut Wood Desk Made From An 18th Century Maie
Located in Dallas, TX
store table linens and cutlery. This antique French walnut wood maie from the 18th C
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Desks and Writing Tables

Italian Neoclassical Larice ‘Pine’ and Walnut Writing Table, Late 18th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Rectangular and housing two drawers, the top is walnut, the legs and drawer fronts are of a highland pine commonly Calle Larice in Italy.
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

18th Century French Kingwood Bureau Plat
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
18th Century French kingwood bureau plat having a rectangular cross banded top, with a tooled
Category

Antique 18th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Kingwood

18th Century Italian Walnut Trestle Table
Located in Bradenton, FL
Italian, 18th century.walnut trestle or tavern table having a thick single board walnut top above
Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

18th Century Cherrywood Cylinder Desk/ Rolltop Bureau Secretary, France C. 1780
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
One of a kind, late 18th century French cylinder desk from the period around 1780. Beautifully
Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

18th Century French Ebonised Bureau Plat
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A handsome 18th century French, ebonised bureau plat with old leather top. Having three drawers
Category

Antique 18th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather

Fruitwood writing table
Located in New Orleans, LA
A fruitwood kneehole writing table with two drawers, brass pulls
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Desks and Writing Tables

Writing Desk Marco Calestrini Neoclassical Florence, Italy, Late 1700
Located in Milano, IT
Rectangular desk table supported by four truncated pyramidal legs that end with a spinning top
Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cherry, Chestnut, Maple

Rare 18th Century Directoire Era French Writing Table with Secretary Drawer
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This Directoire period walnut writing table features bronze banding and a black marble top. Its
Category

Antique 1790s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble

Antique Queen Anne Early 18th Century Inlaid Burr Walnut Escritoire Desk Chest
Located in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
Antique Early 18th Century Queen Anne Inlaid Burr Walnut Escritoire/Desk/Chest This fine quality
Category

Antique Early 18th Century Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

18th C. Spanish Carved-Walnut Trestle-Leg Desk W/Iron Stretchers Two Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A handsome Spanish walnut desk, with trestle-legs and forged-iron stretchers, from the 18th century
Category

Antique 18th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

American Chippendale Mahogany Antique Slant-Front Writing Desk, circa 1790
Located in Shippensburg, PA
An attractive period slant-front writing desk from the Mid-Atlantic States circa 1790, it is likely
Category

Antique 18th Century American Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

18th Century Spanish Carved Walnut Desk Table with Wrought Iron Stretcher
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant fruitwood writing table was carved in Spain, circa 1780. The antique trestle table
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Spanish Louis XIII Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Antique Queen Anne Early 18th Century Inlaid Burr Walnut Escritoire Desk Chest
Located in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
Antique fine quality Queen Anne early 18th Century inlaid burr walnut escritoire, desk or chest. A
Category

Antique Early 18th Century Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Period Marquetry Desk with Leather Top
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This late 18th century French Louis XVI period writing table or desk features a gold tooled green
Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

18th Century Georgian Mahogany Metamorphic Architect s Table
Located in Richmond, VA
Great 18th century Georgian mahogany metamorphic architect's table. Drop-leaf form top over
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century English Georgian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

George II Small Mahogany Writing Table, 18th C
Located in Astoria, NY
George II small mahogany writing table, 18th C, with rounded rectangular top above a small drawer
Category

Antique 19th Century George II Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

18th Century Spanish Campaign Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful 18th c. walnut lyre leg campaign table with iron supports. Mortise and tenon joinery, no
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Spanish Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

A 17th century oak writing box
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
A 17th century oak writing box on later oak stand. The turned legs united by stretchers. The box
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier British Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Very Rare English 18th Century Sheraton Cheveret Table and Desk in Satinwood
By Thomas Sheraton
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
section. The lower part of the desk features a fold over writing service with baize lining which is
Category

Antique Late 18th Century British American Classical Desks and Writing T...

Materials

Satinwood

Antique George III Mahogany Partners Pedestal Desk, 18th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a large beautiful antique George III mahogany partners pedestal desk, dating from circa
Category

Antique 1790s English George III Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Italian Neoclassical Writing Table
Located in New York, NY
An elegant neoclassical Italian writing table with beautiful marquetry detail on all sides and top
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Desks and Writing Tables

18th Century French Louis XV Carved Bombe Cherry Desk with Five Drawers
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant antique fruitwood desk was created in the Poitou region of France, circa 1790. Made of
Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

18th Century Spanish Baroque Walnut Library Table
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Handsome 18th century Spanish baroque library table or writing table constructed from mostly walnut
Category

Antique 18th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Late 18th Century French Two-Drawer Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Late 18th century French Fruitwood Two-Drawer Desk or Table with Cabriole Legs and Nicely
Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Fruitwood

Italian, Tuscany, Walnut 2-Drawer Writing Table, Last Quarter of 18th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
escutcheons and a pull-out writing slide, raised on square tapering legs with notched feet.
Category

Antique 1780s Italian Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

18th Century small Ladies Desk or Dressing Table, Louis XVI Poudreuse, c. 1780
Located in Greven, DE
x 52 cm Description: Antique multifunctional piece of furniture from the late 18th century. Desk
Category

Antique Late 18th Century German Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

French 17th Century Solid Walnut Writing Table
Located in Austin, TX
Antique 17th century French writing desk in solid, hand-carved walnut from a convent in the Alps
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

