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Stylish Mid-Century Modern Floating Top Desk by a.a.Patijn for Poly-Z 1960s
By Abraham A. Patijn
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stylish Mid-Century Modern floating top desk by A.A.Patijn for Poly-Z 1960s.
The original plastic
Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Kidney Shaped Vanity with Back Painted Green Glass, Italy 1950s
Located in Chicago, IL
A charming 1950s vanity or petite writing desk in the style of Italian architect and furniture
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Wood
American Painted Table with Two Drawers, Late 19th Century
Located in Southampton, NY
American painted table with two drawers, late 19th century
Measures: 40.5" wide x 20" deep x 31
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Exceptional 18th Century Table in Original Paint from Finland
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Exceptional period 18th century period table from Finland - scraped to original paint. This piece
Category
Antique 18th Century Finnish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
ANTiQUE ENGLISH OAK 1865 DATED NAVAL DESK OF CAPTAIN S.D GARDENER H.M.S SOLOMA
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
hand painted Naval Desk of Captain S.D Gardener of the H.M.S Soloma dated 1865
Please note the
Category
Antique Early 1900s English High Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Painted French Bureau with
Trompe L
Oeil
Leather Top, circa 1820
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant antique, painted French bureau or desk has a most unusual painted top surface. The
Category
Antique 19th Century French Charles X Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
19th Century American Rustic Table with Original Paint from Massachusetts
Located in Savannah, GA
19th Century American Rustic Table with Original Paint. Massachusetts
Category
Antique 19th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
19th Century Original Red Painted Children
s Table and Matching Chairs
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic 19th century child's original red with mustard pin striping paint folding table and two
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Antique Italian Painted Walnut Table w/Fluted Legs
Nicely Carved Apron
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian carved and painted walnut wood table (or desk) from the 19th century. This antique table
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Louis XVI painted table with reversible marble top banded in marble
Located in New Orleans, LA
A Louis XVI painted table with reversible marble top - one side black, one side white/grey banded
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble
Vintage French Provincial Petit-Bureau de Dame
Located in Forney, TX
A beautiful petit-bureau de dame (also known as bonheur de jour or lady's secretary desk). Born in
Category
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Paint
Huib Muilwijk Chair in Table Holland, 2005
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Breda, Holland 2005. This prototype writing table / desk was called table in chair. And was designed so
Category
Early 2000s Dutch Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Outstanding 18th Century Period Louis XVI Table
Located in Round Top, TX
An outstanding 18th century period Louis XVI side table - writing table in painted wood with marble
Category
Antique 18th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Black Lacquer Chinoiserie Decorated Bureau on Stand
Located in Cheshire, GB
Black lacquer chinoiserie decorated bureau on stand. Painted with typical chinoiserie landscapes
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Paint
Louis XV Style Orange Lacquer Bureau Plat / Baker Furniture Collector
s Edition
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Dallas, TX
an orange lacquered Louis XV reproduction writing desk / bureau plat by Baker Furniture Collector's
Category
20th Century American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Handcrafted Art Deco-Style Belgian Parquet Wood Top Table, circa 1920
Located in Houston, TX
One-of-a-kind, handmade table from Belgium, circa 1920. Parquet wood top with painted, interesting
Category
Vintage 1920s Belgian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Bentwood
Drexel Heritage French Provincial Louis XV Carved Walnut Secrétaire À Abattant
By Drexel
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous French Provincial Louis XV style carved walnut drop-front secretary desk with shell
Category
Vintage 1970s American French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
19th Century American Oak Library Table with Large Claw and Ball Feet
Located in Pasadena, CA
matched the exuberance of this writing desk with some of our own and have refinished it in cream and gilt
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Eastlake Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak, Paint
18th Century Rococo Table
Located in Allerum, SE
Elegant Provincial 18th century Swedish Rococo table/desk partly in its original color with two
Category
Antique 18th Century Swedish Rococo Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
19th Century English Cylinder Bureau Bookcase
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Very rare 19th century English original painted cylinder bureau bookcase, 1860
Dimensions
Category
Antique 19th Century Great Britain (UK) Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Early 20th Century Antique Swedish Farm-House Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish painted wood table with single drawer from the early 20th century. This antique table
Category
20th Century Swedish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
18th Century French Louis XV Period Bureau Plat
Located in Charleston, SC
A elegant, slender leg Louis XV period writing table with two drawers dressed with elaborate bronze
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Discounted Floor Model, Walnut Black MiMi Table by Miduny
By Ale Preda, Miduny
Located in Brooklyn, NY
creates a slender, elegant profile punctuated with painted surfaces that capture light. This modern and
Category
2010s Italian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Beech, Walnut, Plywood
Louis XVI Dressing Table, circa 1780
Located in Greding, DE
An elegant Louis XVI-style dressing or writing table, crafted circa 1780. The table is newly
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Jacques Seeuws Drafting Table and Chair for Swan
By Swan Deinze, Jacques Seeuws
Located in Los Angeles, CA
the University of Ghent, and was manufactured in Deinze by Swan. Comprising a tall desk and chair, the
Category
Vintage 1950s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
$4,500 / set
Beautiful 19th Century French Table
Located in Stockbridge, GA
Beautiful 19th century French painted table in the style of Louis XIV.
