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Helmut Magg, Desk for WK Möbel, 1954
By WK Möbel, Helmut Magg
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
The desk by Helmut Magg has two drawers in the front and a slanted shelf (book rib) in the back for
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Formica, Cherry

Desk on lion legs, Western Europe, circa 1920.
Located in Chorzów, PL
Desk on lion legs, Western Europe, circa 1920. Very good condition. Wood: oak + walnut
Category

Vintage 1920s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak, Walnut

Fine Walnut Desk from the Baltic Region, Ca. 1810
Located in Atlanta, GA
A fine German desk dating from the 1st quarter of the 19th century. The highly figured solid walnut
Category

Antique 19th Century German Desks and Writing Tables

Mid Century desk WK Möbel Helmut Magg 1950
By WK Möbel, Helmut Magg
Located in Berlin, DE
We are offering a beautiful scissor desk by WK Möbel from the 1950s for sale. The design is by
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Art Deco dressing table with chair, Germany, circa 1940s
Located in Chorzów, PL
Art Deco dressing table with chair. Elegant dressing table with a chair in the Art Deco style. The furniture has been professionally renovated and is in very good condition. The dres...
Category

Vintage 1930s German Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Freestanding Executive Desk in Teak with Sideboard, 1960s
By Christian Holzäpfel, Herbert Hirche
Located in Antwerpen, VAN
Large L-shaped desk produced in Germany around 1960. Designer is currently unknown but it reminds a
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Vintage Kidney Shaped Desk Attributed to Eduard Ludvig
Located in London, GB
An outstanding vintage kidney shaped desk attributed to Eduard Ludvig, the well known German
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Laminate, Walnut

Ernest Igl Design Desk by Wilhelm Werndl, 1970
By Wilhelm Werndl
Located in Miami, FL
A 1970s desk designed by Wilhelm Igl Design. White gloss lacquer on fiber glass with a stainless
Category

Vintage 1970s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

19th c. black forest antler table or desk
Located in Berghuelen, DE
a large antique antler table or desk with drawer. decorated with serveral antler from the deer
Category

Antique 19th Century German Black Forest Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Antler

Office Desk on Lion Legs, Western Europe, circa 1930
Located in Chorzów, PL
Study desk, Western Europe, circa 1930. Very good condition. Wood: walnut dimensions
Category

Vintage 1930s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Wilkhahn Hartmut Lohmeyer teak and oak conference desk 1959
By Hartmut Lohmeyer
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Fantastic oak and teak conference desk designed by Hartmut Lohmeyer for WIlkhahn, Germany 1959
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak, Oak

Art Deco Marcel Breuer Bauhaus Desk for Thonet
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Paris, FR
Tubular steel desk with two red Bordeaux varnished wooden drawers designed by the Bauhaus architect
Category

Vintage 1930s German Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Glass, Wood

German Biedermeier Period Cherrywood and Ebonized Library Table, circa 1835
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a rectangular top with vertical veneers and a thick horizontal banding and an ebonized edge, the case housing three drawers the fronts of which are stamped with a decorative d...
Category

Antique 1830s German Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cherry

Rare Freestanding Desk in Teak by Heinrich Althoff, 1960s
Located in Antwerpen, VAN
Very cool freestanding desk produced by Heinrich Althoff around 1960. Made of teak wood with
Category

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

Materials

Teak

Executive Rosewood Desk by Herbert Hirche with Sculpted Cast Aluminium Base
By Christian Holzäpfel, Herbert Hirche
Located in Renens, CH
is certainly one of the most beautiful, rare and outstandingly crafted executive writing desks ever
Category

Vintage 1960s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Early German Carpenter s And Joiner s Workbench with Chrome Standoff Glass Top
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Early German carpenter's and joiner's workbench with chrome standoff glass top. Clear 1/2" thick
Category

Antique Late 19th Century German Rustic Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Segmented Base Executive Desk by Charles Eames for Vitra
By Vitra, Charles Eames
Located in Dronten, NL
Special order executive desk or conference table, made by Vitra in 2011. Custom order solid ash
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Mid Century Brutalist Desk in Bog Oak and Mahogany, around 1970s
Located in Berlin, DE
South Germany. It is one of a kind and done beautifully by the carpenter. As the writing table was
Category

Vintage 1970s German Brutalist Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany, Bog Wood

Midcentury Desk in the Style of Helmut Magg, Vereinigte Werkstätten
By Vereinigte Werkstätten Für Kunst Im Handwerk, Helmut Magg
Located in Munster, NRW
very nice - small & cubistic Desk...in the style of Helmut Magg. ideal homeoffice...can be used
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

IGL Design Monumental Fiberglass Directors Desk by Wilhelm Werndl
By Igl Design, Wilhelm Werndl
Located in Dronten, NL
This exceptional Wilhelm Werndl desk is made of molded fiberglass with a brushed stainless steel
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Vintage Profilsystem Collection Desk by Elmar Flötotto for Flötotto, 1980 s
By Elmar Flötotto
Located in Lisboa, PT
This desk from the Profilsystem Collection, was designed by Elmar Flötotto for Flötotto, in Germany
Category

