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Elegant Louis XVI Ebonized Faux Partner
s Desk
Located in Austin, TX
French antique Louis XVI style faux partner's desk, ebonized and French polished, with original
Category
Early 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather
Cees Braakman Small Writing Desk for Pastoe, Netherlands
By Cees Braakman, Pastoe
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Elegant small writing desk by Cees Braakman. Tripod legs black painted (original) and oak veneer
Category
Vintage 1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Antique Inlaid Yew Wood Escritoire Writing Table / Desk
Located in London, GB
A stunning & elegant antique writing table/ desk in yew wood. This is in the classic Sheraton style
Category
Vintage 1930s British Sheraton Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Yew
Antique Victorian Mahogany Leather Top Writing Table / Desk
Located in London, GB
A smart and elegant Victorian writing table desk in mahogany, this dates from circa 1860-1880
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Inlaid Mahogany Ladies Writing Desk, Denmark
Located in Round Top, TX
Distinctive and elegant, this small ladies writing desk has decorative inlaid brass filigree
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Danish Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
1950s Ebonized Wood Writing Desk With Blue Details
Located in IT
Elegant freestanding writing desk from the 1950s, crafted in ebonized black wood. The front is
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
An Elegant English Edwardian Marquetry Inlaid Rosewood Desk
Located in San Francisco, CA
An elegant English Edwardian marquetry inlaid rosewood 3-drawer writing desk with leather top; the
Category
Early 20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany Carlton House Desk Regency Writing Table
Located in Potters Bar, GB
cubby holes and small drawers in the raised section
The Carlton House Desk is an elegant writing desk
Category
Antique Early 1900s Regency Revival Desks
Materials
Leather, Wood
Elegant Scandinavian Burr Walnut Art Deco Pedestal Desk
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Beautiful burr walnut desk, circa 1930.
1 piece desk, with matched walnut veneer writing surface
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Elegant Burl Amboyna Writing Table Attributed to Ernest Boiceau, France, 1930
By Ernest Boiceau
Located in Brussels, BE
Elegant burl amboyna writing table, one drawer with a large brass ring.
Fully veneered all sides
Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Black/ Ebonized Executive Desk by Mount Airy
By Baker Furniture Company, Mount Airy Furniture Company
Located in Houston, TX
Elegant executive desk by Mount Airy. Desk has wonderful lines with a slightly bowed shape and an
Category
Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Elegant Rosewood Desk by Edward Wormley for Dunbar
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant Rosewood and Mahogany Desk, designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, American, circa 1950's.
Category
Vintage 1950s American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Louis XVI-Style Bronze-Mounted Bureauplat Desk
Located in New York, NY
Elegant Louis XVI-Style Bronze-Mounted Bureau Plat Desk w. Leather top and bronze trim, on tapered
Category
Antique 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Elegant Black Lacquer Oval Desk with Bronze Hardware
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant Black Lacquer Oval Desk with Bronze Hardware, probably American, circa 1940's. It is
Category
Vintage 1940s American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
19th Century Swedish Black-Painted Writing Desk with Brass Fittings
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant 19th-century Swedish writing desk in pine, finished in a rich black patina that highlights
Category
Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Elegant Desk with Black Glass Top, Italy, 1950s
Located in New York, NY
Elegant desk with a black glass top, two drawers and an open shelf. The legs and edges have been
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Superb Sleek Italian Mid-Century Modern Burlwood Writing Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Very elegant and sleek Italian writing desk having gorgeous grain burlwood, cabriole legs, and 3
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Burl
Elegant Desk or Vanity Designed by Paul Frankl
By Paul Frankl
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant desk or vanity designed by Paul Frankl for Johnson Furniture, American, circa 1950s. This
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Fine Large Executive Italian Writing Desk by Dassi, 1955
By Dassi
Located in Rome, IT
Elegant executive writing desk produced by Dassi, 1955.