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XIV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Dennis and Leen Belgian Louis XVI Style Oak Library Table
By Dennis
Leen
Located in Rio Vista, CA
desk, console, entry, or dining table. The table measures 22.25 inches from the floor to the apron. The
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier American Louis XVI Desks and Writing Ta...
Materials
Oak
Pair of Louis XVI Style Bronze and Vernis Martin Bonheur Du Jours, P.E Guerin NY
By Bailey, Banks
Biddle, P. E. Guerin
Located in Queens, NY
A fabulous pair of Louis XVI style bronze, Vernis Martin, and marquetry Bonheur Du Jours, (Desks
Category
Antique 19th Century American Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Victorian Ebonized and Fruitwood Table
Located in Essex, MA
Rectangular top with a drawer below and fruitwood knob, raised on barley twist legs joined by a turned stretcher. Ex William Hodgins Estate.
Category
Antique Early 1700s European Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Paint
Clock Cabinet with Writers Flap from Northern Sweden
Located in Kramfors, SE
original paint. It is also possible to disassemble the cabinet, see pictures. The bottom is 102 cm high and
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Folk Art Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Wim Rietveld Pyramid table black Ahrend de Cirkel 1960
By Wim Rietveld
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
black painted metal. And a very nice original Formica top which is very nice looking on this table, it
Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Italian Carved Washed Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian style carved white washed table with bottom stretcher.
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Other Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Paint
Samerang Table
Located in New York, NY
A samerang table, in black and white distressed finish, from Indonesia.
Category
Vintage 1950s Indonesian Other Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
$999
Regency Walnut Leather Top Library Table
Located in Norwood, NJ
Fine quality tapered leg walnut, gilt and painted leather top library table. Burgundy tooled and
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Giltwood, Paint, Walnut
Gillows
Co. Renaissance Revival Mahogany Library Table, England, circa 1880
By Gillows of Lancaster
London
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A stylish table of exceedingly fine quality, this angular and austere piece was crafted during the Victorian period in the Renaissance Revival taste by the firm of Gillows and Co. du...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century British Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing ...
Materials
Ebony, Mahogany, Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Bureau
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
and two letter compartments; all run with ease. Below the writing area, there are three further
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
18th Century Swedish Bureau
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Elegant 18th Century Swedish bureau.
The exterior and interior of this lovely piece are painted
Category
Antique 18th Century Swedish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Swedish Empire Workbench
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
to secondary paint, we have had the feet extended by 8 cm so the bench sits at a good work height.
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
$4,916
French Painted Kneehole Writing Desk
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Pretty little French painted knee hole writing desk. 1860.
Dimensions
36 inches (91 cms) wide
Category
Antique 19th Century French Desks
Materials
Wood
C19th European painted cylinder writing desk
By Bonzanigo
Located in Dereham, GB
C19th European painted cylinder writing desk
Cream with blue stencil decoration.
Recently re
Category
Antique 1860s Italian Baroque Desks
Materials
Walnut
Swedish 19th Century painted pine escritoire writing desk
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Swedish 19th century painted pine escritoire writing desk circa 1870.
