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Antique American Gray Distress Painted 1 Drawer Small Work Table Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique American gray distress painted one drawer small work table desk. Item features solid wood
Category
Early 20th Century North American Primitive Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Antique H.T Cushman Oak " Betumal" Telephone Stand Small Childs Desk
By H.T. Cushman Manufacturing Company
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique H.T Cushman Oak " Betumal" Telephone Stand Small Childs Desk. Item features a pull out seat
Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Mid Century Modern Bamboo and Solid Maple Small Desk Matching Chair
By Heywood-Wakefield Co.
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Very nice looking mid century modern solid maple and bamboo desk and chair by Heywood Wakefield.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
19th Century French Small Louis XV Trelliswork Ladies
Desk or Bureau Plat
Located in Berlin, DE
charming table or writing desk of small size, beautiful proportions and expressive marquetry which adds
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Bronze
Italian Midcentury Teak Small Desk and Chair by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Dassi
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Beautiful Italian midcentury teak desk and chair designed by Vittorio Dassi.
Very nice and original
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Maple, Teak
Swedish modern small desk by Axel Einar Hjorth for Nordiska Kompaniet
By Axel Einar Hjorth, NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)
Located in Hägersten, SE
Desk produced by Nordiska Kompaniet during the 1930s. Attributed to NK head architect at the time
Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Elm, Oak
Small Antique Ladies Desk, Secretaire, So Called Bonheur Du Jour, circa 1870
Located in Greven, DE
Small ladies desk, so called Bonheur Du Jour
France
various precious woods
Louis XVI style
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Fruitwood
Small Midcentury Italian Desk in Maple Top with 1950s White Laminate Drawers
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Small Midcentury Italian desk in maple top with 1950s white laminate drawers.
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Laminate, Maple
Vintage Mid-Century Scandinavian Modern Teak Small Lady Desk with Drawers, 1950s
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
This small lady desk was made in Sweden during the 1950s, signed Sveriges Möbelindustriförbund
Category
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Plastic, Teak
Small Asymmetrical Art Deco Office Desk in Black Lacquer with Nickeled Fittings
Located in Ulm, DE
Small asymmetrical desk
Body in black piano lacquer, high gloss
Original Metal Fittings, nickeled
Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Small Art Deco Desk, Walnut Burl and Rosewood Veneer, France circa 1930
Located in Regensburg, DE
Wonderful small original period Art Deco desk from France around 1930. Walnut burl / roots and
Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Small Mid Century Italian Desk in Metal, Walnut and Formica, around 1950
By Gio Ponti
Located in Berlin, DE
A charming relic from the mid-20th century, this Small Italian Desk embodies the essence of mid
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
Midcentury Danish Modern Light Teak Small Desk 3 Drawers Top Lockable Drawer
By Børge Mogensen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Great little midcentury Danish modern desk with 3 drawers with wooden pulls. Danish compact design
Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
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
George Nelson for Herman Miller Side Table, Work Table or Small Desk, Signed
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Doylestown, PA
George Nelson for Herman Miller side table, work table or small console desk.
Great as a side/work
Category
Vintage 1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Aluminum
Small Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Marquetry Bureau Plat or Desk
Located in Berlin, DE
A 19th century Louis XV style gilt bronze mounted marquetry bureau plat, with a brass banded tooled serpentine brown leather top with molded edge above three frieze drawers, each fin...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass, Bronze
19th Century Small Louis XV Style Black Lacquered And Gilt Bronze Desk
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
. Louis XV style
. Black lacquered
. Gilt bronze
. Circa 1860
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Ormolu
Early 20th Century Italian Walnut Small Fratino Table or Desk with Lyre Legs
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
used in small rooms. Perfect to be used also as a desk. The table has been restored but shows signs of
Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Renaissance Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Metal and Wooden Desk and Small Cabinet by Gianni Moscatelli for Formanova, 60s
By Gianni Moscatelli, Formanova
Located in Padova, IT
Metal and wooden Desk and small Cabinet by Gianni Moscatelli for Formanova 60s
Cabinet
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal
Small Art Deco Desk, Curved Plate, Black and White Lacquer, France circa 1940
Located in Regensburg, DE
Small Art Deco desk, half-moon shaped, black and white lacquer, France circa 1940.
