Skip to main content

1940s Writing Desk

to
34
228
199
431
99
85
37
12
8
8
5
5
4
2
1
1
1
429
19
387
5
309
4
363
154
86
67
57
336
127
107
62
58
431
431
431
13
6
5
4
3
Sort By
Kaare Klint Desk of Mahogany, 1940s, Rud Rasmussen
By Rud Rasmussen, Kaare Klint
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Kaare Klint desk made of solid cuban mahogany. Drawers and writing trays with brass details
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Art Deco Bentwood Desk, 1940s
Located in Żory, PL
This small desk was produced in the 1940s in the Czech Republic. An interesting form made of bent
Category

Mid-20th Century Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Rud Rasmussen Desk of Mahogany, 1940s, Rud Rasmussen
By Rud Rasmussen
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Desk made of solid cuban mahogany. Drawers and writing trays with brass details. Made and
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Large 1940s French Mahogany Desk with Leather Top
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Large, substantial quality 1940s French mahogany desk. Finished all round to free-stand. The back
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Jean Prouvé, Cité Desk, likely 1940s, original condition
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Cité desk with drawer, designed by Jean Prouvé and made in his workshop, Ateliers Jean Prouvé in
Category

Vintage 1940s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

French 1940s Ebonized and Rectangular Table Desk
By Maison Jansen
Located in Queens, NY
French 1940s ebonized and rectangular table desk with gilt trim having two drawers and a top with
Category

Early 20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Stylish Danish Ebonized and Brass Mounted Desk, circa 1940s
Located in New York, NY
A Danish ebonized and brass-mounted pedestal desk, circa 1940s, the rectangular top raised on three
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Desks and Writing Tables

Ico Parisi Partners Desk, Italy, 1940s
By Ico Parisi
Located in New York, NY
1940's Italian Ico Parisi designed partners desk. Signature steel tip toe on all legs of the desk
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Bauhaus Oak Wood Desk With Roller Doors, Czechoslovakia 1940s
Located in Zohor, SK
Czechoslovakia in 1940s, the desk came to us in a rather poor condition, so we had it redone into this beautiful
Category

Vintage 1940s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Bauhaus Oak Wood Desk With Roller Doors, Czechoslovakia 1940s
Located in Zohor, SK
Czechoslovakia in 1940s, the desk came to us in a rather poor condition, so we had it redone into this beautiful
Category

Vintage 1940s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Italian Desk by Gio Ponti, 1940s
By Gio Ponti
Located in Palermo, PA
Italian desk by Gio Ponti, 1940s. Dimensions: H= 80 cm; W= 140 cm; D= 70 cm.
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Neoclassical Style Desk and Armchair, France, circa 1940s
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Rare and elegant desk and chair set in the neoclassical style. The desk has unusual rounded
Category

Vintage 1940s French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Velvet, Walnut

Art Deco style desk, Poland, 1940s
Located in Chorzów, PL
Art Deco desk from the 1940s, Poland. Dimensions: height 79 cm / width 146 cm / depth 70 cm
Category

Vintage 1940s Polish Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Ico Parisi Designed Desk, Italy, 1940s
By Ico Parisi
Located in New York, NY
1940s Italian desk designed by Ico Parisi Curved shaped top Single drawer All legs tipped in nickel
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Vintage 1940s Ebonized Baker Campaign Desk
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Vintage 1940s ebonized Baker Campaign desk, two apron drawers with brass escutcheons (with a key
Category

20th Century Campaign Desks and Writing Tables

French 1940 s Library/Dining Table With Travertine Top
Located in Doylestown, PA
A French 1930’s double-pedestal library table in cerused oak, the pedestals carved with acanthus
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Rare Ilmari Tapiovaara Desk, 1940s, Finland
By Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Rare Ilmari Tapiovaara desk, Domus Academica student house, 1940s. Birch with painted table top
Category

Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch, Paint

Ole Wanscher 1940s Danish Mahogany Desk
By A. J. Iversen, Ole Wanscher
Located in London, England
Ole Wasncher - Rare Mahogany Desk This beautifully elegant desk in a classical style was designed
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany, Oak

1940s Mid Century Italian Leather Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful Italian Mid century modern leather desk with two drawers. The desk had ben polished in
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Elegant Desk in Elm and Blue Drawers, Swedish Modern, 1940s
Located in Lejre, DK
Elegant freestanding desk in elm designed and made in the 1940s. Made in Sweden.
Category

Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

1940s Italian Desk or Dressing Table
Located in London, GB
A beech wood and ash desk, or dressing table The shaped top on four tapered legs terminated by
Category

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

Materials

Ash, Beech

Desk, Anonymous for Lysberg, Hansen Therp, Denmark, 1940s-1950s
By Lysberg, Hansen Therp
Located in Stockholm, SE
Black glass, brass and, wenge. Measures: H 74.3 cm/ 2' 5 1/4" W 120 cm/ 3' 11 1/4" D 80.5 cm/ 31 11/16".   
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Circa 1940 s Kidney shaped vanity
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
8-212 Kidney shaped vanity or desk with glazed cream finish
Category

