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Rare and Important French Art Deco Desk, 1930s
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Rare and important French Art Deco desk, 1930s. Striking design in the manner of Bauhaus
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Functionalist Tubular Steel Desk, 1930s
Located in Wien, AT
This functionalist desk was made in the 1930s in the former Czech Republic. It features a chromed
Category

Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

1930s Desk by Carl Hörvik
By NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)
Located in Stockholm, SE
Stunning rosewood desk by Carl Hörvik, commissioned by and made for the Stockholm Exhibition in
Category

Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Palisander

French 1930s Burr Walnut and Zebrano Wood Desk
Located in London, GB
An exceptional desk. This lovely piece of furniture is made from burr walnut and zebrano wood
Category

Vintage 1930s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut, Zebra Wood

Italian Art Deco Desk, 1930s
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Art Deco' executive desk in chestnut wood worked with wave carvings, covered on four sides in
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chestnut, Burl

1930’s Carved Renaissance Oak Partner Desk by Berkey Gay with Ten Drawers
By Berkey Gay Furniture
Located in Dallas, TX
Crafted in the United States circa 1930, this impressive 6-foot oak partner desk is a fine example
Category

Early 20th Century American Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Antique Painted Desk in Light Colors from France, 1930s
Located in Lejre, DK
Antique painted desk in light colors from France, circa 1930s. The table is in great vintage
Category

Vintage 1930s French Other Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Gilbert Rohde for Brown Saltman Crescent Desk, 1930s
By Brown Saltman, Gilbert Rohde
Located in South Bend, IN
California in the 1930s. The desk features a unique demilune shape and gorgeous mahogany wood grain. It
Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Rosewood Art Deco Desk by Gebroeders Reens, Amsterdam, 1930s
By Gebroeders Reens
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Fine rosewood Art Deco desk by Reens, Amsterdam. The Reens brothers were inspired by the French
Category

Vintage 1930s Dutch Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

Francisco Bergamo Sobrinho Ornate Carved Walnut Desk, Brazil, 1930s
By Francisco Sobrino
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional antique Renaissance Revival ornate carved walnut desk By Francisco Bergamo
Category

Vintage 1930s Brazilian Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

French Freestanding Minimalist Art Deco Desk in Burl Wood, 1930s
Located in Odense, DK
Exceptionel, elegant freestanding minimalist Art Deco desk in burl wood, made in France, 1930s
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Burl

Warren McArthur 1930s Aluminum Reversible Desk
By Warren McArthur
Located in Philadelphia, PA
1930s aluminum desk that can be used with the bank of drawers on either side! Warren McArthur
Category

Early 20th Century American Machine Age Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Rosewood Midcentury Desk by Miller Desk Safe Company, 1930s
By Dunbar Furniture, Herman Miller
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful desk with quality finish throughout. Interior drawers are all rosewood with pencil
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Antique Carved Burled Walnut Executive Lincoln Desk, Chicago, circa 1930s
Located in South Bend, IN
Commercial Furniture Co. of Chicago, circa 1930s. The desk features stunning wood grain and carved wood
Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Francisco Sobrinho Ornate Carved Walnut Desk and Chair, Brazil, 1930s
By Francisco Sobrino
Located in South Bend, IN
Sobrinho for Móveis Bergamo Brazil, 1930s Measures: Desk - 54.88" W x 31.38" D x 31.5" H. Knee hole
Category

Vintage 1930s Brazilian Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Walnut

XL Viennese Limed Oak C.1930S Secessionist/Modernist Desk
Located in London, GB
A large C.1930s Austrian modernist desk of the successionist movement Ebonised cerused oak veneer
Category

Vintage 1930s Austrian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

1930 s Unrivaled One of a Kind Master Drafting Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1930's Adjustable Aluminum 24'' (Diameter) Base; Custom Fit 3/4'' Tempered Glass Surface
Category

Vintage 1930s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum

1930 s Architect s Table with Drawer
Located in Dallas, TX
1930's wood architects table with stone inlay and drawer for drawing and drafting supplies
Category

