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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
$1,950 Sale Price
40% Off
Adams Edwardian Inlaid Carlton House Desk, Hand Painted, Angela Kauffman
By Angelica Kauffmann
Located in Manhasset, NY
Adams Edwardian Inlaid Carlton house desk, hand painted, satinwood,
An absolutely stunning Adams
Category
Antique Early 1900s English Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Grain-Painted English Pine Kneehole Desk from Collection of Michael S. Smith
Located in Southampton, NY
Grain-painted English pine kneehole desk, probably late 19th century, from the collection of
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Circa 18th century English unusual size painted kneehole desk or side table
Located in London, GB
A charming diminutively sized English kneehole desk.
It was not originally made for a child but
Category
Antique Late 18th Century British Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desk with Marble Imitaition Original Paint
Located in Boden, SE
19th century Swedish Gustavian desk from Sundsvall Medelpad, Northern Sweden.
A stunning desk with
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Antique 19th Century French Gilded
Painted Cylinder Desk by Paul Sormani 1875
By Paul Sormani
Located in Portland, OR
A fine late 19th century antique French painted & gilded mechanical Cylinder desk, by Paul Sormani
Category
Antique 1870s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Gold Leaf
Mid Century Louis XV Bombe Hand-Carved Paint Decorated Marble-Top Desk
Chair
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Beautiful five-drawer desk with hand carvings (see thumbnail photos) and paint decorated in the
Category
Vintage 1950s American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble
Superb English Paint Decorated Adams Satinwood Carlton House Desk Circa 1890s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
painted accents, the piece balances refinement with functional design.
Ideal for use as a writing desk
Category
Antique 1890s English Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Satinwood
$4,796 Sale Price
46% Off
Superb Chinoiserie Paint Decorated French Louis XV Mirrored Top Bureau Plat Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This superb Chinoiserie painted decorated French Louis XV bureau plat desk is a stunning example of
Category
Vintage 1920s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century Swedish antique rustic Gustavian Desk with Original Paint
Located in Boden, SE
.
Nice Gustavian Desk Scraped by hand to its original paint.
The table has lovely blue color & stunning
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Modern Waterfall Desk in Dark Walnut Finish with Painted Brass Accents
Located in North York, ON
Modern Waterfall desk in dark walnut finish with painted brass accents. Beautiful modern minimalist
Category
2010s American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
18th Century Swedish Antique Rustic Rococo Desk/ Table with Original Paint
Located in Boden, SE
18th century Swedish Antique Rustic provincial rococo table/ desk from Boden Norrbotten, Northern
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Rococo Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Little Shanghai Desk in Olive Wood and Black Sycamore Silver Painted Leg
By Aymeric Lefort
Located in SENLIS, OISE
Little Shanghai desk in olive wood and black sycamore silver painted leg. There are two drawers on
Category
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Little Shanghai Desk in Olive Wood and Black Sycamore Silver Painted Leg
By Aymeric Lefort
Located in SENLIS, OISE
Little Shanghai desk in olive wood and black sycamore silver painted leg. There are two drawers on
Category
2010s French Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Glass, Painted wood
Chrome Plated Metal 1990s desk by Gallotti e Radice
By Gallotti
Radice
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Minimal Desk with wheeled chest of drawers in white lacquered wood, thick cut glass and chrome
Category
1990s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal, Chrome
French 19th C. Painted Wood Desk w/Scallop Edged Top
Elegant Legs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French carved and painted wood table (or desk), with shapely legs and top edges, from the 19th
Category
Antique 19th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Desk with Painted Glass Top, Joaquim Tenreiro for Bloch Editors, Mid-Century
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
delicate painted glass surface, the desk exudes an air of sophistication.
