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Midcentury McGuire Writing Desk with Cane Drawer Fronts and Brass Pulls
By McGuire
Located in Atlanta, GA
This elegant midcentury writing desk by McGuire exemplifies the brand’s refined approach to natural
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Antique Davenport 19th Century Writing Desk Biedermeier Gold Inlays around 1830
Located in Berlin, DE
Davenport Writing Desk – Elegant Design with Inlays and Storage
This exquisite antique Davenport writing
Category
Antique 19th Century German Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
20th Century, Ico Parisi Wooden Writing Desk with Two Drawers, 50s
By Ico Parisi
Located in Turin, Turin
desk has a wooden structure with two drawers, and it is very simple but elegant. Perfect as writing
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Elegant antique Louis XV Style Veneered lady Bureau Plat / Desk
Located in Berlin, DE
Exclusive Louis XV style ladies bureau plat/desk
Solid beech wood with exotic root veneer
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Writing Desk Model 804 by Gianfranco Frattini for Bernini, Italy, 1963
By Gian Franco Frattini, Bernini
Located in Madrid, ES
Elegant roll-top writing desk, model 804, designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Bernini in 1963
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood
Elegant Mid-Century Desk Designed by Severin Hansen Jr. 1950s
By Haslev Mobelsnedkeri, Severin Hansen
Located in Lejre, DK
elegant legs contribute to the desk's stylish expression and create a harmonious balance between form and
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Louis XVI Writing Desk in Walnut, Cherrywood, and Marquetry, Italy, 18th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
An elegant Louis XVI period writing desk, crafted in northern Italy (Lombardy region) during the
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry, Walnut
Art Deco design desk with a beautiful finish and elegant shapes
Located in Harderwijk, NL
This beautiful Art Deco design desk is from the top brand Schuitema and comes from the Decoforma
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
19th Century Empire Writing Desk With Roll Top, Nutwood, Austria ca. 1800
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
century around 1800 in Austria. This remarkable, elegantly designed nutwood writing desk was artfully made
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
19th-Century Italian Writing Desk in Bleached Poplar and Oak Tuscan Handcraft
Located in Firenze, IT
Elegant 19th-century Italian writing desk in bleached larch and oak, featuring sculptural scroll
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Iron
Antique 19th Century Pitch Pine Vestry Writing Desk Fine Quality Dressing Table
Located in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
Antique 19th Century Pitch Pine Vestry Writing Desk – Gothic Revival Elegance, Ideal as Writing
Category
Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
$1,917 Sale Price
30% Off
19th Century English Regency Gilt Bronze Mounted Writing Table or Desk
Located in Troy, NY
19th Century English Regency Gilt Bronze Mounted Writing Table or Desk. Elegant Regency writing
Category
Antique 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Elegant Art Deco Desk with Asymmetrical Design and Drawers, France, 1930s
Located in Ulm, DE
A striking original Art Deco desk from 1930s France – where sculptural design meets practical
Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Beech
Antique 19th Century Mahogany Writing Desk – Fine Quality Dressing or Side Table
Located in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
Antique 19th Century Mahogany Writing Desk – Elegant Dressing Table or Side Table with Octagonal
Category
Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
$1,917 Sale Price
30% Off
18th Century Louis XVI Period Fall Front Desk
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
This elegant writing desk, known quirkily as a “bureau à dos d’âne” (donkey’s back desk), is
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks
Materials
Bronze
Mid-Century Italian Carved Wood Writing Desk Console Table with Leather Chair
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian carved desk writing table with elevated upper shelf and drawer section, with
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Wood
Large and elegant Carrara marble and leather desk around 1970/1980
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Large and elegant Carrara marble and leather desk
around 1970/1980
with its leather box on wheels
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Carrara Marble
Anonima Castelli Palisander Wood Desk with Elegant Metal Insert Handle, 1970s
By Anonima Castelli
Located in Traversetolo, IT
The desk, produced in the 1970s by Anonima Castelli of Bologna, is an authentic vintage piece in
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Elegant Black Stained French Style Bureau Plat or Desk by Kittinger
By Kittinger
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant Black Stained French Style Bureau Plat or Desk by Kittinger, American, circa 1960s. It has
Category
Vintage 1960s American Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
19th Century Biedermeier Writing Desk in Cherry Veneer with Walnut and Rootwood
Located in Darmstadt, DE
This elegant 19th-century Biedermeier writing desk is veneered in fine cherrywood and accented with
Category
Antique 19th Century German Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry, Walnut
$9,054 Sale Price
23% Off
Early 20th Century Writing Desk in Walnut with Inlay by Meroni
Fossati
By Meroni
Fossati
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Italian elegant early 20th century Directoire writing desk in walnut massive and veneered with
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Elegant Satinwood Art Nouveau Partners with Desk Blue Suede Top, ca 1915
Located in Richmond, VA
Elegant satinwood art nouveau partners desk with blue suede top, heart carved corners, and ball-and
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Satinwood
French 19th C. Painted Wood Desk w/Scallop Edged Top
Elegant Legs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French carved and painted wood table (or desk), with shapely legs and top edges, from the 19th
Category
Antique 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Elegant 1960s Office Desk with Display Cabinet by Giaiotti Spa - A Mid-Century I
Located in Manzano, IT
Elegant 1960s Office Desk with Display Cabinet by Giaiotti Spa – A Mid-Century Icon
Enhance your
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum, Iron
Elegant Desk in Blackened Wood and Leather circa 1950 Patina to Be Redone, Leath
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Elegant desk in blackened wood and leather, circa 1950
Patina to be redone, leather to be changed.
