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20th Century Elegant Veneered Bureau Plat/Writing Desk in Louis XV Style
Located in Berlin, DE
Elegant veneered bureau plat / desk in Louis XV style
Solid beech wood and veneer. Very fine
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
20th Century Elegant Veneered Bureau Plat/Writing Desk in Louis XV Style
Located in Berlin, DE
Elegant veneered bureau plat / desk in Louis XV style
Solid beech wood and veneer. Very fine
Category
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Elegant Wood and Ebonized Wood Writing Desk with Brass Handles, Italy, 1940s
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in wood and ebonized wood. It features brass handles.
The top has a wooden insert: during the restoration of this piece, it was necessary a wooden veneered insert on the top (a...
Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Small Gustavian Desk
Located in Kastrup, DK
Elegant small Gustavian desk, black painted oak. 1 drawer. Tapered legs with canals.
Category
Antique 19th Century Danish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Elegant Desk by Langkilde
By Langkilde Møbler, Svend Langkilde
Located in Lejre, DK
Elegant freestanding desk in rosewood designed by cabinetmaker Svend Langkilde for Illums Bolighus
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Elegant Asian Lacquered Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Asian lacquered desk ornately covered in persimmon colored flowers, scroll and fret work with gold
Category
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables
Art Deco Teak Writing Desk
Located in Topanga, CA
An elegant Art Deco teak writing desk of fine quality, with a solid teak top. The desk displays a
Category
20th Century Indian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
Elegant Neoclassical Desk by Baker
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant neoclassical desk, designed for Baker, circa 1960s. It is a versatile size and would make a
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Neoclassical Desk by Baker
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant neoclassical desk, designed for Baker, circa 1960s. It is a versatile size and would make a
Category
Vintage 1960s American Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
20th Century Louis Phillippe Writing Desk
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Beautiful and elegant Louis Philippe writing desk in a burl mahogany wood with leather and bronze
Category
Vintage 1950s French Louis Philippe Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Regency Style Faux Bamboo Writing Desk
Located in Southampton, NJ
An elegant Regency style faux bamboo writing desk of solid mahogany construction on brass casters
Category
2010s American Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Writing Desk Louis XVI Style
Located in Madrid, ES
Simple and elegant French writing desk, in Louis XVI style, made of mahogany palm wood, with the
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Italian Antique Rustic Table Desk Writing Table
Located in Carimate, Como
Very charming and elegant Italian table or desk writing table with stylish carved legs, wood and
Category
20th Century Italian Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Elegant Danish Midcentury Desk in Teak
Located in Lejre, DK
Elegant freestanding desk in teak designed and made in the 1950s. Made in Denmark, great original
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
Elegant Neoclassical Writing Table by Maison Jansen, France 1950.
By Maison Jansen
Located in Brussels, BE
Elegant Black lacquer writing table with brass details.
Original green leather top.
Two drawers and
Category
Vintage 1950s French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Aldo Tura Brown Goatskin Desk
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Brown parchment veneered office desk by Aldo Tura.
It is brass trimmed with a row of three drawers.
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Stunning Elegant Lucite and Brass Desk
Located in North York, ON
A gorgeous desk with a rectangular Lucite top floating on a base of cylindrical Lucite legs
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Italian Classic Walnut Marquetry Desk Writing Table
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian desk writing table with amazing veneer wood marquetry decorations, double
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Paolo buffa cherrywood writing desk, Italy, 1940s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
An elegant cherrywood writing desk with fabric-covered drawers, design by Paolo Buffa, Italian
Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Fabric, Cherry
Louis XVI Style Cherrywood Writing Desk, 19th Century
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
Elegant Louis XVI-style cherrywood writing desk, featuring 2 drawers and two pull-out shelves. The
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Elegant X Base Desk or Console Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant console table or desk, American, circa 1950s. This piece is a versatile size and can be
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Elegant Desk Designed by Severin Hansen Jr.
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
Elegant Desk Designed by Severin Hansen Jr.
By Severin Hansen Jr., 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
Vintage Restored Palm Beach Regency Desk Writing Table
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage restored palm beach Regency desk writing table
Offered for sale is an elegant Palm Beach
Category
Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Italian 19th Century Desk, Writing Table in Walnut
Located in Round Top, TX
A very elegant mid-19th century desk - writing table from Italy. Beautifully constructed with
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Classic Modern French Mirrored Writing Table Desk Vanity
Located in West Hartford, CT
Elegant mirrored large writing table/desk or bedroom vanity.
Circa late 20th century. Not a cheap
Category
Late 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mirror, Wood
Elegant vintage Italian desk with green glass
By Midcentury Italian school
Located in Milano, IT
desk that's nothing short of a masterpiece, a testament to the era's refined taste and attention to
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
French Ebonized Writing 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, Bronze
Elegant 18th Century French Louis XVI Desk
Located in Houston, TX
Lovely French Louis XVI slant front desk with beautiful painted and gilt detail.
