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Fine Louis XVI Mahogany Leather-Top Table Attributed to Canabas
By Joseph Canabas
Located in Sheffield, MA
A Fine Louis XVI Mahogany
Leather Top Table
Attributed to Canabas
Joseph Canabas maitre 1766
Height 28 in. Width 27 in. Depth 17 in.
Tab84
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
George II Mahogany Harlequin Table
Located in Dallas, TX
A George II mahogany pier/tea/games bureau-table. The mahogany top is supported on a hinged back leg when opened. The top when opened conceals the game table and a harlequin pop-up c...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century English George II Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
18th Century Swedish Gustavian Writing Desk Circa 1790
Located in Atlanta, GA
This 18th-century Swedish Gustavian writing desk, circa 1790, embodies the clean lines and
Category
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Materials
Brass
Louis XVI Ormolu-Mounted Tulipwood and Amaranth Bureau Plat
By Philippe Claude Montigny
Located in Kittery Point, ME
In the style of Montigny (Philippe-Claude Montigny, mai^tre in 1770), the rectangular tooled leather-lined top surrounded with a later ormolu border, above two frieze drawers and sim...
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
$20,000 Sale Price
20% Off
English Painted Bureau
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Small 18th century English painted oak bureau with original brass handles. 1780.
Height to
Category
Antique 18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
$3,423
George I Walnut Bureau
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
For sale is a good quality early 18th century George I walnut bureau, having a fall front opening
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
$5,477
Sheraton Period Rosewood Artist
s Boneur Du Jour
Located in London, GB
An unusual late 18th century Sheraton period rosewood artist's Bonheur du Jour boxwood and ebony
Category
Antique 18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Tall walnut veneer slab desk, Veneto, second half 18th 18th Century
Located in Milano, IT
Tall walnut veneer slab desk, Veneto, second half 18th century, decorated with herringbone panels, on three sides, in the belt a removable top and on the front a drawer. The tops ar...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Magnificent George II Mahogany Library Table
Located in London, GB
A MAGNIFICENT GEORGE II MAHOGANY LIBRARY TABLE, CIRCA 1740
The frieze with three oak-lined drawers to each side. Original locks and handles. The handles and back-plates retain their...
Category
Antique 18th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Antique Quality Mahogany Floral Marquetry Inlaid Bombe Shaped Burea
Located in Suffolk, GB
Antique 18th century quality mahogany floral marquetry inlaid bombe shaped bureau
having a
Category
Antique 18th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Other
Louis XV Tulipwood and Kingwood Bureau Plat
By Edward Holmes Baldock
Located in Miami, US
refined addition to any elegant interior.
This bureau plat serves not only as a functional writing desk
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century English Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Baroque Wood and Iron Spanish Folding Traveling Table
Located in Leesburg, VA
Baroque Wood and Iron Spanish Folding Traveling Table
Anonymous
Spain; 18th century
Wood, iron
Category
Antique 18th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Iron
19th Spanish Sturdy Side Table with Carved Turned Legs and Double Stretcher
Located in Miami, FL
19th Spanish side table with turned legs and double stretcher match in the button top.
The top has a beautiful grain and patina
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Iron
Superb Burr
Mulberry
Bureau
Located in Lincolnshire, GB
A fine and rare burr veneer bureau with the most wonderful colour and patina.
Circa 1730.
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
$11,652
1850s Chinese Lacquered Style Secretaire with Decoration of Traditional Scenes
Located in Marbella, ES
Impressive antique secretary of Chinese style, with a vibrant red lacquer finish and richly ornamental gold details. Its structure with curved and robust lines gives it a unique char...
Category
Antique 18th Century Spanish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
English George III Chippendale-Style Mahogany Library Table Adjustable Book Stan
Located in Dallas, TX
18th century, circa 1780s
Category
Antique 18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
Small Oak Bureau
Located in Folkestone, GB
A rare 18th century oak bureau of particularly small and diminutive proportions. the fall with a
Category
Antique Early 18th Century English George II Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
$7,667
Queen Anne Rent Table "in the Chinese Taste"
Located in Dallas, TX
an early 18th century Queen Anne rent table in the Chinese Taste (with Chinoiserie decoration
Category
Antique 18th Century English Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Paint
Louis XVI French Fruitwood Architect’s Table
Located in Charlottesville, VA
A Louis XVI period French architect’s table in fruitwood with an adjustable leather-inset drafting top. The table features a single drawer, slide-out candle supports, and classic tap...
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Scrittoio Barocchetto Lombardo secondo quarto XVIII secolo
By Non-Standard Furniture and Lighting
Located in Milano, IT
Scrittoio poggiante su gambe mosse con piedi caprini, cassetto nella fascia sottopiano, piano e alzata con cimasa intagliata raffigurante motivi fitomorfi e stella centrale. Sul fon...
