British Colonial Secretaires

BRITISH COLONIAL STYLE

Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.

As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.

Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.

To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.

Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.

Style: British Colonial

English Fall-Front Secretary Desk in Carved Oak, Circa 1800

$9,200

English Fall-Front Secretary Desk in Carved Oak, Circa 1800

Located in North Miami, FL

This piece just took our breath away - all the carved wood details and medallions are master craftsman quality. See all detail images to truly appreciate what an excellent antique pi...

Category

Early 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Brass

19th Century British Colonial Cabinet, From the collection of Vicente Wolf

$16,250Sale Price|35% Off

19th Century British Colonial Cabinet, From the collection of Vicente Wolf

Located in New York, NY

A tall Indonesian antique secretary with twin glass panel doors, mid-19th century. British Colonial style. Polychromed teak wood in two tones of red, plus gilt accents. Three shel...

Category

Late 19th Century Indonesian Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Glass, Wood

19th-Century Biedermeier Mahogany Secretary Desk in Beautiful Graining

$7,146Sale Price|20% Off

H 62.21 in W 44.1 in D 23.23 in

19th-Century Biedermeier Mahogany Secretary Desk in Beautiful Graining

Located in Opole, PL

19th-Century Biedermeier Mahogany Secretary Desk in Beautiful Graining We present you this piece of furniture with three drawers at the bottom, a drop front, and a narrow drawer und...

Category

Mid-19th Century European Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Baize, Mahogany

Oriental Cabinet with Mother-of- Pearl, Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries

$3,921Sale Price|20% Off

H 51.58 in W 47.64 in D 23.23 in

Oriental Cabinet with Mother-of- Pearl, Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries

Located in Opole, PL

Oriental Cabinet Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl, Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries This exquisite antique cabinet is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, exuding timeless elegance and ref...

Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Wood, Mother-of-Pearl

Late 19th Century Large Cabinet from Shanxi, China

$5,500

H 74.41 in W 56.3 in D 23.23 in

Late 19th Century Large Cabinet from Shanxi, China

Located in Singapore, SG

Originally a black lacquer cabinet, but much of the lacquer have peeled off, revealing the lovely wood underneath. Only the middle doors open, the panels on the left and right are se...

Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Iron

Antique English Fall Front Secretary Desk in Oak

$4,650

H 38.19 in W 33.47 in D 17.72 in

Antique English Fall Front Secretary Desk in Oak

Located in Meer, VAN

Antique Fall Front Secretary Desk in solid oak, England, late 18th to early 19th Century. This is a wonderful English antique fall front secretary desk in solid oak with brass fitti...

Category

Early 19th Century British Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Dutch Secretary Desk, Around 1800, Mahogany

$4,500Sale Price|43% Off

H 41.74 in W 45.28 in D 23.63 in

Dutch Secretary Desk, Around 1800, Mahogany

Located in Belmont, MA

Dutch secretary desk, Netherlands, around 1800. This elegantly curved secretary desk has three spacious drawers in the lower part. The writing flap ...

Category

1790s Dutch Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century Scholar Cabinet

$630Sale Price|49% Off

H 55 in W 35 in D 17 in

19th Century Scholar Cabinet

Located in Santa Monica, CA

Scholar cabinet 55h x 35w x 17d This is a square corner cabinet with a central stile between the doors. The hardware is decorative. The cabinet has a...

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Hardwood

French Louis XVI Secretaire Abattant / Secretary desk, circa 1800

$4,854Sale Price|30% Off

H 57.09 in W 36.23 in D 14.97 in

French Louis XVI Secretaire Abattant / Secretary desk, circa 1800

Located in Lucenec, SK

The secrétaire à abbatant or fall front desk is nearly identical to the desk 5th President James Monroe brought back from France in 1797. These desks are ...

Category

Early 19th Century French Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Victorian Secretary Desk Circa. 1800's

$1,850

H 94.5 in W 40 in D 19.5 in

Victorian Secretary Desk Circa. 1800's

Located in Fulton, CA

American Victorian secretary desk made of solid walnut. Circa. 1875. Drop-front desk with birdseye maple detail. Carved walnut pulls with "rac...