Vintage 1980s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Beech

Oak Desk with Integrated Shelf and Ebonized Legs by Hartmut Lohmeyer
By Hartmut Lohmeyer, Wilkhahn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
German modernist desk designed by Hartmut Lohmeyer in the 1960s and produced by Wilkhahn. This two
Category

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

Materials

Oak

Antique Desk on Lion Legs, Western Europe, Around 1910, After Renovation
Located in Chorzów, PL
An office desk from the early 20th century. Manufactured in Germany in circa 1910 Furniture
Category

Vintage 1910s German Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak, Walnut

Sputnik Desk or Table with Brass Legs and Glass Top
Located in Voorburg, NL
Unique Sputnik leg table or desk, 1990s 'Hollywood style. Simple, sophisticated and very nice
Category

1990s German Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Ernest IGL "IGL Jet" Desk Limited Edition, Used in MIB III
By Ernest Igl
Located in Van Nuys, CA
In 1970 Ernest Igl designed the Jet desk, which became a cult object collected along with Eames and
Category

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

Outstanding and Exquisite Art Deco Inlaid Exotic Wood Bullet Desk/Dining Table
Located in New York, NY
Outstanding and exquisite is the only way to describe this special desk. The top features all
Category

20th Century German Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Iconic "Lady Desk" by Helmut Magg for WK Möbel, Midcentury, 1950s
By Helmut Magg
Located in Wrocław, Poland
This is the famous desk designed by Helmut Magg, also known as "Lady Desk”. Produced by Neue
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Iconic "Lady Desk" by Helmut Magg for WK Möbel, Midcentury, 1950s
By Helmut Magg
Located in Wrocław, Poland
This is the famous desk designed by Helmut Magg, also known as „Lady Desk”. Produced by Neue
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ash

Iconic "Lady Desk" by Helmut Magg for WK Möbel, Midcentury, 1950s
By Helmut Magg
Located in Wrocław, Poland
This is the famous desk designed by Helmut Magg, also known as „Lady Desk”. Produced by Neue
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ash

Iconic "Lady Desk" by Helmut Magg for WK Möbel, Midcentury, 1950s
By Helmut Magg
Located in Wrocław, Poland
This is the famous desk designed by Helmut Magg, also known as „Lady Desk”. Produced by Neue
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ash

Vintage Desk Set with Cabinets Designed by Elmar Flötotto for Flötotto, 1980s
By Elmar Flötotto
Located in Oirlo, LI
This German desk is part of the Profilsystem collection, designed by Elmar Flötotto for the
Category

Vintage 1980s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Beech

18th Century small Ladies Desk or Dressing Table, Louis XVI Poudreuse, c. 1780
Located in Greven, DE
Small make-up and writing desk South Germany Louis XVI circa 1780 Dimensions: H x W x D: 74 x 96
Category

Antique Late 18th Century German Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Reinforced glass and stainless steel desk on castors by Thomas Wendtland
Located in London, GB
Stainless steel desk / small dining table, with wire ribbed glass and castors. Designed in late 80
Category

Late 20th Century German Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Space Age Green Chrome Desk Horn Collection From Baydur Systems 1970 s
By Peter Ghyczy
Located in Norwich, GB
A fabulous space age two drawer desk in green and chrome. Horn Collection From Baydur Systems
Category

Late 20th Century German Space Age Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

directors desk Igl Jet Top by Ernest Igl for Wilhelm Werndl - 1970s
By Ernest Igl, Wilhelm Werndl
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
Igl Jet Top directors desk made out of molded Baydur (Fiberglas) Strong shapes and practical
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Fiberglass, Polystyrene

German Bauhaus Table by Thonet, Fully Restored, 1930s
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Table with a tubular chromed steel frame. Manufactured by Thonet, Germany, in the 1930s. Designer
Category

Vintage 1930s Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chrome

Rare Bauhaus Desk with Tubular Frame and 8 Drawers in style of Marcel Breuer
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a stunning Bauhaus desk featuring characteristic tubular frame for
Category

Vintage 1930s German Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Rare and Early B14 Table or Desk by Marcel Breuer for Thonet
By Marcel Breuer
Located in Munich, DE
ebonized wood chromed metal. marked and in good vintage condition. matching stool also available.
Category

Early 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Prototype Luigi Colani Rappelkiste from Elbro 1st Edition Private Collection
By Elbro, Luigi Colani
Located in Munster, NRW
Rappelkiste German design by Luigi Colani for Elbro/ August Ellerbrok. Draft of 1975. Frame of solid of
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

50s drawing table by Nestler adjustable height
Located in Neuss, NW
Germany, manufacturer: Nestler (branding on the frame). Working height 87 cm Height 100 - 175 cm Depth
Category