Oak, black and
Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Stainless Steel
Rare Smaller Version of the Oak Desk by Lou Hodges California Design Group
By Lou Hodges
Located in Pasadena, CA
. Of course the lines differ and express the new trend of the 70s.
His desks were usually bigger. This
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Small Art Deco Desk with Column Leg, Black Lacquer and Metal, France, circa 1930
Located in Regensburg, DE
Very elegant, small and functional Art Deco writing desk from France, circa 1930.
Black piano
Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Chrome
Conoid Writing Table By George Nakashima
By George Nakashima
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A beautiful and rare Conoid studio writing desk (or small dining table) in expressive American
Category
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Rosewood
Studio BBPR Small Adjustable Desk for the Olivetti Store in New York, Italy 1954
By Studio BBPR
Located in Milan, IT
Studio BBPR Small adjustable work desk and typewriter station made for the Olivetti store in New
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal, Brass
Ico Parisi, Set Consisting of a Small Desk with Chair and Coffee Table on Wheels
By Ico Parisi
Located in Milano, IT
Ico Parisi, set consisting of a small desk with chair and coffee table on wheels with two drawers
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Small 1940 Oak Desk from France 1940, in a Brown Color and Old Patina, 2 Drawers
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This small desk in wood, probably oak, is coming from France. It has been made in the 1940s.
The
Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Sycamore Vanity/Writing Table with Six Drawers
Located in Aspen, CO
Darling and versatile sycamore vanity table. Perfect scale for a small writing desk as well.
Category
Vintage 1940s French Vanities
Materials
Sycamore
Sycamore Vanity/Writing Table with Six Drawers
Located in Aspen, CO
Darling and versatile sycamore vanity table. Perfect scale for a small writing desk as well.
Category
Vintage 1940s French Vanities
Materials
Sycamore
Swedish Yellow Desk
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Small Gustavian writing desk with rounded legs and two drawers with lock in good working order.
Category
20th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
$3,900
Antique Burr Elm Kidney Shape Side / Writing Table
Located in London, GB
a small writing table / desk.
We have had this recently re-polished, the condition is excellent for
Category
Vintage 1920s British Sheraton Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Elm
Small Louis XVI Bureau PLat
Located in Berlin, DE
A small bureau plat or writing desk, the rectangular gilt-bronze banded top quarter veneered in
Category
Antique 1770s Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Kingwood
Small Table with Drawer
Located in New York, NY
A small dark wood table with one drawer, scalloped apron and turned legs.
Category
20th Century Indonesian Desks and Writing Tables
$1,625
Italian 50
s Small Secretaire
Located in New York, NY
A very elegant small size desk with diamond shaped ebonized legs. Two drawers and a letters
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Jacobean-Style Desk or Lamp Table
Located in Sheffield, MA
Versatile table has leg room as a small single drawer writing desk or night table with braced
Category
Antique 19th Century French Jacobean Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Cees Braakman EU01 Japanese Series Desk
By Cees Braakman, Pastoe
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Small version writing desk from Cees Braakman's famous Japanese series with top drawer and file
Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Steel
Vintage Boho Hand Turned PostMaster’s Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
. Perfect as a writing desk, small hotel check in or collectors cabinet. The charm is endless. You can move
Category
Early 20th Century North American Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
D-Scan Danish Solid Teak Desk
By D-Scan
Located in Philadelphia, PA
small drawers on right side. Writing Desk has 3 drawers below work surface which is 29.5 high. Unique
Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
Antique Small Georgian Mahogany Bureau
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A delightful 18th century Georgian mahogany bureau of diminutive
proportions having well figured fall enclosing fitted interior above
four long drawers with replacement brass swan ...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century English Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Louis XVI Style French Antique Ebonized Desk
Located in Austin, TX
A small French antique mahogany writing desk with two drawers, each with working locks and keys
Category
Vintage 1920s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Small Antique Edwardian Bureau on Legs
Located in London, GB
A beautiful and elegant antique writing bureau, dating from the 1890-1910 period.
This is of
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Mahogany leather top desk or table C 1940.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Unusual small round mahogany writing desk C 1940 having a single drawer over the kneehole, and a
Category
Vintage 1940s American Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
French Bonheur-du-jour (Desk), Late 18th C.
