A Short History of the Office Desk

Office Desk Accessories


It is unclear when exactly desks were invented, but desk-style furniture may have existed in classical antiquity or in other ancient centers of civilization in the Middle East or Far East. The first pieces of furniture that seem to have been designed and constructed for reading and writing have been shown in medieval illustrations. The common office desk, though seemingly simple and nondescript, also has quite a bit of history behind it.



The office desk had its beginnings in the 17th century. At that time, the main need for a desk was to create documents. Thus, these desks were not too large - just a writing table with a chair, and room for ink bottles and other tools necessary for writing on paper. These desks were pieces of art, each handmade by a master wood worker and cabinetmaker for those who had the money and status to deserve a piece of such craftsmanship.



In the 19th century, during the industrial revolution, there was a boom in the number of office workers. Therefore, desks were mass-produced for them in large quantities using steam-driven woodworking machinery. Since then, limited quantities of finely crafted desks have been constructed by master cabinetmakers for the homes and offices of the rich, while the vast majority of desks were assembled by unskilled labor, from components turned out in batches by machine tools.



With the advent of office desks, office desk accessories soon followed. It is hard to see an office desk that is not riddled with personal belongings and even knick knacks. Nowadays, more and more different kinds of office desk accessories are becoming available. Some are made especially for relieving stress on a hectic workday, while some are just designed to appeal to the aesthetic senses. Office desk accessories are not only useful, they also provide a personal touch to an otherwise generic table.