Vintage 1950s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Iron

6x Original Egon Eiermann Schreibtisch Richard Lampert Metall
By Egon Eiermann, Richard Lampert
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten 6 wunderschöne und klassische Schreibtische von Egon Eiermann zum Verkauf an. Das Design stammt von Richard Lamprecht aus den 1950er Jahren, der diesen Tisch als Professor...
Category

Early 2000s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Luigi Colani Furniture for Children Rappelkiste, 1975
By Elbro, Luigi Colani
Located in Munster, NRW
Luigi Colani. Furniture for children 'Rappelkiste', 1975. Made by Elbro, Germany. Beechwood
Category

Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Biedermeier Country Pine Work Table with Drawer, circa 1825
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
drawer, Northern Germany, circa early 1800s. Perfect as a kitchen work table Note: Should it be needed
Category

Antique 1820s German Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Walnut Biedermeier Secretary, C.1860
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Biedermeier secretary, made in Germany C.1860 Beautiful mix of walnut and ebony, flanked with
Category

Antique 1860s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Philipp Plein office black table in split leather with a crocodile skin effect
By Philipp Plein
Located in Valladolid, ES
tribute to the grandiosity and wild creativity of this unique and eccentric German decorator. Exclusive
Category

Early 2000s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather

Original Philipp Plein Design Stainless Steel Bauhaus Style Work Table and Chair
By Philipp Plein
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The German born Philipp Plein knows no compromises when designing fashion and in this case
Category

Early 2000s German Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Architects Table, 1930
Located in Berlin, DE
A German architects table, circa 1930 with an oak base and poplar-top by the company "Gebrüder
Category

Vintage 1930s German Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak, Poplar

Jasper Morrison for Vitra White NesTable
By Jasper Morrison, Vitra
Located in Basildon, London
Originally designed by Jasper Morrison in 2007, the NesTable is the perfect combination of sleek design and modern practicality. The NesTable is a versatile piece which allows wor...
Category

2010s German Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

New Tendency Masa Table with Iridescent Glass Top Brass Base
Located in Vancouver, BC
Masa is a table suitable for the office or home. The positioning of the signature forked legs provide optimal legroom and maximize functionality – easily dismantled, the base can be ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Vintage Teak Schreibtisch WK Möbel Midcentury danish design 1960
By WK Möbel
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen wunderschönen Vintage Teak Schreibtisch aus den 1960er Jahren zum Verkauf an. Der von WK Möbel hergestellte Tisch verfügt über zwei tiefe Schubladen für großzügigen ...
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Teak

Architect s Office Table by Behr International, 1960s
By Behr
Located in Paris, IDF
This modern office desk which published by Behr International in the early 1960s, has strong
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Stainless Steel

Segmented Base Conference Table by Charles Eames for Vitra
By Vitra, Charles Eames
Located in Dronten, NL
Very large Charles & Ray Eames Segmented Base conference table made by Vitra in 2007. Custom order walnut book matched veneer one piece tabletop. Marked with Vitra label. Used until ...
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Charles Eames Segmented Base Conference Table in Beech by Vitra
By Vitra, Charles Eames
Located in Dronten, NL
Large Charles & Ray Eames Segmented Base conference table manufactured by Vitra in 2001. Beautiful beech book matched veneer one piece tabletop, marked with production date label. Th...
Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

German Biedermeier Art Deco Walnut Bureau Plat Writing Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
German Biedermeier Art Deco Walnut Bureau Plat Writing Desk with Embossed Leather Top, 20th Century
Category

20th Century German Art Deco Desks

Materials

Walnut

Hand-Painted Writing Bureau Desk of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria Germany
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for auction this lovely hand painted writing Bureau depicting
Category

20th Century German Modern Desks

Materials

Pine, Paint

Early 20th Century Walnut Art Deco Writing Desk
Located in Darmstadt, DE
The writing desk is made of solid walnut wood. The desk is from circa 1925 and can be opened with a
Category

Early 20th Century German Art Deco Desks

Materials

Walnut

Louis XVI Cabinet with writing desk, Germany 1780, Walnut veneer
Located in Belmont, MA
sloping writing flap reveals a secretary desk, perfect for both writing and storage. Crafted with a
Category

Antique 1780s German Louis XVI Cabinets

Materials

Walnut

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German Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic German writing desk available at 1stDibs. A German writing desk — often made from wood, metal and hardwood — can elevate any home. There are 204 variations of the antique or vintage German writing desk you’re looking for, while we also have 41 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer German writing desk, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. A German writing desk is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Mid-Century Modern, Modern and Art Deco styles are sought with frequency. Many designers have produced at least one well-made German writing desk over the years, but those crafted by Helmut Magg, Marcel Breuer and ClassiCon are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a German Writing Desk?

Prices for a German writing desk can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $737 and can go as high as $125,000, while the average can fetch as much as $4,664.

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 German 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 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 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 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.