Wood Secretaire Small
Antique Early 1800s French Regency Secretaires
Metal
Vintage 1960s Italian Secretaires
Wood
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Metal
Vintage 1960s Dutch Louis XVI Secretaires
Wood
Vintage 1960s Austrian Biedermeier Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Bronze
Antique Mid-18th Century Swiss Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
2010s French Neoclassical Secretaires
Leather, Wood, Cherry, Lacquer
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Empire Secretaires
Wood, Walnut
Vintage 1950s Italian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Birch
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Secretaires
Wood, Lacquer
Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 19th Century Portuguese Baroque Secretaires
Wood
Antique 19th Century European Biedermeier Secretaires
Wood
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Walnut, Goatskin
Antique 1810s English Georgian Secretaires
Wood
Antique 1750s German Baroque Secretaires
Walnut, Softwood
Antique Late 18th Century British Regency Secretaires
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Georgian Secretaires
Brass
Antique 1870s Swedish Biedermeier Secretaires
Elm
Antique 18th Century Austrian Baroque Secretaires
Brass
Early 2000s Georgian Secretaires
Mahogany, Walnut
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Walnut
Antique 18th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Wood
Antique 19th Century Dutch Secretaires
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Secretaires
Amboyna
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Empire Secretaires
Pine
Vintage 1980s German Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Wood, Fruitwood
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Wood
20th Century French Art Deco Secretaires
Rosewood
Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century Danish Louis XVI Secretaires
Mahogany, Satinwood
Antique 19th Century Italian Empire Secretaires
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Secretaires
Bronze
Antique 19th Century George III Secretaires
Kingwood, Satinwood, Tulipwood
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Glass, Wood, Birch
Vintage 1950s European Art Deco Secretaires
Maple
Antique 1830s Swedish Biedermeier Secretaires
Birch
Antique 1850s French Secretaires
Ash, Elm, Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Secretaires
Birch
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Marble, Ormolu
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Brass
Antique 1810s French Empire Secretaires
Brass
Antique 1750s Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Teak
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Teak
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Mahogany
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Secretaires
Leather, Fruitwood
Antique 1830s French Charles X Secretaires
Maple
Antique 1830s French Charles X Secretaires
Mahogany
Antique Mid-18th Century English Chippendale Secretaires
Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Italian Secretaires
Wood
Vintage 1960s French Secretaires
Wood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Wood, Walnut, Plywood
Antique 19th Century French Directoire Secretaires
Bronze
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Burl, Bog Wood, Oak, Maple, Boxwood, Birch, Glass, Palisander
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Wood Secretaire Small For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Wood Secretaire Small?
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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