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Maple, Nutwood
Dressing Chest
By Thomas Chippendale
Located in Tyrone, Northern Ireland
An 18th century mahogany dressing chest with bookcase and writing surface, designed by Thomas
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century English Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
$32,862
English Charles II Olivewood Oyster Veneer Side Table, circa 1780
Located in Miami, FL
A fine English pre-William-and-Mary, circa 1680 Charles II period side table of rectangular form, the moulded-edge parquetry top inlaid with olivewood 'oystering' within geometric st...
Category
Antique Late 18th Century English Charles II Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Continental Dutch Satinwood Secretary
Located in Queens, NY
Continental Dutch-style (18/19th Century) satinwood and inlaid trimmed drop front desk with
Category
Antique Late 18th Century European Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Ebonized Leather top Bureau Plat
Located in Huntington, NY
Ebonized Leather top Bureau Plat/Desk, Louis XV period
3 working drawers on one side. Back side
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
"Roller" desk Louis XVI from the late 1700s with floral inlays
Located in Cesena, FC
Emilian "roller" writing desk of great quality, the manufacture is along the lines of Rolo, late 1700s Louis XVI.
Entirely veneered in walnut, with beautiful floral inlays, Bois de ...
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Early Walnut Trestle Table
Located in Asheville, NC
Beautiful hand -carved captain's table adorned with bare-breasted winged caryatids, lion cartouche.
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
$20,000
Fine George III Mahogany Reading Stand and Table
Located in New York, NY
The rectangular tilt-top of finely figured timber with removable reading ledge; raised on a turn columnar support and three downswept cabriole legs terminating in pad-form feet.
P...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Small Queen Anne Period Walnut Bureau
Located in Folkestone, GB
A most enchanting Queen Anne period burr walnut bureau of highly desirable small proportions and superb colour. The herringbone and cross-banded fall enclosing a fully fitted stepped...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century English Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
18thc Walnut Tavern Table with Drawers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 18thc tavern table is made from Walnut and with Queen Ann legs and pad feet. This table has wood pegs and dovetailed drawers. The table has a fine patina and condition.
Category
Antique Early 18th Century American Adirondack Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
$2,636 Sale Price
20% Off
18th Century George III Mahogany Bureau Desk. Slant Front Writing Secretary.
Located in Vero Beach, FL
18th Century George III Mahogany Bureau Desk. Slant Front Writing Secretary.
This 18th century
Category
Antique 18th Century English George III Desks
Materials
Brass
18th Century Satinwood Traveling Writing Slope or Lap Desk
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
18th Century Satinwood Campaign Writing Slope or Lap Desk
This is an interesting piece, it is a
Category
Antique 18th Century Georgian Desks
Materials
Satinwood
French 18th Century Louis XVI Period Mahogany and Ormolu Desk/Writing Table
By Conrad Mauter
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very high quality French 18th century Louis XVI period mahogany and ormolu desk or writing table
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks
Materials
Ormolu
18th Century Oak Low Boy, Writing Desk This is a good solid country made piece
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
18th Century Oak Low Boy, Writing Desk
This is a good solid country made piece, it has 3 drawers
Category
Antique 18th Century Georgian Desks
Materials
Oak
English 18th C. Spinet Case by Crang
Hancock London Converted Writing Desk
Located in Vero Beach, FL
English 18th Century Spinet Case by Crang & Hancock London Converted Writing Desk
This is a fine
Category
Antique 18th Century English Baroque Desks
Materials
Mahogany, Tulipwood
$6,000 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Louis XVI Style Mahogany Writing Desk Book Detail / Pull-Out Writing Surface
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Louis XVI Style Mahogany Writing Desk Book Detail / Pull-Out Writing Surface
Beautiful piece
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks
Materials
Marble
Swedish Gustavian Writing Chest
Located in New York, NY
A Swedish Gustavian writing desk in original paint. Tapered legs and a reeded drawer. Interior of 3
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Materials
Wood
Arbalete Front Chinoiserie Writing Desk, Italy, 18th Century
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Slant/drop front secrétaire commode, with arbalete front. Louis XIV style, decorated with hand-painted chinoiserie scenes.
A very rare and exquisite piece.
