$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
Original Eames Fiberglass Shell Chairs by Herman Miller
By Charles and Ray Eames, Herman Miller
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage 1960s molded fiberglass side shell chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Gleaming shells are in original condition, each with a distinct thready texture...
Fiberglass
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
$2,695
H 82 in W 36 in D 18.5 in
Henredon Georgian Walnut Drop Front Secretary Desk With Bookcase Hutch
By Henredon
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful Georgian or Queen Anne style bureau with drop front secretary desk and bookcase hutch top By Henredon USA, Circa 1980s Gorgeous figured walnut, with original bra...
Brass
$2,625Sale Price|30% Off
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
$7,700
H 52 in W 48 in D 20 in
19th Century Swedish Mahogany Chiffonje, Writing Agency - Cabinet by Karl Johan
By Karl Johan
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A 19th Century, antique Swedish Biedermeier writing agency, secretary table made of hand crafted polished, partly veneered Mahogany with a writing flap, designed by Karl-Johan in goo...
Metal, 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
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
$3,595
H 80.5 in W 35 in D 15.75 in
Georgian Chinoiserie Black Lacquered Hand-Painted Drop Front Secretary Desk
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Georgian Hollywood Regency Chinoiserie style bureau with drop front secretary desk and lighted bookcase hutch top In the manner of Baker Furniture By Jasper Cabinet ...
Brass
$840Sale Price|30% Off
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
$1,596Sale Price|20% Off
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
$3,295
H 88.75 in W 46.63 in D 21.25 in
Baker Furniture French Provincial Louis XV Carved Walnut Secretary Desk
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous French Provincial Louis XV style bureau with drop front secretary desk and bookcase hutch top By Baker Furniture USA, Circa 1980s Carved walnut, with original brass har...
Brass
$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
$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
$309,560 / 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
$268,019
H 57 in W 30 in D 31.5 in
One-of-a-kind 1851 Great Exhibition Carved Armchair by Arthur Jones of Dublin
Located in London, GB
*Winner of the 2022 Masterpiece Fair Furniture Highlight* The 1851 Great Exhibition Carved Bog Yew Armchair by Arthur Jones of Dublin Carved entirely from Irish bog yew wood, ...
Upholstery, Yew
$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
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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