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Louise Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables Mid. Hammered Antique Bronze
By Stephanie Odegard Collection
Located in New York, NY
experience the finish first hand. Louise Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables Mid. Hammered Antique Bronze by
Category

2010s American Other Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Sheet Metal

Widdicomb Painted and Gilt Wood Desk
By Widdicomb Furniture Co.
Located in Tarrytown, NY
Carved, painted and giltwood Hollywood Regency style desk on brass castors with walnut burl top by
Category

Vintage 1950s American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Post modern Memphis style artistic writing desk and chair, Germany 1980s
By Memphis Group, Gaetano Pesce, Ettore Sottsass
Located in ECHT, NL
Unique artistic writing desk and chair. The frame is made from steel and wrought iron in different
Category

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

Materials

Metal

French Paper Mache Black Lacquered Foliage Painted Writing Table, Circa 1820
Located in Charleston, SC
French black lacquered and foliage painted writing table with hinged interior compartment, original
Category

Antique 1820s French Louis Philippe Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Lacquer, Paint, Paper

Provincial Green-Painted Slant-Front Desk with Secret Compartment
Located in New York, NY
A provincial green-painted slant-front desk, Northern Europe or France, early to mid-19th century
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Ta...

Materials

Wood

20th Century Imperial Bureau Plat / Writing Desk in the Style of Louis XVI
Located in Berlin, DE
a desk of superlatives and represents the highest class of writing furniture. A real eyecatcher
Category

20th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Amsterdam School Design Painted Desk, Netherlands 1920 s
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Early 20th Century Amsterdam School Arts & Crafts Design Painted Furniture Desk. Made in the
Category

Vintage 1920s Dutch Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Oak

Vintage Chinese Lacquered Table Desk Asian Hand Painted
Located in Lake Worth, FL
Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A Vintage Chinese Black Lacquered Table Desk With Hand Painted
Category

Vintage 1970s Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Isabel O neil Attributed. Hand Painted Kneehole Desk
By Isabel O Neil Studio
Located in New York, NY
Isabel O'Neil (1908-1981) hand painted kneehole desk. The desk is a Louis XIV style and was hand
Category

20th Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Restored Bauhaus Writing Desk, by Marcel Breuer for Thonet, Chrome, Czech, 1930s
By Thonet, Marcel Breuer
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
This iconic writing desk from the 1930s is a remarkable example of Bauhaus design. Designed by
Category

Early 20th Century Czech Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel, Chrome

French Art Deco White Paint Decorated Oak Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Dimensions - H: 30 1/2 in W: 73 1/4 in D: 37 1/2 in This striking French Art Deco desk is a
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

19th Century Swedish Kidney Shaped Desk in Original Paint
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
19th Century Swedish painted kidney shape desk. Having two banks of three graduated drawers
Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Paint

A Swedish Gustavian painted fall front desk, C. 1820.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Crafted in two pieces, this Neoclassical form desk features clean lines and understated elegance
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Paint

19th Century Pine Desk Table with Painted Base
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th Century Pine Desk Table. Unpainted two board top with thin breadboard ends. Base in old
Category

Antique 19th Century North American Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine, Paint

The Square Desk. Brazilian Solid Wood Writing Table Design by Amilcar Oliveira
Located in São Paulo, SP
The Square Desk was inspired by the design of Brazilian modern furniture from the 1950s and 1960s
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Straw, Wood

Designer Writing Desk / Bureau Plat in Louis XV Style, Piano Black and gold
Located in Berlin, DE
Black designer writing desk / bureau plat in Louis XV style Piano black veneer on solid softwood
Category

20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

1960s Rway Gold Painted Mirrored Top Vanity Desk
By RWAY
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
On offer on this occasion is one of the most stunning, desk vanity you could hope to find
Category

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

Materials

Mirror, Wood, Paint

1960s Chinoiserie Hand Painted Black and Gold Wood Desk
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
On offer on this occasion is one of the most stunning and rare, hand painted chinoiserie desk you
Category

Vintage 1960s Asian Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Paint

A French Louis XV style Painted Slant Front Desk, 18th C.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An elegant desk, the carved case features a fall-front writing surface that opens to reveal six
Category

Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Paint

Tolix Flap Desk Indoor Painted in Black
By Tolix, Sebastian Bergne
Located in Shakopee, MN
- The flap desk, imagined by Sebastian Bergne, is the ideal size for small spaces. Store documents
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Tolix Flap Desk Indoor Painted in White
By Tolix, Sebastian Bergne
Located in Shakopee, MN
- The flap desk, imagined by Sebastian Bergne, is the ideal size for small spaces. Store documents
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Tolix Flap Desk Indoor Painted in Graphite
By Sebastian Bergne, Tolix
Located in Shakopee, MN
- The tolix flap desk, imagined by Sebastian Bergne, is the ideal size for small spaces. Store
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

18th Century French Provincial Black Painted “Mazarin” Pedestal Desk
Located in Shippensburg, PA
PROVINCIAL EIGHT-LEGGED "MAZARIN" PEDESTAL DESK IN BLACK PAINT France, circa last quarter of the
Category

Antique 18th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Paint

Organic Modern Accent Home Office Writing Desk Black Oak Wood and Copper Effect
By EMOTIONAL OBJECTS, João Faria
Located in Vila Nova Famalicão, PT
Desk for contemporary home offices. It is handcrafted using carefully selected wood veneers, metals
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Steel, Cut Steel, Copper

Chinoiserie Desk and Chair French 19th Century Hand Painted Details
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant Chinoiserie Desk and Chair, French, late 19th Century. Both feature hand painted details
Category

Vintage 1940s Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

True White Ancient 200 year Walnut Waterfall Live Edge Writing Desk Contemporary
Located in København N, DK
People say that the color white does not exist. That our eye just perceives it that way. I don't want to believe that. White to me is the color of purity, the color that is hard not ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing...

Materials

Steel

Painted Aluminum Desk with Laminate Top from Carlotti, 1950s
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Painted aluminum desk with laminate top from Carlotti, 1950s.
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Industrial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Painted Aluminium Desk with Laminate Top from Carlotti, 1950s
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Painted Aluminium Desk with Laminate Top from Carlotti, 1950s
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Industrial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Painted Aluminium Desk with Laminate Top from Carlotti, 1950s
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Painted aluminium desk with laminate top from Carlotti, 1950s.
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Industrial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Desk Swedish 18th Century Green Original Paint Sweden
Located in New York, NY
Desk Swedish 18th Century Green Original Paint Sweden. A writing desk Swedish made during the 18th
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bentwood

Hand Painted Paul Sormani Ladies Roll Top Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Hand painted. 1 dovetailed drawer. Flip up top containing felt top and 3 small drawers. Brass foot
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desk with Marble Paint
Located in Boden, SE
19th Century Swedish desk from Skelleftea Vasterbotten, Northern Sweden. Untouched originalpaint
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

19th century English Adam Style Hand Painted Satinwood Desk
Located in Savannah, GA
Satinwood desk with reticulated sides that are extraordinarily hand-painted with festooned drapery
Category

Antique 19th Century British Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Satinwood

1970s Bone Beige Lacquered Hand Painted / Decorated Chinoiserie Desk With Chair
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Gorgeous bone beige lacquered hand painted and decorated wood desk in the Carlton House / Georgian
Category

Vintage 1970s Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paint

1960s Bassett Faux Bamboo Wood Painted Chinoiserie Japandi Style Desk
By Bassett Furniture
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
On offer on this occasion is one of the most stunning and one of a kind, hand painted wood desk you
Category

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

Materials

Leather, Faux Bamboo, Wood, Paint

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desk with Original Paint
Located in Boden, SE
19th century Swedish Gustavian desk from Umeå Västerbotten, Northern Sweden. Nice Gustavian Desk
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Swedish Writing Table
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Original painted Swedish 3 drawer writing table. Nicely decorated with fluted legs and swag carving
Category

20th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Swedish Painted Desk with Five Carved Reeded Drawers, Gustavian Style
Located in Kvidinge, SE
A Swedish five drawer desk from early 20th century in Gustavian style The desk is painted in green
Category