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Secretaires
Late 18th Century Table Top Writing Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Rare English table top fall front writing desk in burl walnut and blue eglomise painted oval panels
Category
Antique Late 18th Century English Decorative Boxes
Materials
Wood, Walnut, Paint
Antique English George III Captains Military Writing Box by Hewlins
Located in Northampton, GB
House“. The Captains Military Writing box dates to the late 18th century Georgian period during the
Category
Antique Late 18th Century British Desk Sets
Materials
Brass
Antique 18th Century American Chippendale Maple Secretary Desk Writing Bureau
Located in Dayton, OH
Exquisite and Rare antique American Chippendale Period secretary writing desk or Escritoire. Made
Category
Antique 18th Century American Chippendale Secretaires
Materials
Maple
$3,374 Sale Price
42% Off
18th Century Original Painted Writing Desk Secretary, Sweden
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A late 18th Century Folk Art Baroque Scandinavian original painted writing desk secretary. This
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
18th-century Spanish Rustic Side Table / Writing Desk / Bedside Table
Located in Wainscott, NY
This 18th-Century Spanish table / writing desk showcases the rustic charm and craftsmanship of the
Category
Antique 18th Century Spanish Tables
Materials
Wood
18th Century Baroque Secretary or Writing Desk in Walnut
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
Exceptional Baroque secretary or writing desk, probably from southern Germany, around 1760.
The
Category
Antique 18th Century German Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Nutwood, Walnut, Pine
English Chippendale Period George II Red Walnut Kneehole Desk Dressing Table
Located in Glasgow, GB
A good Chippendale period mid 18th century red walnut kneehole writing desk dressing table of small
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century English Chippendale Desks
Materials
Brass
18th Century Italian Louis XV Writing Table Inlaid Rosewood Center Desk
Located in Milano, MI
Elegant 18th century Italian rosewood center table from Tuscany, Italy, a rectangular shaped Louis
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Center Tables
Materials
Boxwood, Ebony, Rosewood
18th Century Poudreuse Writing Desk, Console Table Painted Piemont Italien
Located in Epfach, DE
18th Century Poudreuse Writing Desk, Console Table Painted Piemont Italien
Small, Rare Poudreuse or
Category
Antique 1770s Italian Console Tables
Materials
Wood
18th Century Oak Writing Table Low Boy The Desk stands on neat turned legs
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
18th Century Oak Writing Table Low Boy
The Desk stands on neat turned legs joined by stretchers
Category
Antique 19th Century Georgian Lowboys
Materials
Oak
18th Century Spanish Walnut Writing Desk with Door and Drawers in the Interior
Located in Marbella, ES
18th Century Spanish walnut writing desk with door and drawers in the Interior.
Category
Antique 18th Century Spanish Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique Flap Writing Desk in Walnut, Carved Cross Legs, Early 18th Century Italy
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
-root by hand in the early 18th century, in Italy (Piedmont).
Elegant and classic, a piece of furniture
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Drop-leaf and Pembroke Tables
Materials
Walnut
$3,227 Sale Price
20% Off
Neoclassic Period French Commode W/Hidden Butler
s Secretary
Writing Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
18th and 19th century. This antique commode from France gives the appearance of being a three drawer
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Materials
Wood
Antique Gentleman
s Bureau, English, Walnut, Writing Desk, Secretaire, Georgian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique gentleman's bureau. A fine English, walnut writing desk or secretaire, dating
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century British Georgian Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique Dutch Rococo Cabinet with Writing Desk, ca. 1750
Located in Antwerp, BE
drawers, a pull-out writing surface covered in green leather, and two useful pull-out shelves.
The top has
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Dutch Rococo Cabinets
Materials
Brass
Antique French Hand Carved Wood Writing Desk / Center / Side Table Rustic Farm
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Antique French Hand Carved Wood Writing Desk / Center / Side Table Rustic Farm . 18th century
Category
Antique 18th Century French Farm Tables
Materials
Wood, Walnut
$12,000 Sale Price
20% Off
Original Louis XV Carved Sideboard with Writing Desk with Dark Patina Finish
Located in Cesena, FC
Original Louis XV carved sideboard with writing desk with dark patina finish.
Louis XV sideboard
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Sideboards
Materials
Walnut
Swedish 18th Century Black Painted Baroque Armchair
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A Mid 18th Century Swedish writing desk armchair painted in black, in solid oak wood. This
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Baroque Armchairs
Materials
Oak, Fabric, Wood
Antique 19th century English Mahogany veneered leather inlaid brown writing box
Located in Casteren, NL
dating back to the 18th century. These portable writing desks were essential for both personal and
Category
Antique 19th Century English Boxes
Materials
Mahogany
Early 18th Century Writing Desk with Original Leather Top
Located in Stockholm, SE
A early 18th century writing desk with original 300 year old leather top
Provenance brandalsunds
Category
Antique Early 18th Century French Baroque Desks
Materials
Bronze
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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, 2024To 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, 2022Yes, 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, 2022In 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, 2022One 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, 2025The 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, 2022At 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.
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