Embodying the essence of
Category
Late 20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Hardwood
PH Office Desk, Red Painted, Emerald Green Leather, Chrome, Satin Matte Drawers
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Bold and colorful, this desk will add style and character too your working day. Poul Henningsen
Category
2010s Danish Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood
Adams Style Satin Wood Hand Painted 7 Drawers Desk Vanity Table Decorative MINT
By Berkey
Gay Furniture
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Adams Style Satin Wood Hand Painted 7 Drawers Desk Vanity Table Decorative MINT
Category
20th Century American Adam Style Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
PH Office Desk, Chrome, Black Painted Polished, Leather on Panles, Satin Matt
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Bold and colorful, this desk will add style and character too your working day. Poul Henningsen
Category
2010s Danish Bauhaus Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood
Antique Swedish Rococo Desk with Light Blue Paint, Drawer and Curved Rococo Legs
Located in Kramfors, SE
hand with a frame in solid pine in northern Sweden around 1790. The desk has old historic paint from
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Industrial Design Metal Desk in Painted and Chromed Metal and Aluminium, Bespoke
By GMD Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Industrial design metal desk, lacquered and chromed metal and aluminium, made to measure.
Category
2010s German Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum, Metal
19th Century French Louis XVI Style Writing Table
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A large late 19th century French Louis XVI style painted writing table or bureau plat. With fluted
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Tyrolean Shabby Small Desk Table Art Nouveau, Pine Painted
Located in Vigonza, Padua
1980s-1990s Tyrol Austrian shabby small desk table country Art Nouveau, in solid pine with original
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
1930s Antique White Neoclassical Writing Table or Vanity
Located in Stamford, CT
1930s neoclassical writing table or vanity table. Newly painted in an antique white finish. New
Category
Vintage 1930s American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Antique Spanish Colonial Style Carved Writing Table with Drawer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A richly detailed Spanish Colonial style writing table, showcasing masterful hand-carved
Category
Antique 19th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Paint
French fruitwood marquetry top writing table, 1950’s
Located in Kenilworth, IL
with a brass molding and fitted with square bail & rosette drawer pulls. The desk is supported by
Category
Mid-20th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
English Faux Bamboo Desk
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Early 20th century English three drawer faux bamboo pine desk. 1920.
Clearance under rail: 24.5
Category
Early 20th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
$2,217
English Painted Bureau
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Small 18th century English painted oak bureau with original brass handles. 1780.
Height to
Category
Antique 18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
$3,432
Scandinavian Extendable Writing or Dining Table with Drawer, Early 20th Century
Located in Odense, DK
186 cm. Its drop-leaf extensions on each side enable it to function as a compact writing desk or
Category
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Ta...
Materials
Wood
Neoclassical Style French Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Antique French Neoclassical leather topped desk with three drawers. Finished in a painted hunter
Category
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood, Paint
Victorian Tiger Bamboo and Lacquered Desk
Located in London, GB
A charming tiger bamboo and lacquered writing table, a rare example of 19th-century Anglo-Japanese
Category
Antique 19th Century Anglo-Japanese Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bamboo, Lacquer
Rococo 18th Century Writing Table with Drawer, Origin: Sweden, Circa 1760
Located in New York, NY
Fantastic Rococo 18th century writing table with single drawer with accentuated cabriole legs
Category
Antique 18th Century Swedish Rococo Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine, Paint
French 18th Century Louis XV Painted Table
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This quintessential Louis XV period (18th century) writing desk was given a distinguishing update
Category
Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Paint, Pine
Desk by Geraldo de Barros
By Geraldo de Barros
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Desk by Geraldo de Barros. Brazil, 1950s.
Manufactured by Unilabor. Wood, black painted metal
Category
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Metal
$14,296
MEDEA Desk in glossy finish
Located in Pesaro, IT
A seductive silhouette traced by fluid curves defines this superb desk, a piece sure to imbue home
Category
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Lacquer
$9,307 Sale Price
20% Off
Louis XV Style Chinoiserie Desk By Baker
Located in Houston, TX
Company French Louis XV style chinoiserie desk, writing table or bureau plat. This large beautiful desk is
Category
20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Wood
English Original Painted Lamp Table
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Small English 19th century original painted lamp table / desk. 1890.
