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Antique Spanish Writing Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique Spanish writing desk is shallow enough to place behind a sofa, or to use as one's primary
Category
Vintage 1950s Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks
Materials
Steel
Rattan Midcentury British Colonial Campaign Style Desk
By Bielecky Brothers, Bloomingdale
s
Located in Southampton, NJ
Midcentury British colonial campaign style 2-drawer writing desk or work table with distinct
Category
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Desks
Materials
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Marquetry Ladies Writing Desk
Located in Westfield, MA
This late 19th-century Dutch marquetry ladies writing desk is a splendid example of the ornate
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Desks
Materials
Mahogany
Vintage Maple Chest of Drawers with Drop Front Writing Desk
Located in Freehold, NJ
accented hardware, three dovetailed drawers and one drop front writing desk with interior storage
Category
Vintage 1960s American American Colonial Desks
Materials
Brass
Early American Style Oak Kneehole Library Office Writing Desk Dressing Table
Located in Dayton, OH
Early American style kneehole desk or vanity, circa 1960s. Made of oak featuring turned and ribbed
Category
Vintage 1960s American Colonial Desks
Materials
Oak
Antique Spanish Colonial Dining Table Writing Desk
Located in Round Top, TX
writing desk. Please take a moment to enlarge the photos and examine the details up close.
** In light of
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Philippine Dining Room Tables
Materials
Wood
19th Century Distressed Spanish Carved Wood Dining Table or Writing Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Rich in character early 19th century Spanish dining table or writing desk having beautiful carvings
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Dining Room Tables
Materials
Wood
19th Century British Colonial Writing Desk or Library Table
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Antique, British Colonial writing desk or library table from India, crafted with well grained
Category
Antique 19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Desks and Writing Tables
Antique Campaign Bureau, Anglo Indian, Teak, Colonial Writing Desk, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique campaign bureau. An Anglo-Indian, teak and brass colonial writing desk, dating
Category
Antique Late 19th Century British Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
Colonial Victorian Solid Rosewood Hand Carved Writing Desk
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Circa 1890
Solid Rosewood Colonial writing desk in good condition. Old growth timber is visible
Category
Antique 1890s British Indian Ocean Territory British Colonial Desks and ...
Materials
Rosewood
Antique Spanish Colonial Writing Desk Console Table
Located in Round Top, TX
drawers, this will serve beautifully as a writing desk or console table in addition to a dining table
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Philippine Console Tables
Materials
Wood
British Colonial Elephant Head Writing Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
British colonial style one drawer writing desk or table crafted in walnut with a chic pecan finish
Category
20th Century American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
English British Colonial Leather Top Writing Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Handsome 19th century English desk crafted in mahogany having the original lush tooled leather top
Category
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
British Colonial Style Mahogany Desk or Writing Table
By Maitland Smith
Located in Palm Beach, FL
British Colonial style mahogany desk, writing table or library table with a three panel green
Category
20th Century American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Vintage Curtis Products American Colonial Maple Windsor Writing Desk Arm Chair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Curtis Products American Colonial Maple Wood Windsor writing desk arm chair. Item features
Category
Mid-20th Century North American American Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Maple
Antique Spanish Colonial Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique Spanish Colonial Desk honors the traditional craftsmanship of the Iberian peninsula, with a
Category
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
British Colonial Style Leather Top Desk
By Maitland Smith
Located in Palm Beach, FL
British colonial style desk crafted in mahogany with ebonized highlights featuring a tooled leather
Category
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
British Colonial Style Leather Top Desk
By Kittinger
Located in Palm Beach, FL
British Colonial Style Leather Top Desk. Five drawer desk crafted in mahogany with a classic form
Category
20th Century American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
British Colonial Teakwood Roll Top Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
This Burmese teakwood desk serves a dual purpose as both a place for writing, as well as storage
Category
Early 20th Century Burmese British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
20th Century British Colonial Desk with Octagonal Legs
Located in San Marino, CA
A handsome 20th century British Colonial desk featuring a set of octagonal turned legs.
