$20,000
H 79 in W 35.5 in D 19 in
Venetian Hand-Painted Blind Door Secretary with Bookcase, Circa 1900
Located in Charleston, SC
Venetian blind door secretary with a carved scrolled decorative cornice, upper case bookcase with
Brass
$22,000
H 89.5 in W 48 in D 25 in
English Chippendale Mahogany Blind Door Secretary With Bookcase, Circa 1775
Located in Charleston, SC
English Chippendale mahogany blind door secretary with bookcase. Upper case has a carved cornice
Brass
$3,650
H 82 in W 40.5 in D 21.75 in
Kittinger Williamsburg Adaptation Mahogany Two Piece Secretary Desk / Bookcase
By Kittinger Furniture Company
Located in Milford, NH
A fine example of a two piece mahogany blind door secretary desk / bookcase in the Chippendale
Brass
$1,320Sale Price|20% Off
H 69.75 in W 40.5 in D 23.5 in
Antique Empire Classical Flame Mahogany Secretary Desk c1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Empire Classical Flame Mahogany Secretary with Blind Door Upper, Drop Down Desk and
Mahogany
A wonderful vibrantly inlaid secretary desk
Located in Sharon, MA
contrasting inlays and beautiful figured mahogany. Blind door secretary desks such as this were extremely
Mahogany, Birdseye Maple
American Blind Door Secretary Walnut, circa 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
American walnut secretary with fitted secretary and fitted top behind blind doors New Jersey c
Sold
H 94 in W 42.75 in D 23.5 in
English Mahogany Inlaid Blind Door Secretary With Bookcase. 18th Century
Located in Charleston, SC
floral medallions and centered urn, patera satinwood inlaid blind doors, with upper case interior
Mahogany, Satinwood
English Walnut Blind Door Secretary with Fitted Upper Case, circa 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
English walnut mirrored door secretary with fitted upper case. Nice with figured walnut, circa 1780.
Sold
H 94 in W 38 in D 20.5 in
Wright Table Co. New England Style Cherry Blind Door Secretary Desk and Bookcase
Located in Dayton, OH
A Monumental New England style secretary desk from Wright Table Company. Made from solid cherrywood
Cherry
English Mahogany Secretary with Blind Door Bookcase. Circa 1770
Located in Charleston, SC
blind doors with a fitted interior and adjustable shelving. Lower case has a slant front desk with
Mahogany
Empire Bookcase Secretary
Located in Bradenton, FL
A superb two piece 19th century Empire Mahogany and Cherry blind door bookcase secretary
Mahogany
Sold
H 90.75 in W 44.5 in D 24.5 in
English Regency Burl Walnut Blind Door Secretary Bookcase with Bun Feet, C. 1815
Located in Charleston, SC
foliage bulbous finials, flanking hinged scalloped blind doors revealing a fitted interior with valanced
Brass
Georgian Mahogany Blind Door Bookcase Secretary
Located in Bradenton, FL
A very nice early Georgian Mahogany blind door bookcase secretary desk 1740-50. This is a great
Mahogany
Sheraton Blind Door Secretary
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
American mahogany and maple Sheraton blind door secretary with original brasses and green leather
Brass
Late 18th Century English Chinoiserie Decorated Secretary Desk
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
An elegant late 18th C. English scarlet lacquer and chinoiserie decorated blind-door secretary
Wood
Sold
H 78.75 in W 40.5 in D 22.5 in
Mid 20th Century Cherry Secretary Desk W/ Blind Door Bookcase, Attrib. BENBOW'S
Located in Charlotte, NC
with brass hardware, crown moulding to top and ogee bracket feet. Upper blind bookcase has two doors
Brass
$3,750
H 41.5 in W 42.5 in D 21.5 in
Antique Georgian Flame Mahogany Slant Front Secretary Writing Desk Bureau
Located in Dayton, OH
Exquisite antique early 19th century secretary writing storage desk. Made of flame mahogany featuring Georgian styling with three large dovetailed drawers and a drop front that open...
Birdseye Maple, Mahogany
Antique Oak Drop Front Secretary Desk Bookcase Bookshelf Console 65"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Early American style secretary desk / bookcase / writing bureau / larkin / chalet . Made of oak featuring a serpentine design with drop front that opens to multiple cubbies ...
Oak
American Chippendale Oxbow Slant Front Desk, Mahogany, Circa 1780
Located in Kenilworth, IL
American Chippendale slant front desk on four graduated drawers, resting on ogee bracket feet. The oxbow drawers are blocked at the corners which continues into the ogee bracket feet...
