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French 1940s Louis XVI Style Desk
Located in Doylestown, PA
A chic French 1940s Louis XVI style bureau plat in ebonized mahogany, retaining its original moss
Category

Vintage 1940s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

1940s Italian Paint Decorated Writing Table
Located in Bridgeport, CT
In a lovely powder grey overall paint, with Garden style green foliage accents. Well-made and originally used at New York City's famed Carlyle Hotel. Missing one of two side returns....
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Country Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

French 1940s Louis XVI Style Mahogany Desk
Located in Buchanan, NY
desk has 14" extensions on each side, circa 1940s.
Category

Vintage 1940s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Eugenio Ermenegildo Soncini Architects Desk, Italy, 1940s
Located in Milan, IT
Architects Desk from the Eugenio & Ermenegildo Soncini Architecture Firm, Milan, Italy, 1940s. A
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Arch Paolo Buffa Two-Tier Desk, Italy, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milan, IT
Arch Paolo Buffa desk, Italy, 1940s.
Category

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

Materials

Brass

Rare Desk, attributed to Geatano Borsani, Italy, 1940s
By Gaetano Borsani
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A rare desk, attributed to Geatano Borsani, Italy, 1940s. Drawers in working order. The top is
Category

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

Materials

Wood

Paolo Buffa Office Desk for Galdino Maspero, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa, Galdino Maspero
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Paolo Buffa office desk for Galdino Maspero, wood, Italy, 1940s. This desk, designed by Paolo
Category

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

Materials

Wood

Frits Henningsen Cabinetmaker Copenhagen, Fine Large Desk 1940s
By Frits Henningsen
Located in Handewitt, DE
Fine large desk by the famous danish cabinetmaker and designer Frits Henningsen 1940s. With 3
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

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

Early 20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Directoire Style Writing Table, 1940s, Attributed to Jansen
By Maison Jansen
Located in Doylestown, PA
A French Directoire style writing or side table in black lacquer with a white marble top and brass
Category

20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

1940s French Jansen White Lacquered Desk
By Maison Jansen
Located in Dallas, TX
Alluring 1940s French Jansen white lacquered desk with brass trim and leather top.
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Rare Osvaldo Borsani Desk, Italy, 1940s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A rare desk by Osvaldo Borsani, Italy, 1940s/50s. Leather, wood, glass top. Fast shipping worldwide.
Category

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

Materials

Leather, Glass, Wood

Reception Desk, Solid Veneered and Stained Wood, Italy, 1940s
Located in Milano, IT
Big reception desk with compartments and internal chests of drawers; veneered and ebony stained
Category

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

Materials

Wood

Large Neoclassical Desk, Attributed to Maison Jansen, France, 1940s
Located in Miami, FL
Large Neoclassical style black lacquered desk. Bronze gallery with inset leather top, tapered legs
Category

Vintage 1940s French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

1940s Mid-Century Modern Tanker Desk
By The Standard Furniture Company
Located in Los Angeles, CA
American-made Mid-Century Modern tanker desk in good condition, constructed of oak with a Formica
Category

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

Materials

Steel

Antique 1940s Wood Kneehole Desk with Chippendale Style Pulls
Located in New York, NY
This antique 1940s desk features a center drawer and eight side drawers. Comes with Chippendale
Category

Vintage 1940s American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Italian Art Deco Macassar, Parchment and Black Opaline Desk, 1940s
Located in Meda, MB
This precious desk was produced in Italy in the 1940s. The front and back is covered with
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Occasional Table Designed by Frits Henningsen, Denmark, 1940 s
By Frits Henningsen
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rosewood and brass. Measures: W: 130 cm/ 51 1/4" H: 55 cm/ 21 3/4" D: 64 cm/ 25 1/4".
Category

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

Materials

Brass

Writing Tables Carved Decoratives Walnut Veneered Wood Vintage, Italy, 1940s
Located in Milano, IT
Writing tables with carved decoratives on the front; Walnut veneered wood. Manufactured in Italy
Category

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

Materials

Walnut

Rare 1940s Hollywood Regency Mandarin desk / dressing table by Kittinger, USA
By Kittinger
Located in Hastings, GB
A rare 1940s Hollywood Regency 'Mandarin' desk / dressing table by Kittinger, USA. Greek key design
Category