Four drawers, aerodynamics form
very
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Rosewood
20th Century Inlaid Writing Desk in Louis XV Style
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Elegant French writing desk of the 20th century. Furniture in Louis XV style inlaid in rosewood
Category
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Unique Restored Czech Biedermeier Ash Writing Desk, 1830s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant Biedermeier style writing desk originates from Bohemia from the first half of the 19th
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Czech Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
1950s Desk with Elegant, Slanted Solid Wood Legs
Located in Wolfurt, AT
This desk was designed by Paul Laszlo for Brown Saltman (USA) between 1955 and 1960. It is made of
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Nutwood
Italian Elegant Desk on Brass X Shaped Legs
By Bodil Kjaer
Located in Antwerp, BE
Mahogany desk with two drawers mounted on a stunning brass and black frame
Italy, 1970s
Feels
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Neo-Classical Style Hunt Table or Desk
Located in Palm Springs, CA
An elegant mid-century modern hunt table in the regency taste with central drawer. Bronze banded
Category
20th Century American Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Elegant Mid-18th Century Italian, Genovese, Walnut Scrivania or Writing Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
Finished on all sides and having a rectangular top with a molded edge above a conforming case housing one locking drawer and with fruitwood inlays at the front sides, the sides of th...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Very Elegant Roll-Top Secretaire or Bureau Desk, 1790s
Located in Greding, DE
Very elegant roll-top secretaire or bureau desk, cherrywood.
Classicism style.
West Germany
Category
Antique 1790s German Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry
Elegant Desk and Chair by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
By T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant Desk and Chair, designed by T.H. Robsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb, circa 1950's. Refinished
Category
Vintage 1950s American Desks and Writing Tables
1950s Danish Writing Desk by Helmut Magg — Restored Design Classic
By Helmut Magg
Located in Las Vegas, NV
1950s Danish Writing Desk by Helmut Magg — Restored Design Classic
This elegant lady's writing desk
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Walnut
French Ebonized Writing Table or Desk with Embossed Leather Top
Located in Austin, TX
An elegant French bureau writing desk (or table) of ebonized mahogany, in the Louis XVI style
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
Napoleon III Boulle Marquetry Brass Tortoiseshell Travel Writing Desk, France
By André-Charles Boulle
Located in Paris, FR
Extremely elegant big size elegant travel writing desk in Boulle style decorated with brass and
Category
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Neoclassical Rolltop Desk Brazilian Rosewood Cherry, France, 1700
Located in Milano, IT
Elegant rolltop desk with moved legs, five drawers and a pull-out drawer with gold decorations
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry, Rosewood
Elegant Desk in Walnut by T.H. Robsjohn Gibbings
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Desk No. 3155 in dark brown walnut with silver pulls by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb
Category
Vintage 1950s American Desks and Writing Tables
Elegant 19th c. Transition style desk with leather top
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
. Gilded bronze
. Geometrical marquetry
. One drawer
. Leather top
Category
Antique 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Antique French Country Louis XV Walnut Writing Desk Table, Circa 1920
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This elegant antique French Louis XV writing desk table, dating to the early 20th century circa
Category
Vintage 1920s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
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
19th Century, Antique 5-Drawer English Mahogany Writing Desk from Denmark
Located in Round Top, TX
Distinctive and elegant, this English mahogany writing desk has 5 functioning drawers in addition
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Danish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
20th Century Burl Wood French Napoleon III Style Writing Desk, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Elegant French writing desk from the second half of the 20th century. Wavy and rounded furniture in
Category
Mid-20th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Vintage 5-Drawer English Mahogany Writing Desk with Green Leather Top
Located in Round Top, TX
Distinctive and elegant, this English mahogany writing desk has 5 functioning drawers in addition
Category
Early 20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Elegant Rosewood Veneered Desk Inlaid Decorations Glass Brass Vintage, Italy
Located in Milano, IT
An elegant rosewood veneered desk with inlaid decorations, back-painted glass, brass tips
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Rosewood
Elegant Freestanding Desk Designed by Erik Risager Hansen, Midcentury Danish