Brass
$1,200
H 70 in W 28 in D 19 in
Vintage Early American Style Petite Maple Lift Top Secretary Desk & Hutch 70"
Located in Dayton, OH
1960s American Country Diminutive Desk & Hutch. Made from maple with a lift top writing desk topped by a large backsplash with shelves and drawer. Great for use as a bookshelf. B...
Brass
George III Mahogany Secretary Bookcase
Located in Westwood, NJ
Elegant Georgian style cabinet with classical pediment, geometric glazing bars over the twin doors with three adjustable shelves within, the lower section with a fall front, fully li...
Mahogany
Airplane in landscape - landscape painting
By Jeroen Allart
Located in New York, NY
This beautiful painting by Jeroen Allart is part of his minimalist landscape and animal painting he did in his home country the Netherlands. 'A farm stands before you on the horizon....
Canvas, Oil
$1,995
H 88.38 in W 43 in D 21 in
Chinoiserie Black Lacquered Drop Front Secretary Desk With Bookcase Hutch
By Jasper Furniture Company
Located in Elkhart, IN
A gorgeous Georgian Chinoiserie style bureau with drop front secretary desk and bookcase hutch top In the manner of Jasper Furniture Company USA, Late 20th Century Black lacquered...
Brass
Small 18th Century Mahogany Secretaire Bookcase
Located in Lymington, GB
A rare, diminutive, late-18th century secretaire bookcase / cabinet. George III-period, circa 1790. Mahogany of very good rich color and well patinated. Inlaid and crossbanded throu...
Mahogany
$1,036Sale Price|68% Off
H 91 in W 83 in D 16 in
Large Solid Oak French Louis XV Style Breakfront Bookcase Vitrine, circa 1980
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This impressive French Louis XV style breakfront bookcase vitrine, crafted in solid oak circa 1980, is a striking example of fine European craftsmanship. The substantial design featu...
Oak
$2,595
H 76.25 in W 36.5 in D 18.75 in
Georgian Solid Birch Drop Front Secretary Desk With Bookcase Hutch
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful Georgian, Chippendale, or Early American style bureau with drop front secretary desk and bookcase hutch top USA, Circa 1970s Gorgeous carved solid birch, with original ...
Brass
$19,450Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 39.25 in W 29.5 in D 29.5 in
Pair of French Louis XVI Style Belle Époque Bergère Attributed to Jansen
By Maison Jansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine and rare pair of French 19th-20th century "Belle Époque" Louis XVI style mahogany and ormolu-mounted bergéres armchairs, each with an arched-back gilt bronze-mounted fram...
Ormolu
$6,895
H 44 in W 47 in D 23 in
George III Bureau Desk or Secretary Chest of Mahogany from the 18th Century
Located in Austin, TX
A fine George III slant top desk or bureau secretary chest of patinated mahogany, c.1770 - an inlaid slant front drops to reveal a series of small drawers and document compartments, ...
Metal, Brass
$3,500
H 73 in W 40 in D 29.5 in
Antique Early 19th Century Plantation Desk Secretary + Bookcase Hutch Cabinet
Located in Dayton, OH
An exceptional mid to early 19th century primitive American Plantation writing desk / hutch / cupboard / cabinet. Made from Pine and Poplar with a cherry finish. Featuring two piec...
Poplar, Pine
$2,495
H 51 in W 37 in D 21.5 in
Kindel Furniture Georgian Mahogany Bow Front Highboy Dresser, circa 1960s
By Kindel Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Georgian or Chippendale style seven-drawer highboy dresser or chest of drawers By Kindel Furniture USA, circa 1960s Mahogany, with original brass hardware. Mea...
Brass
$2,796Sale Price|20% Off
H 98.75 in W 42 in D 22.5 in
Fantastic American Centennial Solid Walnut Philadelphia Carved Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Discover timeless elegance with this fantastic American Centennial solid walnut Philadelphia carved secretary desk, a true testament to 19th-century craftsmanship. This exquisite pie...
Walnut
$307,426 / set
H 75 in Dm 29 in
Monumental Pair of Louis XV Style Ormolu and Crystal Girandoles by Baccarat
By Baccarat
Located in London, GB
A magnificent pair of Louis XV style Ormolu and crystal girandoles Probably by Baccarat Constructed from finely cast and chased ormolu, the imposing floor candelabra—almost 2-me...
Crystal, Ormolu
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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