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French painted wood small-sized writing desk from the turn of the 18th and 19th century. This
Category
Antique 18th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Gustavian Black Painted Executive Desk Green with Leather Top
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Small Gustavian green leather top writing desk with 9 drawers with brass hardware and on bronze
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Small Folding Table by Portois
Fix Wien
By Portois
Fix
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Small folding table by Portois & Fix Wien. Professionally stained and repolished.
Category
Vintage 1910s Austrian Vienna Secession Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Small Pine Sideboard / Table, American Probably Texas
Located in Dallas, TX
A small pine sideboard / table with flip top that swivels (so that one might sit comfortably under
Category
Antique 19th Century American Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Pine
Renaissance Style Walnut Small Table, 19th Century
Located in Beaune, FR
Small living room table or side table in carved walnut Renaissance style. It rests on 9 feet and
Category
Antique 19th Century French Renaissance Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
18th Century Walnut Bureau of Small Proportions
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Good quality small bureau from the later period of Queen Anne, circa 1760.
Fall opens to reveal
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English George III Desks and Writing Ta...
Materials
Walnut
Small 19th Century English Victorian Burr Walnut Bureau
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
For sale is a good 19th century burr walnut bureau of small proportions. The top having walnut
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Queen Anne Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Mid Century Desk in the style of Hans Wegner Denmark
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A very nice simple smaller sized writing desk with two drawers having bent wood handles and upper
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood
Small Early 19th Century Regency Mahogany Library Table
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Regency period mahogany library table circa 1820.
Original leather top with gold tooling.
Drawer in each end with original swan neck handles.
Standing on 4 turned legs and brass c...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century British Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Small Art Deco Cabinet Made in 1930s Czechia, Restored
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
The cabinet has been fully restored by our professional refurbishing team in Czechia according to the original process.
Sold individually
This item features classic Art Deco e...
Category
Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Rare Small Louis XVI Style Mahogany Bureau Plat or Side Table
Located in Berlin, DE
A rare and small 19th century, Louis XVI style bureau plat veneered in burr mahogany on an oak
Category
Antique 1880s French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Oakwood and Cast Iron Adjustable Small Drafting Table Attributed to Hamilton
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage oakwood and cast iron adjustable small drafting table attributed to Hamilton. Listing
Category
Mid-20th Century North American Industrial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Maple, Oak
Coen de Vries for Devo The Hague 1954
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Small Original Coen de Vries Writing Desk with Small Cubby and Little Yellow Drawer and Formica Top
Category
Vintage 1950s Dutch Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Birch
George Nelson for Herman Miller Action Office Set 1960s
By George Nelson
Located in Handewitt, DE
1970s
-
roll-top desk: H. 83 cm / W. 126.5 cm / D. 81 cm / writing height: 72.5
small desk: H. 71 cm / W
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Metal, Chrome
19th Century Marquetry Table with Drawer Baroque Revival, Austria, circa 1850
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
, elegant writing desk, decorative side table or coffee table, this exceptional maquetry table comes with a
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Austrian Baroque Revival Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Cherry, Maple, Nutwood, Walnut
Early 1900s French Bistro or Cafe Table with Stone Top and Wrought Iron Base
Located in Hopewell, NJ
writing desk. Good for either indoor or outdoor garden or patio use.
Measures: H skirt 29 5/8” #4596.
Category
Antique Early 1900s French Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Stone, Wrought Iron
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Small Writing Desks For Sale on 1stDibs
At 1stDibs, there are several options of small writing desks available for sale. Each of these unique small writing desks was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, metal and hardwood. We have 725 antique and vintage small writing desks in-stock, while there are 39 modern editions to choose from as well. Small writing desks have long been popular, with older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. There are many kinds of small writing desks to choose from, but at 1stDibs, mid-century modern, Art Deco and Victorian small writing desks are of considerable interest. Vittorio Dassi, Matthias Demacker and Gio Ponti each produced beautiful small writing desks that are worth considering.
How Much are Small Writing Desks?
Small writing desks can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price at 1stDibs is $3,512, while the lowest priced sells for $83 and the highest can go for as much as $495,000.
Finding the Right Desks And 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 Small Writing Desks
- 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.
- 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 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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