Vintage 1930s Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Gray Painted Desk in the Style of Gustavian from the 1930s
Located in Lejre, DK
Exquisite Gray Painted Desk, Reflecting Gustavian Elegance from the 1930s: A timeless piece that
Category

Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Large Architect s Desk from Mücke Melder, 1930s
By Mücke Melder
Located in Wien, AT
Unusually large desk made from chromium-plated steel tubing Produced by Mücke Melder in the Czech
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Curved Desk in Black Lacquered Wood, 1930s
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Curved desk in black lacquered wood opening by two drawers with silvered brass buttons and a
Category

Vintage 1930s European Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Walnut Desk by Vittorio Valabrega, Italy, 1930s
By Vittorio Valabrega
Located in Rivoli, IT
Beautiful wooden desk made by the designer and cabinetmaker Vittorio Valabrega. Small drawer under
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Nutwood

1930s Art Deco Ladies Desk, Stained Flame Mahogany Veneer, Brass, France
Located in Girona, Girona
Elegant and ethereal Art Deco ladies desk with external shelves, one central drawer. Solid mahogany
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

1930s Art Deco Rosewood French Colonial Desk
Located in San Marino, CA
An Art Deco rosewood French Colonial desk, created circa 1930 for the expatriate market in Indo
Category

20th Century Vietnamese Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

Modernist 1930s French Art Deco Office Desk Black Lacquer and Parchment Drawers
Located in Ulm, DE
Desk with simple lines, held by two side panels. Drawer fronts covered with parchment. High
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Parchment Paper

Model H 178 Executive Desk by Jindřich Halabala for UP Zàvody, 1930s
By Jindřich Halabala, Up Závody
Located in PRAHA 5, CZ
Designed by the renowned Czech designer Jindřich Halabala, the H-178 desk is one of the most
Category

Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Arredamenti Osvaldo Borsani Varedo Atelier Table Desk Walnut Italy 1930s Deco
By Arredamenti Borsani
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
Arredamenti Osvaldo Borsani Varedo Atelier table desk with 3 drawers in a beautiful walnut wood
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Tubular Steel Bauhaus Desk By Mauser Circa 1930s
By Mauser Werke
Located in Gloucester, GB
Tubular Steel Bauhaus Desk By Mauser Circa 1930s - Chromed tubular steel frame - Nickel plated
Category

Vintage 1930s German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Modernist 1930s French Art Deco Office Desk in Black Lacquer with Tapering Ends
Located in Ulm, DE
Tapered desk Piano lacquer in black high gloss Work surface with real leather, beige Shelf on
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Leather

Bauhaus Set of Tubular Steel and Wood Desk, Stool and Storage Cabinet, 1930s
Located in Prague, New Town
Bauhaus set featuring a tubular steel desk and stool as well as a storage cabinet, all made in
Category

Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Exclusive 1930s French Art Deco Desk in Macassar and Leather with Black Lacquer
Located in Ulm, DE
Desk Body in black lacquer fronts and table top in macassar, high gloss lacquered Work surface
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Vintage Country House German Light Pine Desk, Circa 1930s
Located in Nijmegen, NL
This desk was made around the 1930s in Germany. It is made from solid pine with many very deep
Category

Vintage 1930s German Industrial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

1930s Tubular Oak and Chrome Desk with Drawers, France
By Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina
Located in New York, NY
Discovered in France, this midcentury desk features a beautiful figured-oak top, two drawers and
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Antique Art Deco Wood and Ebonized Demilune Desk, 1930s
Located in Detroit, MI
This incredibly unique antique Art Deco desk is circa 1930. It is expertly handcrafted from
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Italian Empire Revival Mahogany 1930s Cornucopia X-Form Base Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian mahogany Empire Revival desk with frieze drawer and curule base from the 1930s. This
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Crate Desk by Gerrit Rietveld, Designed in 1930s The Netherlands
By Gerrit Rietveld, Cassina
Located in Hellouw, NL
appeared at Metz & Co, where furniture by Rietveld had already been sold since 1930. The crate desk is also
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Ash, Lacquer

