Oval Desks
Antique Early 1800s Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Vintage 1970s Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Dining Room Tables
Walnut
Antique 1890s Dining Room Tables
Teak
Vintage 1970s American Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Antique 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Pearwood, Maple
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Concrete
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Birch
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1960s Belgian Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Glass, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
2010s English Modern Dining Room Tables
Walnut
Antique 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Burl
Antique Early 17th Century Italian Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
2010s Italian Modern Dining Room Tables
Marble, Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Siena Marble, Aluminum, Bronze
2010s Italian Modern Dining Room Tables
Marble, Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Siena Marble, Aluminum, Bronze
Vintage 1960s Italian Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
Antique 19th Century English Georgian Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique 19th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Carrara Marble, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables
Faux Bamboo, Walnut
2010s French Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Marble, Chrome
Antique Early 1900s English Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Stainless Steel, Cut Steel, Steel
20th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Glass, Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
2010s Italian Modern Dining Room Tables
Marble, Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Siena Marble, Aluminum, Bronze
2010s Italian Modern Dining Room Tables
Siena Marble, Marble, Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble, Aluminum, Bronze
Antique 1870s French Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
Antique Late 18th Century American Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Wood, Teak
Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Desks and Writing Tables
Cherry
2010s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze, Copper
Late 20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Chrome
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Teak
Antique 19th Century English Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Desks and Wr...
Marble, Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Satinwood
Antique 19th Century English Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Tulipwood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Ormolu
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Plywood, Lacquer
Antique Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Center Tables
Bronze
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables
Carrara Marble, Chrome
Antique Late 19th Century English Adam Style Vanities
Mirror, Satinwood
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Giltwood
Antique 1880s English Desks and Writing Tables
Kingwood, Boxwood
Antique 19th Century English Sheraton Desks and Writing Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Glass, Lacquer
20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
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Oval Desks For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Oval Desks?
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.
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