Category
Vintage 1950s European Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood
Vittorio Dassi Writing Desk, Gio Ponti Style, Green Drawers, Mid-Century
By Vittorio Dassi, Gio Ponti, Dassi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
.
In original condition, this elegant writing desk proudly showcases its authentic Mid-Century
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Beech, Teak, Walnut
Antique Elegant Wooden Bureau
Located in Milano, IT
compartments, represented by 4 small drawers with handles.
This writing desk is suitable for high-class
Category
Antique 1890s French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
$8,578 Sale Price
20% Off
Louis XVI Desk, Germany 1780, cherry veneer
Located in Leimen, DE
desk from Germany, circa 1780, featuring cherry veneer adorned with geometric intarsia. This elegant
Category
Antique 1780s German Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry
Antique French Louis XVI Marble Gold gilded Salon Ladies Writing Table 1800
Located in Doha, QA
This incredibly intricate and elegant Louis XVI French ladies writing desk table is originated from
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Gold
19TH C Inlaid Marquetry Bronze Mounted Ladies Desk.
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
exquisite 19th-century French Louis XV style writing desk showcases elegant craftsmanship and refined detail
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Late 19th Century Elegant Italian Frattino Table All Solid Walnut Wax-Polished
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Era neoclassicism elegant Italian Frattino table all solid walnut wax-polished
Very elegant
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing ...
Freestanding Desk in Oak, Danish Mid Century Modern, Henning Kjærnulf, 1950s
By Henning Kjærnulf
Located in Odense, DK
An elegant freestanding writing desk designed by Danish designer Henning Kjærnulf in the 1950s
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Vintage French Napoleon III Style Ebonized Lacquered Bonheur Du Jour Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage French Napoleon III Style Ebonized Lacquered "Bonheur Du Jour" Writing Desk
Elegant French
Category
Mid-20th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Freestanding Desk in Oak, Danish Mid Century Modern, Henning Kjærnulf, 1950s
By Henning Kjærnulf
Located in Odense, DK
An elegant freestanding writing desk designed by Danish designer Henning Kjærnulf in the 1950s
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Antique English Gilt Bronze and Marquetry Desk by Donald Ross
By Donald Ross, Edwards
Roberts
Located in London, GB
75cm, width 108cm, depth 63cm
This elegant mahogany writing desk by Donald Ross features Ross
Category
Antique 1890s English Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
French Louis XV Style Double-Sided Desk with Brass Inlay and Gilt Bronze Mounts
Located in PARIS, FR
Elegant French double-sided writing desk in the Louis XV–Transition style, France circa 1880.
This
Category
Antique 1880s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Bronze
German Mid-Century Modern Cantilevered Wood and Metal Desk by Voss, 1950
By Voss
Located in New York, NY
Elegant German modernist desk / writing table by Voss with a cantilevered wood top and three wood
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Rare Louis XV French 18th C, Desk "Bureau De Pente" .
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
a room.
The fold out secretary is very functional.
This very elegant writing desk is crafted from
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century French Louis XIV Desks
Materials
Wood
Empire Bureau Plat, France, Early 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Elegant Empire writing desk (Bureau Plat) in mahogany. The desk stands on tapered, smooth legs with
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
18th c. French Bureau de Dame
Located in Atlanta, GA
An elegant 18th-century French lady’s writing desk, or bureau de dame, crafted in warm walnut with
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Louis XV Style Writing Desk, Gilt-Bronze Mounted, Circa 1900, France
By Maison Millet
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
.
Signed ‘MILLET A PARIS’.
France, Circa 1900.
