Secretary Desk Gustavian
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood, Pine, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal, Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Mid-18th Century Danish Baroque Secretaires
Brass
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood, Paint
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique 1790s Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Steel
Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal, Bronze
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal, Bronze
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century German Louis Philippe Secretaires
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Glass, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Metal, Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal, Bronze
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Metal
Antique 1820s Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Bronze
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique 1810s Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Brass
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Glass, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Bookcases
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Bookcases
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Secretaires
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Birch
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Wood, Paint
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood, Paint
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Secretary Desk Gustavian For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Secretary Desk Gustavian?
A Close Look at gustavian Furniture
With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.
Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.
Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.
While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.
Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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.
- How does a secretary desk work?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A secretary desk works with the help of hinges that secure the writing surface to the rest of the piece. To use one, you simply pull down on the wooden door to open the hinge and lower the writing surface. Return the desk to its closed position by lifting the writing surface up. You'll find a selection of secretary desks on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Secretary desks originated in the early 18th century. They were typically used by secretaries and clerks and featured plenty of compacted drawers for stationary storage. On 1stDibs, find a collection of secretary desks from some of the world’s top sellers.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023A secretary desk is called by its name because of its original function. When the desks first emerged in 19th-century France, the secretaries of estates used them to conduct business. Once they finished paying bills and reconciling accounts, they could raise the hinged writing surface and close the desk. Secretary desks are the workstations of choice in many busy households, especially those with spaces pulling double duty as offices by day and living rooms, dining rooms or bedrooms at night. On 1stDibs, shop an array of secretary desks.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021An antique secretary desk will range in value depending on its authenticity and condition. The price can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. On 1stDibs find the antique secretary desk you’re looking for today.