We are pleased to offer this
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Rustic Desks
Materials
Pine, Paint
Elegant Painted Chinese Chippendale Writing Desk
Chair
Located in Chicago, IL
Finished with a glazed paint in a driftwood taupe, this writing table/desk & matching chair have
Category
Vintage 1950s American Desks
Materials
Wood
Antique English Victorian Carlton House Painted Library Writing Desk Vinyl Top
Located in Dayton, OH
"A lovely antique late Victorian Carlton House writing desk or library table. Features a ""D"" form
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Desks
Materials
Hardwood, Paint
Vintage Oriental Bureau Inlaid Chinoiserie Hand Painted Mahogany Writing Desk
Located in Pulborough, GB
Mahogany Writing Desk
Well made and solid bureau, and it has gorgeous hand-painted details on the wood
Category
20th Century British Chinoiserie 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
Late 19th Century Vintage Regency Hand Painted Floral Writing Desk and Chair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exceptional vintage Regency writing desk. A beautiful hand painted finish with chic gilt touches
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Regency Desks
Materials
Wood, Paint
18th C Painted Writing Bureau
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Late 18th C painted writing bureau. Good fitted interior with secret drawers. 1790.
Desk height
Category
Antique 18th Century English George III Desks
Materials
Oak
Louis XVI Style Hand Painted Ladies Writing Desk with Ormolu by Paine Furniture
Located in Milford, NH
A wonderful Louis XVI style ladies slant front writing desk with hand painted genre and country
Category
Early 20th Century American Louis XVI Desks
Materials
Mahogany
Vintage Chinoiserie Style Ebonized Writing Desk
Located in Clarksboro, NJ
This listing is for a vintage Chinoiserie Style Ebonized Writing Desk. Featuring a straight line
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Desks
Materials
Brass
John Van Koert Writing Desk for Drexel
By John Van Koert
Located in Los Angeles, CA
, Paint
Condition: Excellent – Newly Refinished
Number of Items: 1
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Paint, Walnut
Mid-Century Hollywood Regency Kidney Shaped Writing Desk
Located in Vero Beach, FL
kidney shaped writing desk with gilt accents. The olive-green painted desk is decorated on all sides and
Category
20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Desks
Materials
Wood
White Barbara Barry Writing Desk with Fluted Front
By Barbara Barry
Located in Locust Valley, NY
A super chic white writing desk attributed to Barbara Barry for Henredon. With a carved and fluted
Category
Late 20th Century Desks
Materials
Brass
Italian Writing Desk Gio Ponti Style, Italy, 1950
By Gio Ponti
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very nice shaped writing desk made by unknown designer or manufacturer, Italy, 1950. This nicely
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Brass
Vintage Maddox Chinoiserie, Black Lacquer, Slant-Front Writing Desk
Located in Houston, TX
The Vintage Maddox Chinoiserie Black Lacquer Slant-Front Writing Desk is a captivating piece of
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Desks
Materials
Wood, Paint, Lacquer
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Writing Desk, Neoclassical Grey Pinewood Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique Swedish Gustavian freestanding writing table made of pinewood with a grey paint and a
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Materials
Leather, Pine, Paint
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Black Writing Desk With 3 Drawers
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
writing desk with cabriole legs in its original finish. This desk has been hand carved and hand painted
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Materials
Brass
Cream-Painted and Decorated Louis XV Style Writing Table
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a decorative, yet practical, overall cream-painted Louis XV style writing table s enhanced
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XV Desks
Materials
Wood
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Painted Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
Find many varieties of an authentic painted writing desk available at 1stDibs. A painted writing desk — often made from wood, metal and paint — can elevate any home. If you’re shopping for a painted writing desk, we have 622 options in-stock, while there are 23 modern editions to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer painted writing desk, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. A painted writing desk is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Mid-Century Modern, Louis XVI and Louis XV styles are sought with frequency. A well-made painted writing desk has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Ale Preda, Miduny and John Widdicomb are consistently popular.
How Much is a Painted Writing Desk?
A painted writing desk can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $3,262, while the lowest priced sells for $325 and the highest can go for as much as $78,500.
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 Painted 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.
- Can I paint a leather desk top?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertAugust 24, 2021Yes, you can paint a leather desk top. You can transform an old leather desk top and add visual appeal with easy-to-use leather paint. If you don’t feel confident in trying this by yourself, get in touch with a furniture restorer or related professional for help. Find a variety of leather desk tops on 1stDibs.
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