Secretaire France Marquetry
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Ormolu
Antique 1850s French Rococo Revival Secretaires
Marble, Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Carrara Marble, Bronze
Antique 1880s French Louis XV Secretaires
Marble, Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Secretaires
Wood
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Secretaires
Marble
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Mahogany
Antique 1770s French Louis XV Secretaires
Kingwood, Satinwood, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Early 19th Century French Restauration Secretaires
Leather, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Antique 1870s French Louis XV Secretaires
Rosewood
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Secretaires
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Marble
Antique 1780s French Louis XVI Secretaires
Kingwood, Rosewood
Antique Late 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Oak
Antique 1860s Secretaires
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
20th Century French Art Deco Secretaires
Rosewood
Antique 18th Century French Secretaires
Satinwood
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Ormolu
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Marble, Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
Wood
Antique Mid-18th Century French Agra Secretaires
Breccia Marble, Bronze
Antique 1830s French Charles X Secretaires
Maple
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Wood, Rosewood, Walnut, Softwood
Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Secretaires
Maple, Walnut
Antique 1890s French Louis XV Secretaires
Satinwood
Antique 1780s French Louis XVI Secretaires
Kingwood
Antique 1780s Dutch Secretaires
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Secretaires
Satinwood
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Ormolu, Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Marble
Antique 1750s German Baroque Secretaires
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Secretaires
Rosewood
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires
Wood
Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires
Metal
Antique 1850s Secretaires
Marble
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 1890s French Louis XVI Secretaires
Kingwood
Antique 1830s French Louis XV Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 1760s French Louis XV Secretaires
Kingwood, Mahogany
Antique 1770s French Louis XV Secretaires
Kingwood, Satinwood
Antique 1750s French Louis XV Secretaires
Maple, Walnut, Birdseye Maple
Antique Early 19th Century Spanish Louis XVI Secretaires
Hardwood, Kingwood, Mahogany
Antique 1780s French Louis XVI Secretaires
Kingwood, Yew
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires
Rosewood
Antique Late 18th Century French Secretaires
Brass
Antique Mid-18th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
Antique Mid-18th Century Dutch Rococo Secretaires
Kingwood, Tulipwood, Satinwood, Mahogany
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Secretaire France Marquetry For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Secretaire France Marquetry?
Finding the Right secretaires for You
Your antique, new or vintage secretary desk has become the (chic) saving grace of the "new normal" at home.
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 — pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers — are revealed.
Traditionally, a secretary is composed of two parts — a chest of drawers on the bottom and a cabinet with shelves on the top. Taking its name from the French word for the piece, secrétaire, the secretary desk dates back to the 18th century, when Paris-based cabinetmaker Jean-François Oeben, known for his exquisite marquetry and clever mechanical desks, is thought to have invented the secrétaire à abbattant, or drop-leaf desk.
While the defining drop-down feature of the secretary desk has remained constant, the materials used, as well as its configuration, size and style have evolved over time.
At first, secretaries were typically made from exotic woods, like rosewood, tulipwood and kingwood; later, hardwoods like cherry, maple, oak and mahogany were more common. The desks also became lighter, with space carved out of the lower half for the writer’s feet or with drawers replaced by legs — making them more table-like.
When open, the secretary is a dynamic, versatile Wunderkammer. When closed, it’s a sophisticated, space-saving piece of furniture.
“A fine secretary with a good provenance adds stature and credence to its owner — it is a cornerstone piece,” says antiques dealer Stanley Weiss, who specializes in 18th- and 19th-century English and American furniture. “In this disposable world, fine furniture is always passed on and speaks to who its owner is.”
No matter what style or period you choose, and no matter how you decide to use it, the timeless, flexible secretary desk is bound to become an indispensable part of your daily routine.
Browse a range of antique and vintage secretary desks on 1stDibs, including mid-century modern secretaires, Georgian secretaires and others.
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