Early 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

1940s Writing Table, with Drawers and Gilded Bronzes, Italy
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
Tavolo scrittoio anni '40, in bellissimo legno chiaro lastronato, massello e intarsiato con trama geometrica, originale con cassettini e bronzi dorati come arricchimento, costruito i...
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Art Deco Grand Oak Desk, France, 1940s
Located in Antwerp, BE
French Art Deco desk in grand oak, a splendid example of ingenuity, tailored architecture, and
Category

Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Large Freestanding Danish Art Deco Tambour Desk in Lacquered Beech, 1940s
By Ole Wanscher
Located in Odense, DK
Large freestanding Danish Art Deco tambour desk in lacquered beech, 1940s. A beautiful Classic
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

French wooden desk, made in the 1940s-50s.
Located in LYON, FR
Maison Lecan presents this charming small wooden desk, made in the 1940s-50s. Its warm-toned
Category

Vintage 1940s French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Plywood

Mid-Century Modern Italian Blue Desk, Drawers, 1940s
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Italian Blue Desk, Drawers, 1940s
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

1940s Children s Adjustable Spanish School Desk in Wood
Located in Miami, FL
Base height: 9 in 1940s Children's Adjustable Spanish School Desk in Wood
Category

20th Century Spanish Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Unusual modernist italian goldsmith desk from the 1940s.
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Unusual jeweler working desk with wooden pockets from the 1940s, this object, which could now be
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut, Beech

Maple Desk by Antonio Ferretti Milano , Italy, 1940s
By Antonio Ferretti
Located in Sofia, BG
A maple veneered desk, manufactured in Italy by Antonio Ferretti Milan , 1940s. A beautiful
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Ole Wanscher Brazilian Rosewood Desk, circa 1940s-1950s
By Ole Wanscher
Located in New York, NY
A large freestanding desk of Brazilian rosewood designed by Ole Wanscher, circa 1940s-1950s and
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Paul Goldman 1940s Art Deco Rosewood Veneer Desk
By Plymodern, Paul Goldman
Located in New York, NY
This Art Deco-style desk was designed by Paul Goldman in 1946 for Plymodern Furniture. Goldman was
Category

Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Plywood

Art Deco Walnut Desk, Poland, 1940s, After Renovation
Located in Chorzów, PL
Neat desk from the mid-twentieth century in the Art Deco style. Antique furniture is more beautiful
Category

Vintage 1940s Polish Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Ash Wood Desk or Table in the Style of Jules Leleu, France 1940s
By Jules Leleu
Located in Chicago, IL
A 1940s French dining table or desk in the style of Jules Leleu. This table was constructed with
Category

Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

1940s Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Burl Walnut Wood Desk Vanity Console Table
Located in Carimate, Como
shape and design of the legs. This stunning piece can be perfectly used a writing table or desk with
Category

20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

1940s colonial style mahogany desk with faux bamboo detail
Located in London, GB
A striking yet understated mahogany Swedish desk from 1940s with a simulated Faux bamboo border to
Category

Vintage 1940s Swedish Colonial Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Danish Modern Desk / Dining Table in Birch Attributed to Philip Arctander, 1940s
By Philip Arctander
Located in Odense, DK
Rare desk made in birch. Attributed to danish designer Philip Arctander. Beautiful structure and
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch

Danish Modern Desk / Dining Table in Birch Attributed to Philip Arctander, 1940s
By Philip Arctander
Located in Odense, DK
Arctander. Beautiful structure and lines. It can also be used as a desk. Each extendable measure 25cm.
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch

Desk by Giuseppe Pagano in Brass and Wood, 1940s
By Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig
Located in Milano, IT
Imposing desk by Giuseppe Pagano, 1940. Scrivania designed for the Bocconi University in Milan Wood
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

1940s Hollywood Ebonized and White Gold Leaf Desk/Vanity
Located in New York, NY
conveniently has seven drawers ,three on each side with a center drawer as well. Would make a great desk as
Category

20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Mid-Century Large Blond Oak Parquet Pattern Desk, France, 1940s
Located in New York, NY
French 1940s large blond oak desk with diamond parquet pattern. The top of the desk has a diamond
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Oscar Nilsson ‘Attribution’ Desk, Elm, Ebony and Bakelite, Sweden, 1940s
By Oscar Nilsson
Located in High Point, NC
A 1940s modernist desk attributed to Oscar Nilsson. The desk is crafted in elm with ebony inlays
Category

Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bakelite, Ebony, Elm

Leather Top On Ebonized Wood Cubist Design Desk, France, 1940s
Located in New York, NY
1940s French ebonized cubist design wood desk with leather top in the style of Maxime Old Light
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Wood