Rare Kaare Klint Cuban Mahogany Desk for Rud Rasmussen, 1930s
By Kaare Klint
Located in Copenhagen, DK
, probably unique, made on order variant of the desk model 4113, designed, 1930.  The table is made by
Category

Vintage 1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Art Deco Maple and Mahogany Shutter Door Desk, 1930s France
Located in IT
Small and functional desk from French Art Deco period 1930s with shutter door. The structure is in
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany, Maple

1930s French Art Deco Limed Oak and Leather Desk in the manner of Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet
Located in London, GB
A modernist Art Deco desk in limed oak with partially clad oxblood leather top. With clean lines
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Freestanding Diplomat Desk Made In Mahogany By Fritz Henningsen From 1930s
By Fritz Heningsen
Located in Lejre, DK
This freestanding desk is a magnificent piece of furniture art, created by the renowned designer
Category

Vintage 1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

1930s English Industrial Table
By Industrial Design
Located in London, GB
Great steel table from a North English factory. Newly refinished in the original Government Green colour.
Category

Vintage 1930s English Industrial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

1930s French Walnut Bureau Plat
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A great quality 1930s French walnut bureau plat with a tooled leather insert, and moulded edging
Category

Vintage 1930s Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

large art deco desk from the 1930s with solid wood and brass curtain
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Imposing French art deco desk from the 1930s. Solid wood structure with two lockers on the top
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Rare Art Deco Gilbert Rohde Herman Miller East Indian Laurel Desk, circa 1930s
By Gilbert Rohde, Herman Miller
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare Art Deco Gilbert Rohde for Herman Miller East Indian Laurel desk, circa 1937. Amazing quality
Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Nickel, Chrome

1930s German Bauhaus Desk Out of White Lacquered Metal and a Black Linoleum Top
Located in Berlin, DE
This beautiful 1930s German Bauhaus desk is in its original condition and come directly from the
Category

Vintage 1930s German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome, Metal

Antique Burr Walnut Carved Drum Table circa 1930s
By Waring Gillow
Located in Dereham, GB
Fine Burr Walnut Drum Shaped Writing Table, Recently Replaced Black leather inset top with gold
Category

Vintage 1930s British George II Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Chinese Chippendale Style Painted White Desk with Blue Leather Top
By Thomas Chippendale
Located in Stamford, CT
1930s Chinese Chippendale style writing desk. Newly painted in an antique white faux finish
Category

Vintage 1930s American Chinese Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Tubular Steel Office Set, 1930s
Located in Wien, AT
This office furniture set consists of a desk with a cantilever chair, a paper basket, and an
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Circa 1930 s French writing desk
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
#8-331 writing desk with curved gallery drawers lyre shaped legs and carved leg strutt painted
Category

Vintage 1930s French Desks

Materials

Wood

Alvar Aalto, rare 1930s table, model 96
By Oy Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Ab, Alvar Aalto
Located in Turku, Varsinais-Suomi
In the annals of design history, the 1930s marked a transformative period where modernism emerged
Category

Early 20th Century Finnish Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch

French Ebonized Directoire Style Mahogany Desk
Located in BENSENVILLE, IL
Circa 1930s French ebonized mahogany writing desk that we thoroughly restored by our in house
Category

Vintage 1930s French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany, Leather

Italian Art Deco Desk in Macassar Ebony
Located in Paddock Wood Tonbridge, GB
ITALIAN ART DECO DESK A 1930’s Italian Art Deco writing desk of very stylish design produced in
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Macassar

1930s Turkish Hand Carved Wooden Single Drawer Table
Located in Marbella, ES
1930s Turkish hand carved wooden single drawer table.
Category

Early 20th Century Turkish Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

German Bauhaus Table by Thonet, Fully Restored, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Table with a tubular chromed steel frame. Manufactured by Thonet, Germany, in the 1930s. Designer
Category

Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

French Louis XV Style Carved Oak Drop Front Secretary Bureau, 1930s
Located in Barntrup, DE
Louis XV Style carved oak drop front secretary or bureau or writing desk, France, 1930s. Opened it
Category

Vintage 1930s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Small Art Deco Cabinet Made in 1930s Czechia, Restored
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
The cabinet has been fully restored by our professional refurbishing team in Czechia according to the original process. Sold individually This item features classic Art Deco e...
Category

Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Unique Bauhaus Electrified Green Reading Table, Original Good Condition, 1930s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
, lacquered wood, glass Period: 1930-1939 Source: Czech (Czechoslovakia) Dimensions: Total height 97 cm
Category

20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

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1930s Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic 1930s writing desk available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, metal and walnut, every 1930s writing desk was constructed with great care. There are many kinds of the 1930s writing desk you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. Each 1930s writing desk bearing Art Deco, Industrial or Scandinavian Modern hallmarks is very popular. A well-made 1930s writing desk has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Gilbert Rohde, Marcel Breuer and Kaare Klint are consistently popular.

How Much is a 1930s Writing Desk?

The average selling price for a 1930s writing desk at 1stDibs is $4,926, while they’re typically $1 on the low end and $120,000 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 1930s Writing Desk
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019

    A writing desk may refer to a desk with a top, often sloping, for writing on or to a portable case with compartments to hold writing materials and a surface for writing.

  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021
    A writing desk with drawers is also called a secretary. It is a desk with drawers, one of which can be pushed out and the front of the desk lowered to create a flat writing surface. These writing desks have been made in a variety of styles over the years. Shop for a variety of writing tables with drawers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    A 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJune 30, 2023
    What brides wore in the 1930s varied. Some wore long flowing dresses made of satin or silk. Long sleeves were popular and designs often featured only minimal embellishments like appliqués and beading. Because many people faced difficult financial situations due to the Great Depression, brides also sometimes simply wore their best dresses on their wedding days. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of vintage wedding dresses.
  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 26, 2024
    To identify 1930s furniture, first see if you can spot a maker's mark in hidden areas, such as the back, base, inside of drawers or under tabletops and seats. Trusted online resources can help you determine who produced your furniture based on these markings, and from there, you can research more to get a rough idea of how old your item is. A piece's characteristics can also be helpful when dating furniture. Many items made during the 1930s are examples of Art Deco furniture. Art Deco furniture is characterized by geometric patterns and luxurious materials, such as shagreen, marble, mother of pearl, mirrored glass, exotic animal hides and rare woods like mahogany, ebony and zebra wood. A certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer can provide an expert opinion on when your piece was likely made. On 1stDibs, explore a range of 1930s furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023
    Yes, people had record players in the 1930s. In fact, record players began to become more common during the decade and continued to grow in popularity throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Thomas Edison made the first phonograph record player in 1877. Shop a variety of record players on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023
    What an old-fashioned writing desk is called varies by design. Pieces with drop-down fronts are secretary desks (these are typically made of two parts: a chest of drawers on the bottom and a hutch or cupboard with shelves on the top), while ones that rest on two pillars, cabinets or bookcases are pedestal desks. A desk with a small writing surface positioned in front of drawers and cubbies is a bureau à gradin. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of desks.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 31, 2023
    In the 1930s, phones typically looked like rotary telephones. They had either a round or square base with a numbered dial that spun when you dialed and a handset receiver with both an earpiece and a mouthpiece. A cord connected the handset to the base. Find a variety of rotary phones on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023
    In French, the term for a writing desk that often featured a drop-down writing surface is secretaire. This type of desk is called a secretary desk in English. Simply put, a secretary desk is a multifunctional piece of furniture with a hinged writing surface that folds open or drops down. When the leaf is folded out, small inner storage compartments, which are called pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers, are revealed. On 1stDibs, shop antique secretary desks from some of the world's top sellers.