By Haslev Mobelsnedkeri, Erik Riisager Hansen 1
Located in Lejre, DK
Elegant freestanding Danish rosewood desk designed by Erik Risager Hansen for Haslev Furniture in
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Elegant Desk and Chair designed by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
By T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant Desk and Chair, designed by T.H. Robsjohn Gibbings for Widdicomb, circa 1950s. This piece
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Mid-Century Desk Designed by Severin Hansen Jr. 1950s
By Severin Hansen, Haslev Mobelsnedkeri
Located in Lejre, DK
Elegant freestanding Danish design rosewood desk with four drawers designed by Severin Hansen Jr
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
1950s Danish Campaign Writing Desk In Mahogany
Leather By Svend Langkilde
By Svend Langkilde
Located in Shepperton, Surrey
An elegant 1950s Danish writing desk by Svend Langkilde for Langkilde Møbler, in mahogany, brass
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant French LXVI Ebonized Mahogany 3 Drawer Bureau Plat/Desk
Located in BENSENVILLE, IL
Sophisticated and elegant, this gorgeous desk emphasizes fine French craftsmanship and design
Category
Vintage 1930s French Desks and Writing Tables
French Art Deco elegant wood
silver leaf console/vanity/ desk
Located in New York City, NY
and silver leaf small writing table with elegant fluted and tapered legs typical of the Art Deco
Category
Early 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Restored Bauhaus Writing Desk, by Robert Slezák, Oak, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
By Robert Slezák
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant Bauhaus writing desk originates from Czechoslovakia from the 1930s. It is an authentic
Category
Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel, Chrome
Antique French Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Leather Top Writing Desk
Located in North York, ON
Antique French Louis XV style gilt bronze mounted leather top writing desk. This elegantly sculpted
Category
Antique 1890s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Elegant Art Deco Desk in Macassar Ebony with 2 Drawers, 1970s
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
, American, 1970s. This desk is beautifully made in exceptional materials. A very elegant design.
Category
Vintage 1970s American Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Macassar
Elegant Desk by Nanna Ditzel for Søren Willadsen Møbelfabrik, Denmark, 1958
By Nanna Ditzel, Soren Willadsen Mobelfabrik
Located in Antwerp, BE
Elegant desk by Nanna Ditzel for Søren Willadsen Møbelfabrik, Denmark 1958. This desk is model ND93
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
French Louis XV Satinwood and Mahogany Bureau Plat Leather Top Writing Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Elegant French Louis XV style writing desk or bureau plat desk with stunning diamond marquetry on
Category
Vintage 1970s American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Elegant Danish Midcentury Desk in Teak Designed by Hvidt
Mølgaard, 1960s
By Søborg Møbelfabrik, Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen, Peter Hvidt
Located in Lejre, DK
Elegant freestanding desk in teak designed by Peter Hvidt and Orla Mølgaard for Søborg furniture in
Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
Elegant Desk Attributed to Paolo Buffa, Rosewood, Brass, Parchment Paper, Glass
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Milano, IT
An elegant desk with three drawers attributed to Paolo Buffa. Rosewood, brass, parchment paper top
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
19th Century French Empire Style Marble-Top, Ormolu-Mounted Ladies Writing Desk
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
This elegant ladies writing desk or library table features a dark green marble top above an ormolu
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Elegant Executive Desk by Theo Tempelman for AP Originals, Netherlands, 1960s
By Theo Tempelman
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Elegant 1960s executive's desk by Dutch designer Theo Tempelman produced by 'A Polak', The
Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome, Steel
Elegant Modernist Desk with Unusual Asymmetrical Top by Mallin Furniture Co
Located in Buffalo, NY
Elegant modernist desk with unusual asymmetrical top made by Mallin Furniture Co..Stunning design
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Laminate, Walnut
Restored Art Deco Writing Desk, by UP Zavody, Walnut. Polish, Czech, 1930s
By Up Závody
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This elegant Art Deco writing desk comes from Czechoslovakia from the first half of the 20th
Category
Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Walnut
Elegant French Antique Desk w/Drawers
Carved Skirt- Great Floatable Piece
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French wooden three drawer desk from the early 20th century. This antique table from France
Category
Early 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
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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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