A pair of 1940s British Military MOD Oak Desk Tables – Stamped with Royal Crest
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
Embrace a touch of history with this pair of 1940s British military MOD oak desks, stamped with the
Category

Early 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Paolo Buffa Italian rosewood maple black glass desk table 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Paris, IDF
This beautiful desk table or dining table was designed by Paolo Buffa in Italy in the 1940s. The
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Opaline Glass, Maple, Rosewood

High Polished Palisander With Ebonized Trim Fold Down Desk, France, 1940s
Located in New York, NY
1940s French high polished palisander exterior with ebonized trim fold down desk Upper cabinet
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Palisander

Desk Attr. to Paolo Buffa in Maple and Opaline Glass 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milano, IT
Wonderful desk attributed to Paolo Buffa from the 1940s. The structure of the beautiful desk was
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Opaline Glass, Maple

Oak Wood Desk or Dining Table Style of Charles Dudouyt, France, 1940s
By Charles Dudouyt
Located in New York, NY
1940s French desk in the style of Charles Dudouyt. Also would make a great dining table. Two
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Desk in Mahogany in Style of Kaare Klint, Midcentury Danish Design, 1940s
By Kaare Klint
Located in Lejre, DK
Desk in mahogany designed and made in Denmark 1940s. Great original condition.
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Desk with Adjustable Top and Side Compartment Walnut Veneer, Italy, 1940s-1950s
Located in Milano, IT
A desk with adjustable top, with side compartment and upstand with reading stand, walnut veneer
Category

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

Materials

Walnut

Børge Clausen, Unique Oak Desk / Library Table, Studio of Artist, Denmark, 1940s
By Børge Clausen
Located in High Point, NC
studio of the artist, Denmark, 1940s. The absence of drawers gives the desk a pure and sculptural
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

40 s Spinetti Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Black lacquer 1940's Spinetti writing desk with a piano-like cover, bronze trim around
Category

Vintage 1940s American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Ebonized Wood with Light Brown Leather Top Cubist Design Desk, France, 1940s
Located in New York, NY
1940s French ebonized cubist design wood desk with leather top in the style of Maxime Old Light
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Wood

French 1940s Louis XVI Style Desk, Manner of Jean-Michel Frank
By Jean-Michel Frank
Located in Doylestown, PA
A great Jean-Michel Frank style bureau plat, circa 1940, in stripped and bleached mahogany with a
Category

Vintage 1940s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Maison Jansen Desk
Located in Manhasset, NY
A beautiful French writing desk, circa 1940s, overall ebonized and parcel-gilded, the gilt banded
Category

Vintage 1940s Argentine Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

1940s Burr Oak Secretaire
By Nordiska Kompaniet
Located in London, GB
Lovely oak secrétaire made for/by Nordiska Kompaniet. Handles wrapped in wicker , everything else is oak. Great quality , even the drawers are lined in oak.
Category

Vintage 1940s Swedish Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

  • 1
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "1940s Writing Desk", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

1940s Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the 1940s writing desk you’re looking for. Each 1940s writing desk for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, metal and brass. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect 1940s writing desk — we have versions that date back to the 19th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century are available. A 1940s writing desk made by Mid-Century Modern designers — as well as those associated with Art Deco — is very popular. A well-made 1940s writing desk has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Maison Jansen, Frits Henningsen and George Nelson are consistently popular.

How Much is a 1940s Writing Desk?

A 1940s writing desk can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $4,995, while the lowest priced sells for $60 and the highest can go for as much as $113,245.

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 1940s 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 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 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 5, 2021
    The most popular 1940s-style dress was the shirtwaist dress. It had a front opening like a men’s shirt, but with large buttons in the front of the dress, which was practical and easy to wear. The sleeves were short and necklines varied from shirt style to sweetheart and other necklines. Antique and vintage dresses from well-known designers are available on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A number of dresses were popular during the 1940s. Many women wore short-waist dresses with button necks, collars, fitted waists and full skirts. The classic A-lines with knee-length hems in red, white and blue colors were also a trend. Shop a collection of vintage dresses on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021
    In the 1940s, ladies wore clothes defined by clean and slim silhouettes. The jackets, blouses and sweaters often featured shoulderpads and had somewhat of a military feel. Most dresses were quite casual and pants and playsuits became part of a woman's everyday style.
  • 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 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 23, 2024
    Claire McCardell was the designer often called the Mother of American Fashion in the 1940s. An American designer, she helped introduce women's sportswear to the United States and was particularly well-known for her bias-cut, loose-fitting Monastic dress. When World War II broke out in the 1940s, she designed pieces out of readily available materials like denim, calico and wool jersey, introducing new fabrics for women's clothing that would remain popular well after the close of the war. Many people point to McCardell as one of the first successful American fashion designers. Shop a collection of Claire McCardell apparel on 1stDibs.