Antique Early 1900s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desk with Original Paint
Located in Boden, SE
19th century Swedish Gustavian desk from Lulea Norrbotten, Northern Sweden. A beautiful desk with
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Swedish Gustavian Style 1850s Painted Desk with Single Drawer and Tapered Legs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian style desk from circa 1850 with tan painted finish, single drawer, fluted
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

GEORGINAN STYLE ANTiQUE CIRCA 1860 VICTORIAN HAND PAINTED OCCASIONAL TABLE DESK
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
style mid Victorian Circa 1860 hand painted Pine occasional table or small desk with lovely early carved
Category

Antique 1860s English High Victorian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

20th Century French Writing Table Hand Carved and Painted in Louise xvi Style
Located in Sofia, BG
French wooden hand painted table with cognac velvet top. The table is hand carved with typical
Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Contemporary Black Painted Tree Trunk Design Desk or Console Table
Located in Queens, NY
Contemporary black painted desk / console table with an irregularly shaped table top on two carved
Category

20th Century American Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

Baker Furniture French Regency Chinoiserie Red Lacquered Hand Painted Desk
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous French Regency Chinoiserie style writing desk or bureau plat desk By Baker Furniture
Category

Vintage 1960s American Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Antique Asian Oriental japaneese Burned Bamboo Hand Painted Decorated Desk Table
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Antique Asian Oriental Chinese burned bamboo hand painted decorated desk writing table.
Category

20th Century Japanese Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bamboo

1954, Coen de Vries for Devo Wooden Writing Desk with Red Drawer and Formica Top
By Wim Rietveld
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
. :-) Beautiful designed, original little writing desk in wood with X-base, red colored drawer and formica top
Category

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

Materials

Formica, Wood, Paint

Italian Venetian Style Distressed Paint Decorated Secretary Desk C. 1950 s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Europe with this Italian Venetian style distressed paint-decorated secretary desk, crafted circa the
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Country Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

1970s Chinoiserie Hand Painted Malachite Green Desk Stool, Set of 2
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
On offer on this occasion is one of the most stunning and rare, hand painted desk and matching
Category

Vintage 1970s Asian Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Paint

Fine 19th Century English Hand-Painted Satinwood Carlton House Desk
Located in London, GB
desk is a type of writing desk that originated in the late 18th century in England. It is named after
Category

Antique 19th Century English Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Satinwood

18th Century Lacquered Tuscan Desk Table with Hand Painted Decoration
Located in Atlanta, GA
writing desk, dressing table, or console in both classic and contemporary settings.
Category

Antique 18th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pine

Fine Quality Paint Decorated English Adams Satinwood Carlton House Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
desk features hand-painted floral and urn decorations in the neoclassical taste, showcasing the
Category

Vintage 1910s English Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Satinwood

Vintage Chinoiserie Butterfly Bird Custom Painted Tall Secretary Desk Chair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Chinoiserie Butterfly & Bird Custom Painted 2 Piece Tall Secretary Desk & Chair. Item
Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Regency Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Cane, Wood

Painted Metal Desk with Brown Leatherette Top from Mermelada Estudio, 1960s
By Mermelada Estudio
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Painted Metal Desk with Brown Leatherette Top from Mermelada Estudio, 1960s
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Industrial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

French Louis XV White Painted Provincial Bureau Plat Desk with Six Drawers
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Elegant French Louis XV White Painted Provincial Table or Desk with Six Drawers - could sit in the
Category

Antique 19th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

English Made Satinwood Adams Paint Decorated Carlton House Desk With Cubbies
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
desk is one of the most celebrated forms of antique writing furniture, named after Carlton House, the
Category

Vintage 1910s English Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Satinwood

Rosewood Desk with Painted Glass Top by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960 s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
The Bloch Editors Desk is a signature design by Joaquim Tenreiro, produced in two versions: one
Category

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

Materials

Rosewood, Glass

Post Modern artistic funky Painted 2 Drawer narrow Desk or console table
By Memphis Milano
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century Post Modern artistic funky painted yellow orange green splatters with 2 drawers wood
Category

Vintage 1970s American Post-Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Paint

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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
  • 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 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 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 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 24, 2021
    Yes, 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.