Category
Early 20th Century Sri Lankan British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Genuine Mahogany Writing Desk with 8 Drawers
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Genuine mahogany writing desk, made approximately in 1930-1940s. It's 44" wide, 22" deep and 30
Category
Mid-20th Century American Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
British Colonial Style Midcentury Faux Bamboo and Grasscloth Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Chic midcentury interpretation of British colonial style desk or writing table with a faux bamboo
Category
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
British Colonial Style Faux Bamboo and Reed Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
In vogue Asian modern desk with six drawers and a cabinet, faux bamboo frame, herringbone woven
Category
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Reed
British Colonial Style Faux Bamboo and Tortoise Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Five-drawer desk with a faux bamboo frame with a faux tortoise finish and featuring faux jungle
Category
20th Century American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Faux Bamboo
Vintage British Colonial Barley Twist Leg Leather Top Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Handsome British Colonial barley twist leg desk with three drawers & leather top.
Category
20th Century British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood
19th Century French Colonial Rosewood Desk
Located in San Marino, CA
A handsome 19th century French Colonial rosewood desk with two corner drawers that have a curve to
Category
Antique 19th Century Vietnamese French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Burl
Faux Bamboo Two Drawer Table or Writing Desk
Located in Bradenton, FL
Large Mid-20th century faux bamboo two drawer table or writing desk with faux bamboo gallery around
Category
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Faux Bamboo
Dutch Colonial 19th Century Teak Wood Breakfast Table or Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Dutch Colonial teak wood table from the late 19th century. This antique table from Indonesia is
Category
Antique 19th Century Indonesian Dutch Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Teak
Faux Tortoise and Grass Cloth Desk or Writing Table
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Midcentury British colonial two-drawer writing desk with black painted grass cloth panel on the top
Category
20th Century American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Grasscloth
Chippendale Style Solid Mahogany Colonial Williamsburg Kittinger Writing Table
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
in the Chippendale style. The desk measures 42 wide x 30 tall x 21 deep.
Category
Vintage 1970s American Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Colonial Rosewood Desk
Located in San Marino, CA
An elegant early 20th Century French Colonial desk in rosewood. There are three small drawers at
Category
Early 20th Century Vietnamese Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
British Colonia Style Leather Top Desk or Writing Table
Located in Palm Beach, FL
19th centur British colonial style desk or library table in mahogany with a variegated green brown
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Hardwood
19th Century Portugese Jacaranda Wood Writing Table or Desk
Located in San Francisco, CA
This playful and stylish desk comes from Portugal or Brazil. During
the later 19th century, both
Category
Antique 1890s Portuguese Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Jacaranda
Antique English British Colonial Leather Top Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Handsome 19th century English campaign desk handcrafted in mahogany in three piece construction
Category
Antique 19th Century English Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
British Colonial Style Faux Tortoise and Grass Cloth Desk and Chair
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Midcentury faux tortoise and grass cloth desk with a hip Asian modern form featuring a pagoda
Category
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Spanish Style Leather Top Three-Drawer Walnut Writing Table Desk
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Farm style stretcher heavy legs leather top writing table desk with three drawers. Outstanding
Category
20th Century Peruvian Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
1950s William Fetner Early American Style Solid Pine Writing Desk
Located in Germantown, MD
A William Fetner Early American Style Solid Pine Writing Desk with one large drawer. Features 3
Category
Mid-20th Century American American Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Kittinger Colonial Williamsburg Mahogany Console Traditional Table or Desk
By Kittinger Furniture Company
Located in Dayton, OH
Kittinger colonial Williamsburg mahogany console traditional table or desk
A solid mahogany hall
Category
Vintage 1980s Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
English Campaign Wood and Rattan Writing Desk Folding Table and Chair
By English School
Located in Valladolid, ES
A stunning set of English Campaign wood simulating bamboo and rattan writing desk folding table and
Category
Antique 1890s English British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Baker Furniture White Lacquered Small Writing Desk or Entry Table, Refinished
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional small writing desk or entry table
By Baker Furniture Milling Road "West Indies
Category
1990s American British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany, Lacquer
Willett Early American Golden Beryl Maple Secretary Writing Desk Bookcase Hutch
By Willett Furniture Company
Located in Dayton, OH
. Features a slant top fold out writing surface, interior compartments for storage, four drawers and upper
Category
Mid-20th Century American Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Maple
Dutch Colonial Teak Wood Table or Desk from the Late 19th-Early 20th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Dutch Colonial teak table from the late 19th-early 20th century. This turn of the century Dutch
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Indonesian Dutch Colonial Desks and Writing Ta...