18th Century Louis XV-Louis XVI Transition Period Desk with Tooled Leather Top
Located in Birmingham, AL
Provincial 18th century Louis XV-Louis XVI Transition period bureau plat or writing desk
Category

Antique Mid-18th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak, Pine

A Transitional Ormolu Mounted Ladies Writing Desk or Bounheur du Jour
Located in Berlin, DE
A small bonheur du jour or writing desk with a raised back section with a fall front opening
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

American Federal Inlaid Mahogany Antique Secretary Writing Desk, circa 1790-1810
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A rare and exceptional “Ladies Writing Desk“, this form and use of three inlaid columns in the
Category

Antique Late 18th Century American Federal Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Signed 18th Century bureau plat by "P. Bernard"
Located in Dallas, TX
Signed 18th Century Louis XVI Bureau plat.Signed P. Bernard, made from Acajou with a brown leather
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

English Antique George III Mahogany Slant-Front Writing Desk circa 1790
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A wonderful George III period slant-front desk executed in dense well-figured mahogany primary
Category

Antique Late 18th Century George III Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Louis XV Bureau Plat, 18th Century
Located in Westwood, NJ
Louis XV ebonized leather top Bureau Plat with serpentine sides and bronze mounts.
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

A French Walnut Writing Table, Probably 17th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
the tray top having canted corners above a frieze drawer, raised on baluster turned supports joined by a beautifully shaped stretcher with a carved finial, resting on five flattened ...
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XIII Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

18th Century Walnut Fratino Table from Spain
Located in Atlanta, GA
Walnut Fratino Table from Spain with Iron Stretchers and Two Drawers
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Spanish Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

Italian, Tuscany, Walnut 1-Drawer Writing Table, Late 18th-Early 19th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a rectangular top a conforming case housing 1-drawer, raised on square tapering fluted legs.
Category

Antique 1790s Italian Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Early 18th Century French Walnut Louis XIII Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
Early 18th Century French Walnut Louis XIII Table One of a kind piece. Please take a look
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Italian Rococo Walnut Writing Table
Located in Essex, MA
Rectangular top with moulded rounded corners, over a single long drawer, cabriole legs.
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

George III Mahogany Writing Table
Located in Essex, MA
Rectangular red leather top over three drawers, raised on square tapered legs, headed by diamond inlay, finished on back.
Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Antique Silver Table, English, Inlaid, Display, Writing Desk, Georgian, C.1780
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique silver table. An English, rosewood inlaid display or writing table, dating to
Category

Antique Late 18th Century British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

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18th Century Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the 18th century writing desk you’re looking for at 1stDibs. A 18th century writing desk — often made from wood, walnut and mahogany — can elevate any home. Find 788 options for an antique or vintage 18th century writing desk now, or shop our selection of 1 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer 18th century writing desk, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. Each 18th century writing desk bearing Georgian, Louis XVI or Louis XV hallmarks is very popular. Gillows of Lancaster London, Caspar Frederik Harsdorff and Thomas Chippendale each produced at least one beautiful 18th century writing desk that is worth considering.

How Much is a 18th Century Writing Desk?

The average selling price for a 18th century writing desk at 1stDibs is $6,796, while they’re typically $797 on the low end and $212,272 for the highest priced.

Finding the Right Desks-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.

Questions About 18th Century Writing Desk
  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 13, 2024
    To identify 18th-century furniture, you can research your piece in the context of the prevailing styles of the period or consult a certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer. To identify your item on your own, look over it for maker's marks, such as carvings, stamps, brands and labels. Researching the marking can help you determine the maker of your piece, and from there, you can search further to learn more about your particular item. Without a maker's mark, the best approach is to consider the characteristics of the dominant furniture styles during the 18th century. In England, these included William and Mary, Queen Anne, Georgian, Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton. Some French furniture styles of the 1700s include Louis XV, Louis XVI and Régence. Find a diverse assortment of 18th-century furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Yes, wedding rings have a long history, stretching back to ancient Egypt. The first diamond engagement ring was created in 1477 by Archduke Maximillian of Austria. Browse a wide array of vintage and contemporary wedding rings on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    In the 18th century, art changed in style from Baroque to Rococo and Neoclassicism. Art became more ornamented and idealized during the Rococo period and then shifted toward a style that emulated the artwork of ancient Greece and Rome near the end of the century. You’ll find a variety of fine art on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    One way to check if your brass candlesticks are from the 18th century is to look for the two seams running lengthwise on either side. This is from when the candlestick was molded in two halves and then soldered together. You’ll find a variety of candlesticks of all shapes and sizes from some of the top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 10, 2025
    The individuals considered the Big Three of 18th-century cartoons are William Hogarth, James Gillray and George Cruikshank. Although the 18th century saw a widespread increase in illustrations in newspapers, these three illustrators were particularly well-known for their work. Hogarth's work was extremely diverse, ranging from serious, realistic paintings and portraits to satirical and moralistic illustrations filled with symbolism. A British caricaturist, Gillray is remembered today for his artworks representing political and social satires, like his political cartoons against George III of England. Despite being a prolific caricaturist, Cruikshank is now most famous for illustrating the works of Charles Dickens. On 1stDibs, find a wide variety of illustrations.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    At the end of the 17th century, Europe went into a frenzy over porcelain. Asian porcelain was highly sought after, and spurred the foundation of the Meissen factory in France, where hard porcelain went on to be made. You’ll find a large collection of porcelain pieces from many of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.