Code: 8529
Dimensions:
W: 46
Category
Antique 19th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
1960s Chevron Bamboo Rattan Wood Desk
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
, faux bamboo wood desk you could hope to find. Outstanding design is exhibited throughout. The beautiful
Category
Vintage 1960s Philippine Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bamboo, Rattan, Wood, Paint
19th Century Swedish Desk Circa 1840
Located in Atlanta, GA
This refined 19th-century Swedish desk, circa 1840, is a stunning example of Scandinavian
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine, Paint
English 19th Century Satinwood Table with Tilt Top Writing Area and Checkerboard
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English satinwood desk and game table from the 19th century with tilt top writing area
Category
Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
18th Century English Painted Bureau
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Small 19th century English painted oak bureau with brass swan neck handles. 1820.
Code: 9064
Category
Antique 18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Howard
Sons London Leather Topped Faux Bamboo Writing Table, circa 1875
By Howard
Sons Ltd
Located in Kinderhook, NY
English circa 1875 Aesthetic Movement writing table or desk by London cabinetmakers Howard & Sons
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Aesthetic Movement Desks and Writing T...
Materials
Brass
Vintage Boho Faux Goatskin Waterfall Desk
By Karl Springer
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Infuse your workspace with bohemian elegance using this Vintage Boho Faux Goatskin Waterfall Desk
Category
Late 20th Century American Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Paint
Swedish Gustavian Style Painted Table, circa 1850
Located in Atlanta, GA
refined, this table works equally well as a writing desk, side table, or console, bringing Swedish charm
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
De Stijl Modernist Asymmetric Desk with Sliding Top
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This asymmetrical desk, designed in the manner of the instantly recognizable De Stijl movement
Category
Vintage 1980s Dutch De Stijl Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Hardwood, Paint, Laminate
Swedish Gustavian Painted Side Table, 19th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
, writing desk, or console, blending seamlessly into both classical and contemporary interiors. With its
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Rare Desk, Pauli Blomstedt, J.Merivaara Oy, 1930s
By J.Merivaara, Pauli Blomstedt
Located in Helsinki, Uusimaa
Rare desk, designed by Pauli Blomstedt, manufactured by J.Merivaara Oy, 1930s. Black painted wood
Category
Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
Neoclassical Style Lacquered Burl Wood Desk
Located in Houston, TX
20th century lacquered burl wood desk with three drawers supported with black columns and gilded
Category
20th Century Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Giltwood, Burl
Desk by Jacques Hitier for Anthony university
By Jacques Hitier
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Bureau par Jacques Hitier de 1955, édité par MBO Tubauto pour la résidence universitaire de Anthony.
Category
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Painted Side Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
original pale painted surface, it exudes a soft, timeworn patina that only centuries of use can achieve
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Luigi Caccia Dominioni SCR7 desk Azucena Italy 1979
By Azucena, Luigi Caccia Dominioni
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
This rare SCR7 writing desk, designed by Luigi Caccia Dominioni and manufactured by Azucena in 1979
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
18th Century Painted Lamp Table
Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
18th C English painted oak lamp table on cabriole legs. 1780.
Reference: 7727
Dimensions
34
Category
Antique 18th Century English George III Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Brazilian Handcrafted Desk
Cantilever
by Dimitrih Correa
By Dimitrih Correa
Located in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Cantilever is a minimal working desk designed to offer great usability and pleasure.
The
Category
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Vintage Hekman White Chinoiserie Rattan Desk with Glass Top
By Hekman Furniture
Located in Sarasota, FL
This vintage Hekman rattan desk combines elegance and functionality with its intricate fretwork
Category
Late 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Emily Desk with Two Drawers by The Fabulous Things
Located in Richmond, VA
The Emily Desk by The Fabulous Things, shown in our hand painted sand swirl finish. We can make
Category
2010s American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Paint
Aluminium Desk with Laminate Top from Carlotti, 1950s
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Desk in painted aluminium with laminate top from Carlotti.
Packaging with bubble wrap and cardboard
Category
Vintage 1950s Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
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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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