$3,960Sale Price|20% Off
H 108.75 in W 49.5 in D 26 in
Renaissance Revival Carved Walnut & Burl Barrel Roll Top Secretary c1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Renaissance Revival Carved Walnut & Burl Barrel Roll Secretary Desk With Broken Arch Crest
Walnut
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 87.5 in W 38 in D 22 in
Antique Eastlake Chip Caved Walnut Barrel Roll Cylinder Secretary Desk c1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
Chip Caved Walnut Barrel Roll Cylinder Secretary Desk C1890. Measures - 87 1/2" x 38" x 22". This
Walnut
Sold
H 91.5 in W 40.75 in D 27.88 in
Antique Victorian Eastlake Walnut Barrel Roll Secretary Desk, circa 1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Victorian Eastlake barrel roll secretary offers walnut construction with upper double
Metal
Sold
H 92 in W 37.5 in D 21.5 in
Antique Eastlake Walnut & Burl Barrel Roll Secretary Desk, Circa 1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
glass door bookcase with adjustable shelves surmounting barrel roll desk opening to pull-out writing
Walnut, Burl
Sold
H 91.5 in W 40.25 in D 23 in
Antique Eastlake Walnut & Burl Barrel Roll Secretary Desk with Carved Ivy, c1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
case with barrel roll desk opening to interior with slide out writing surface and storage compartments
Walnut, Burl, Glass
Sold
H 91.5 in W 44 in D 19.75 in
Antique Eastlake Walnut & Bur Barrel Roll Secretary Desk, Circa 1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
doors with arched filigree corbels and opening to shelved interior; lower with barrel roll desk with
Metal
Sold
H 83.25 in W 35.25 in D 23.5 in
Antique Victorian Eastlake Cherry & Burl Barrel Roll Top Secretary Desk C1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
Victorian Eastlake Cherry & Burl Barrel Roll Top Secretary Desk & Bookcase with Incised Decoration
Burl
19th Century mahogany inlaid writing desk
Located in Martlesham, GB
A superb quality 19th Century mahogany inlaid writing desk, the super structure comprising of three mahogany lined drawers either side with the original turned brass knob handles and...
Mahogany
$2,032Sale Price|30% Off
H 27.96 in W 41.54 in D 19.69 in
Italian Vintage Writing Desk Attributed to Vittorio Dassi (circa 1950s)
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in London, GB
Italian vintage writing desk attributed to celebrated furniture maker, Vittorio Dassi (circa 1950s). This represents iconic design along with a gorgeous marquetry exterior and iconic...
Wood
$3,160Sale Price|20% Off
H 50.5 in W 55.25 in D 35.75 in
Antique Derby Oak Raised Panel S-Roll Top Desk with Carved Pulls c1920
Located in Big Flats, NY
***Reduced In-House Delivery Rates - Click on “Ask Seller” to Request a Quote*** Antique Derby Oak Raised Panel S-Roll Top Desk with Carved Pulls c1920. 50 3/8" x 55 1/8" x 35 5/8...
Oak
$3,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 49 in W 54 in D 33.75 in
Antique Arts & Crafts Oak Raised Panel S-Roll Top Desk with Full Interior C1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
***Reduced In-House Delivery Rates - Click on “Ask Seller” to Request a Quote***Antique Arts & Crafts Oak Raised Panel S Roll Top Desk with Full Drawer Interior Unsigned C1900 Measur...
Oak
$1,690Sale Price|30% Off
H 42 in W 60 in D 28 in
High Style George Washington Double End Desk by Drexel
By Drexel
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Custom-made high-style bird's-eye maple George Washington double-end desk by Drexel. The desktop features a leather-topped writing surface embossed with gold leaf. There are three pu...
Brass, Gold Leaf
$4,500Sale Price|52% Off
H 48 in W 39.5 in D 20 in
Federal Mahogany and Birch Inlaid Secretary/Desk sq
Located in Water Mill, NY
Federal Mahogany and Birch inlaid secretary/desk with contrasting veneers and bone pulls.
Birch, Mahogany
18th Century Federal Hepplewhite Lolling Chair
Located in Southampton, NY
18th century federal Hepplewhite lolling chair, Massachusetts, Probably Boston or North Shore, Circa 1790 Primary wood: Mahogany Secondary wood: Maple, pine Covered in textured and s...
Mahogany
Antique English Regency Mahogany Butlers Secretary c. 1820
Located in Westfield, MA
This exquisite English Regency mahogany butler’s secretary, dating to circa 1820, captures the grandeur and functionality of early 19th-century design. The mahogany boasts a rich, de...
Mahogany
$5,046 / set
H 52 in W 40.25 in D 23.75 in
Superb Quality 19th Century Mahogany Secretaire Desk Cabinet
Located in Martlesham, GB
A superb quality 19th century mahogany secretaire desk cabinet, the top section having a brass gallery running along the back and sides, having three moulded and inlaid panels at the...
Mahogany
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.