This elegant writing desk exemplifies Maison Millet’s
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks
Materials
Bronze
18th Century Baroque Table, Made in Czechia, Fully Restored
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant inlaid table (writing desk) is a splendid example of furniture in the Baroque style
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Czech Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Walnut
$2,382 Sale Price
50% Off
Elegant Bonheur De Jour Ladies Writing Desk
Located in Southall, GB
A elegant French bonheur de jour ladies writing desk in kingswood and rosewood, with bronze gilt
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Desks
Materials
Bronze
1970 Mid Century Modern Elegant Ladies Writing Desk
Located in Opa Locka, FL
1970's Mid Century Modern Elegant Ladies Writing Desk. Single center drawer. Beautiful wood.
Category
Vintage 1970s North American Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Wood
$2,688 Sale Price
20% Off
Elegant Mid-Century Writing Desk Designed by Severin Hansen for Haslev 1960s
By Haslev Mobelsnedkeri, Severin Hansen Jr.
Located in Dallas, TX
An exquisite example of Scandinavian modernism, this 1960s ribbon mahogany desk by Severin Hansen
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks
Materials
Brass
Elegant Victorian Flame Mahogany Writing Slope
Stationary Leather Interior
Located in Reading, Berkshire
An Elegant 19th Century Antique Victorian Flame Mahogany Decorative Inlaid Writing Slope With Black
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Desk Sets
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
$2,210 Sale Price / set
30% Off
An Elegant French Louis XV Style Ebonized 3-Drawer Writing Desk with Leather Top
Located in San Francisco, CA
of pegged construction the serpentine top with hand-tooled maroon leather insert above a shaped apron fitted with 3 drawers adorned with rocaille brass escutcheons; all raised on gra...
Category
Antique Early 1900s French Rococo Revival Desks
Materials
Wood
$7,040 Sale Price
20% Off
MID-19th CENTURY NAPOLEON III VENEERED WRITING DESK
Located in Firenze, FI
A beautiful and elegant centerpiece writing desk, featuring high-quality venereed walnut and brown
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Napoleon III Desks
Materials
Bronze
Queen Anne Style Black Lacquer Writing Desk, 20th Century
Located in Lisbon, PT
Elegant Queen Anne Style writing desk refinished in black lacquer the 20th century, featuring
Category
20th Century English Queen Anne Desks
Materials
Brass
$5,933 Sale Price
50% Off
Vintage Swedish Drop-Leaf Secretaire Writing Desk c. 1950
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant drop-leaf secretaire writing desk crafted from golden elm and glowing ribbon mahogany with
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks
Materials
Birch, Elm, Mahogany
19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Walnut Wood Writing Desk
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Elegant antique Italian writing desk. Rare and precious solid walnut wood. Comfortable size for a
Category
Antique 1850s Italian Louis Philippe Desks
Materials
Walnut
$5,718 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century French Louis XVI Style Satinwood Writing Desk W/ Green Vinyl
Located in Astoria, NY
An elegant late 19th-century French writing desk in the Louis XVI style, sourced from Provence
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks
Materials
Brass
Mid Century Modern Teak Desk
Located in Nantucket, MA
A simple and elegant Mid-Century Modern teak writing desk with splayed legs and featuring two front
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Teak
Pierre Bloch and Charles Dudouyt Desk, 1950s
By Pierre Bloch, Charles Dudouyt, La Gentilhommiere
Located in Paris, FR
) and manufactured by La Gentilhommière (1933-1960) in the 1950s. This writing desk with elegant
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Oak
Jean Claude Mahey Desk in Lacquered Wood
Brass, 1970s
By Jean Claude Mahey
Located in Meer, VAN
interior. Great as a writing desk or as a vanity desk.
Please note: we also have the original table
Category
Mid-20th Century French Hollywood Regency Desks
Materials
Brass
Art Deco / Neoclassical Revival Walnut Desk, France, circa 1940
By Jean Pascaud
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
Elegant desk / writing table / secretaire in walnut, divided into 2 parts:
- office part with 5
Category
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Desks
Materials
Bronze
$4,765 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique 19th century warm brown English Oak Regency Slant-Front Desk
Located in Casteren, NL
structurally sound, clean, and fully ready for use – whether as a writing desk, elegant storage solution, or
Category
Antique Early 19th Century British Regency Desks
Materials
Brass
$4,908 Sale Price
20% Off
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Elegant Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the elegant writing desk you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, metal and brass, every elegant writing desk was constructed with great care. If you’re shopping for an elegant writing desk, we have 133 options in-stock, while there are 2 modern editions to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer elegant writing desk, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. An elegant writing desk made by Mid-Century Modern designers — as well as those associated with Art Deco — is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made elegant writing desk over the years, but those crafted by Paul Frankl, Baker Furniture Company and Haslev Mobelsnedkeri are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
How Much is a Elegant Writing Desk?
Prices for an elegant writing desk can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $645 and can go as high as $27,100, while the average can fetch as much as $4,800.
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 Elegant Writing Desk
- 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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