Materials
Wood, Teak
Colonial Campaign Style Gentleman
s Walnut Desk, All Sides Finished, 20th C.
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
This classical American Campaign desk features a banded and sectioned top above a frieze with a
Category
Mid-20th Century American Campaign Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Antique Primitive Colonial Pine Wood 1 Drawer Work Table Desk w/ Backsplash
Located in Philadelphia, PA
.
Antique Primitive Colonial Pine Wood 1 Drawer Work Table Desk w/ Backsplash. Circa Late 19th Century
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Other Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Walnut and Iron Spanish Baroque Writing Table
Located in Danville, CA
Dramatic Antique Writing Table with hand planed top and ornamental wrought iron stretcher. This
Category
Antique 19th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wrought Iron
Rosewood Plantation Desk
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Distinctive hand-carved rosewood plantation style desk made in the colonial taste featuring a shelf
Category
20th Century Indian British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
$2,800
An Entry Table/Writing Table in Oak
Located in Malibu, CA
In oak, an antique English entry table.
Add character to any room with this beautiful table supported by turned legs in Oak with a spacious single dovetailed drawer with 2 ornate bra...
Category
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Bamboo and Grasscloth Desk
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Mid-century five drawer desk crafted with a bamboo frame having five drawers, lower storage tiers
Category
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Grasscloth, Bamboo
Faux Bamboo and Grasscloth Desk and Chair
Located in Palm Beach, FL
British colonial desk and caned chair with faux bamboo frame highlighted by a pagoda motif, two
Category
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Grasscloth
Mid Century Inlaid Wooden Desk, 1960s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Inlaid wooden desk with matching chair.
This remarkable desk got us intruiged by it's look and
Category
Vintage 1960s European Colonial Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Andrianna Shamaris Raffles Teak Wood Desk
Located in New York, NY
Single slab antique Raffles teak wood desk with a hand-carved bevelled edge. Beautiful hand-carved
Category
Antique Early 1900s Indonesian British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Teak, Reclaimed Wood
19th Spanish Farm Table or Desk Table
Located in Miami, FL
19th Spanish Farm Table or Desk Table
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Mid 20th Century Wood Desk from Inle Lake, Myanmar
Located in New York, NY
A singular one-drawer desk or writing table from Inle Lake, Myanmar (formerly Burma), circa 1930
Category
Vintage 1930s Burmese Dutch Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
19th Century Rosewood Large Roll Top Desk with Cabinet
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Grand roll top desk crafted in England from rosewood in original condition. Luxurious and singular
Category
Antique 1880s English British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Original 19th-Century Antique British Campaign Desk with Leather Top
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
smooth and durable writing surface, elevating both the aesthetic and functionality of the desk
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English British Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Carved Spanish or Italian Walnut Library Table Desk Heavy Carved Base
By Berkey
Gay Furniture
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Fine Italian or Spanish carved walnut library or farm table or desk. Stunning walnut wood grain
Category
20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Vintage Coastal Wrapped Rattan Desk After Bielecky Brothers
By Bielecky Brothers
Located in Southampton, NJ
Midcentury British colonial Campaign style 3-drawer writing desk with custom glass top wrapped in
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
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Colonial Writing Desks For Sale on 1stDibs
Find a variety of colonial writing desks available on 1stDibs. The range of distinct colonial writing desks — often made from wood, metal and hardwood — can elevate any home. Find 187 antique and vintage colonial writing desks at 1stDibs now, or shop our selection of 5 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished furniture. Colonial writing desks have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century. Colonial writing desks bearing Art Deco or Victorian hallmarks are very popular at 1stDibs. There have been many well-made colonial writing desks over the years, but those made by Dos Gallos Studio, Kittinger Furniture Company and Baker Furniture Company are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
How Much are Colonial Writing Desks?
Prices for colonial writing desks start at $595 and top out at $23,216 with the average selling for $3,703.
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 Colonial Writing Desks
- What is a writing desk?1 Answer1stDibs 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, 2021A 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, 2021A 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 ExpertJune 15, 2023What 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, 2023In 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.
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