Vintage 1940s American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Vintage 1940s Traditional John Scalia for Schmieg Kotzian Mahogany Desk Table
By John Scalia, Schmieg Kotzian
Located in Secaucus, NJ
Fabulous traditional John Scalia for Schmieg & Kotzian mahogany library writing desk table. Schmieg
Category

Vintage 1940s American Georgian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany, 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

Kneehole Desk by Count Alexis de Sakhoffsky for Heywood Wakefield, 1940s, Signed
By Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky, Heywood-Wakefield Co.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
designs and known as the 'Kneehole' desk manufactured by Heywood Wakefield in the 1930s and 1940s. This
Category

Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch

Early Edward Wormley for Dunbar Walnut and Black Lacquered Kneehole Desk, 1940s
By Edward Wormley, Dunbar Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional newly restored kneehole desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar Furniture. This is a rare
Category

Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut, Lacquer

Large Art Deco Oak Desk from Lyon - France, Circa 1940s
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Chic solid oak desk with two drawers on one side of the apron. Unusual veneered top with a rich
Category

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

1940s Lady Desk Withmirror Vanitie Carlo de Carli Attributed Lacquered Glass Top
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Lady desk or vanitie or console, Carlo de Carli attributed, two drawers, with blue lacquered glass
Category

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

Materials

Leather, Mirror, Walnut

Art Deco Desk by Charles Dudouyt, France, 1940s
By Charles Dudouyt
Located in Antwerp, BE
Charles Dudouyt oak desk with double base, made in the 1940s in France. The sturdy oak construction
Category

Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Neoclassical Mahogany and Leather Desk in the Style of André Arbus, France 1940s
By André Arbus, Jacques Adnet
Located in La Teste-de-Buch, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Neoclassical desk in solid mahogany and leather top, solid oak. Made in France in the 1940s. In
Category

Vintage 1940s French Neoclassical Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany, Oak

Sweden Mid Century Modern, Sculptural Wabi Sabi Desk, 1940s
Located in Odense, DK
A charming Sweden Mid-Century Modern desk crafted in the 1940s, featuring a sculptural organic
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birch, Pine

Rare Mahogany Desk Brass Details Attri Maison Dominique, 1940s
By Andre Domin Marcel Genevriere for Maison Dominique
Located in Paris, IDF
This rare and beautiful French neoclassical was made in the early 1940s, and is attributed to
Category

Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Large Freestanding European Desk in Oak and Grey Laminate, 1940s
Located in Odense, DK
Large modern freestanding european desk, made in oak and grey laminat, 1940s. This piece is a
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century European Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing T...

Materials

Laminate, Oak

Mid Century Classic Rectangular Desk, Made by a Danish Cabinetmaker, 1940s
By Jacob Kjaer, William Watting, Fritz Hansen, Kaare Klint
Located in Odense, DK
Elegant rare freestanding desk in nutwood, made by a Danish cabinetmaker in the 1940s. A classical
Category

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

Materials

Nutwood

1940s French Bureau Plat with Bronze Mounts
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1940s Bureau Plat with an inset leather top. Detailed ormolu mounts surrounding table. The back of
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

1940s Desk in Oak and Brass with an Ancient Map of Paris and Suburb in Front
By Paul Dupré-Lafon
Located in Paris, FR
Interesting 1940s desk in varnished oak veneer with an ancient plan of Ile de France in the front
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Important French 1940s Bureau Plat, Style of Jean-Charles Moreux
By Jean-Charles Moreux
Located in Doylestown, PA
A French 1940s cerused oak double-sided partner's desk in the manner of Jean-Charles Moreux, with
Category

Vintage 1940s French Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Swedish Mahogany and Inlay Dressing Table by Carl Malmsten, 1940s
By Carl Malmsten
Located in Stockholm, SE
Beautiful mahogany dressing table by Carl Malmsten, in a neat, curvaceous design. Gorgeous inlays of flowers and leaves on the drawers and encircling the tabletop.
Category

Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Wall Mounted Console Table in Mahogany Designed by Frits Heningsen, 1940s
By Frits Henningsen
Located in Lejre, DK
Wall mounted console table in mahogany with drawers, designed and made by cabinetmaker Frits Henningsen. Made in Denmark, great original condition.
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Mid-20th Century Inlaid Desk School Cabinetmaking Bovolone, Verona Period 1930s
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Early 20th century inlaid Desk School cabinetmaking Bovolone (Verona) period, 1930s - 1940s Refined
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Maple, Walnut

Italian design desk referable to the hand of Paolo BUFFA. Italy, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Torino, IT
Design desk italian referable to the hand of Paul BUFFA, wooden, with mirrors on the front of the drawers and on the hips. ORIGIN Italy PERIOD 1940s DESIGNER The line of the desk ...
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mirror, Wood

Writing Desk by Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig, 1930s-1940s
By Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Rationalist writing desk designed by Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig made from walnut and curved beech
Category

Vintage 1930s Italian Desks

Materials

Beech, Walnut

1940s Hollywood Regency Ladies Kidney Shaped Writing Desk -Finished in the Round
Located in Opa Locka, FL
1940's Hollywood Regency Kidney Shaped Ladies Writing Desk. This piece is finished on all sides and
Category

Vintage 1940s American Hollywood Regency Desks

Materials

Wood

Art Deco Style Desk by Barbara Barry for Baker
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Evoking a more glamorous time, this 1940s dressing table writing desk is ultra-feminine. Created in
Category

20th Century American Art Deco Desks

Materials

Nickel

1940s Slim Oak Cabinet Sideboard Desk with Open Folding Writing Working Top
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
Absolutely great quality and beautiful Scandinavian slim oak writing desk or working bench build in
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Beech, Oak

Custom 1940s Writing Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Handsome custom modernist desk from the 1940s. Recently restored to original finish.
Category

Vintage 1940s American Desks

Elegant French 1940s Writing Desk
Located in New York, NY
Cerused oak with carved and stylized acanthus leaf mounts with single drawer.
Category

Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks

Materials

Oak

1940 S Mirrored Writing Desk
Located in New York, NY
1940's Mirrored Writing Desk
Category

Vintage 1940s American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mirror, Wood

1940 s Neo Classical Mirrored Writing Desk
Located in New York, NY
1940's Neo Classical Mirrored Writing Desk
Category

Vintage 1940s American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mirror, Wood

1940 s French Style Marquetry Writing Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1940's French Style Marquetry Writing Desk w/ Leather blotter and ornate escutcheons
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

1940 s Ebonized Art Deco Vanity/Writing Desk
Located in New York, NY
Vintage French Art Deco small vanity/writing desk with curved legs and round pale brass hardware
Category

Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

1940s General Firepoofing Writing Desk, Refinished
By General Fireproofing Company
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage General Fireproofing 4-legged typewriters desk/ writing table, c. 1940s. Newly refinished
Category

Vintage 1940s American Machine Age Desks and Writing Tables

1940 s French ebonised desk
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A very stylish, and of small proportions, circa 1940s, French ebonised desk, with two single
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Guglielmo Ulrich Attributed Desk/ Writing Table, 1940s
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in New York, NY
Great form desk in ash with stretcher and applied spiral forms in patinated brass attributed to
Category

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

Materials

Brass

French Art Deco Writing Desk, circa 1940s
Located in New York, NY
Art Deco writing desk. Macassar ebony with marquetry top.
Category

Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Macassar

John Widdicomb Desk 1940 s
Located in Hudson, NY
This elegant John Widdicomb Hollywood Regency desk in black lacquer is an outstanding piece if
Category

Vintage 1940s American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

1940s Oak Writing Table Desk by Gouffe, Paris
By Maison Gouffé
Located in London, GB
French, 1940 A fabulous oak writing table, and side table, by Gouffe Paris. In good
Category

Vintage 1940s French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Rare 1940 s Verre Eglomise Mirrored Writing Table
Located in New York, NY
Attributed to Maison Jansen
Category

Vintage 1940s Argentine Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Glass

1940 s reversed painted mirrored vanity/desk
Located in Sleepy Hollow, NY
A beautiful 1940's or 50's mirrored 7-drawer vanity/desk with reverse painted glass (white foliate
Category

Vintage 1940s American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf, Brass

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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 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 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 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 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.