Category
Antique 18th Century Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
20th Century Ladies Writing Desk by Vittorio Dassi
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An Italian Vittorio Dassi elegant lady’s writing desk made of Rosewood with patinated brass sabots
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Diminutive Louis Philippe Style Parquetry Writing Table Desk
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Elegant writing table or desk made on a diminutive scale in the French Louis Philippe taste. The
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis Philippe Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
McGuire Organic Modern Oak Rattan Writing Table Desk
By McGuire
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Elegant organic modern writing table or desk designed by Elinor McGuire in the California coastal
Category
20th Century American Organic Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Black Lacquer Writing Table by Maison Jansen, France 1950
By Maison Jansen
Located in Brussels, BE
Elegant neoclassical black lacquer "bureau plat" with his black leather top.
Three drawers and
Category
Vintage 1950s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Nice and Elegant Desk by Arne Vodder
By Arne Vodder
Located in Munich, DE
Made by Sibast. Two big lockable drawers. Good condition.
Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Mid-Century Modern Desk EB02 Designed by Cees Braakman for USM Pastoe
By Cees Braakman, Pastoe
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Elegant writing desk designed in 1952 by Cees Braakman for USM Pastoe.
The desk is made of plywood
Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Birch, Plywood
Elegant Leather Top French Desk or Bureau Plat
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant leather top French desk or bureau plat believed to be circa 1950s, possibly earlier
Category
Vintage 1950s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
1950
s Elegant Teak Italian Desk or Console
Located in Geneva, CH
1950s elegant teak Italian or Scandinavian desk or console
3 front drawers with aluminum handle
Category
Vintage 1950s European Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
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. It has
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Desk or Vanity Designed by Paul Frankl
By Paul Frankl, Johnson Furniture Co.
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
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
Italian Antique Walnut Brass Glass Top Desk Writing Table
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian antique desk or writing table with stylish carved legs veneer wood with two
Category
20th Century Italian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Nanna Ditzel Rosewood Writing Desk by Søren Willadsen Mobelfabrik
By Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel, Soren Willadsen Mobelfabrik
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This elegant midcentury writing desk was designed by Nanna & Jørgen Ditzel. The desk is
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Italian 1950
s Oak Three Drawer Sculptural Writing Desk
Located in New York, NY
An elegant Italian 1950's oak writing desk or table with three drawers on the apron, supported by
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Louis XVI-Style Mahogany Writing Desk with Leather Top
Located in Atlanta, GA
An elegant Louis XVI–style flat writing desk crafted in waxed blond mahogany, combining refined
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
An elegant French leather-top ebonized desk C 1940.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An elegant French leather-top ebonized desk C 1940. In the manner of Louis XVI, the desk has an
Category
Vintage 1940s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant Cherry Wood Desk by Maison Jansen, France 1950.
By Maison Jansen
Located in Brussels, BE
Elegant cherry desk in the Louis XVI style.
Black leather top, two brass keys, two drawers in
Category
Vintage 1950s French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant and Rare Art Nouveau Bamboo Children
s Writing Table and Chair, 1900s
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Elegant and rare Art Nouveau bamboo children's writing table and chair, 1900s.
With original green
Category
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Nickel
Antique French Writing Desk with Custom Glass and Two Drawers
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Antique Cherry finished writing desk with elegant carved legs and a carved back-board. This item
Category
Antique 19th Century Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry
Italian Marquetry Walnut Burl Secretary Slant Front Desk Writing Table
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian desk, writing table, with slant drop front, with the beautiful light and dark
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
1960s Mid-Century Modern Burl Wood Writing Desk by Henredon
By Henredon
Located in Elkton, MD
Elegant Mid-Century Modern writing desk by Henredon, c. 1960s, featuring a richly figured burl wood
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Burl
Antique Louis XVI Table Writing Desk In Walnut - Italy 19th
Located in Atlanta, GA
This elegant Louis XVI-style writing desk, crafted in solid walnut, dates to the early 19th century
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
French Art Deco Style Macassar Ebony Writing Desk, Late 20th C.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An elegant macassar ebony writing desk. Top in the middle section covered with leather. One central
Category
Late 20th Century Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ebony, Macassar
Italian Antique Solid Walnut Bobbin Turned Rustic Console Table Writing Desk
Located in Carimate, Como
Very charming and elegant Italian antique table desk writing table in solid walnut wood with
Category
20th Century Italian Rustic Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
French Marquetry Inlay Walnut Burl Secretary Slant Front Desk Writing Table
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant French secretary desk, writing table, with slant drop front and bottom drawers, with
Category
Mid-20th Century French Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Elegant L Shaped 1950s Desk with Fine Macassar Ebony Details
Located in Den Haag, NL
Elegant L-shaped 1950s desk with Macassar Ebony details.
Shelf and handles are from Macassar Ebony
Category
Vintage 1950s European Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Fruitwood, Macassar
Elegant X Base Oak and Iron Desk by Cleo Baldon
By Cleo Baldon, Terra
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant X Base Oak and Iron Desk designed by Cleo Baldon for Terra Furniture of California
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Iron
French Marquetry Inlay Walnut Burl Secretary Slant Front Desk Writing Table
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant French desk, writing table, with slant drop front, with the beautiful inlay decors in
Category
Mid-20th Century French Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
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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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