Category

Mid-19th Century American Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Birdseye Maple, Walnut

19th Century Small Kang Cabinet

$675

H 18.5 in W 14.75 in D 10 in

19th Century Small Kang Cabinet

Located in Santa Monica, CA

Small Kang Cabinet 18.5h x 14.75w x 10d This small Kang cabinet has a flush top which slightly hangs over the body frame. The frame members are round and the front is decorated with...

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Hardwood

Louis Phillipe North German Fall-Front Secretary in Flame Mahogany, circa 1855

$14,500

H 59.5 in W 51.5 in D 23.5 in

Louis Phillipe North German Fall-Front Secretary in Flame Mahogany, circa 1855

Located in INTERLAKEN, NY

A captivating one of a kind Louis Phillip secretary in book-matched, flame mahogany with shaped, curvi-linear drawer fronts and faux drawer fronts on the fall-front and the sides. Of...

Category

Mid-19th Century German Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

18th century George III English Slant-Front Secretary Desk in Oak

$3,500

H 42 in W 36 in D 21 in

18th century George III English Slant-Front Secretary Desk in Oak

Located in Houston, TX

Handsome 18th Century English (George III) slant-front secretary desk, craftly in richly grained oak and retaining a warm patina developed over centuries of use. The desk features a...

Category

18th Century English Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Oak

Biedermeier Fall Top Desk, South German, 1820

$6,900

H 61.82 in W 40.95 in D 19.69 in

Biedermeier Fall Top Desk, South German, 1820

Located in Belmont, MA

Classic Biedermeier fall top desk, South German, 1820, walnut veneer on the outside and mahogany veneer on the inside. It has a beautiful veneer grain. T...

Category

1820s German Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany, Walnut

Previously Available Items

Antique British Colonial Campaign Secretary Chest of Drawers

Sold

H 40 in W 41 in D 19 in

Antique British Colonial Campaign Secretary Chest of Drawers

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Handsome 19th century British Colonial Campaign chest handcrafted in mahogany featuring a pullout desk in the top with drawers and niches, three storage drawers below, brass hardware...

Category

Early 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Antique Campaign Ship Captain's Desk Cabinet or Secretary

Sold

H 68 in W 31 in D 18 in

Antique Campaign Ship Captain's Desk Cabinet or Secretary

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Edwardian Captain's upright secretary crafted in mahogany with inlaid ovals on the cabinet door fronts, brass campaign hardware, tooled leather writing surface, plenty of drawer stor...

Category

Early 20th Century English British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Vintage Colonial Style Faux Bamboo Writing Desk With Glass Top

Sold

H 31 in W 60 in D 30 in

Vintage Colonial Style Faux Bamboo Writing Desk With Glass Top

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

Faux bamboo writing desk in colonial style with leather inset top A British Colonial style writing desk with decorative rattan and bamboo pattern and leather inset on writing surface. Maker's mark to interior of top drawer. This is a beautiful wooden desk with wicker accents and large surface area. The two tier shelves...

Category

Late 20th Century American British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Wicker, Rattan, Glass

Vintage Colonial Style Faux Bamboo Writing Desk

Sold

H 31 in W 60 in L 31 in

Vintage Colonial Style Faux Bamboo Writing Desk

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

Faux bamboo writing desk in colonial style with leather inset top A British Colonial style writing desk with decorative rattan and bamboo ...

Category

Late 20th Century American British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Rattan, Wicker

Caribbean Colonial Style Slant Front Secretary Desk in Mahogany

Sold

H 41 in W 36 in D 19 in

Caribbean Colonial Style Slant Front Secretary Desk in Mahogany

Located in Astoria, NY

Caribbean Colonial style mahogany slant front secretary, in the late Classical taste, two columns carved with pineapple and palm leaf mo...

Category

Early 20th Century Unknown British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

Early 20th Century Military Campaign Desk Correspondence Box

Sold

H 14 in W 15.5 in D 9 in

Early 20th Century Military Campaign Desk Correspondence Box

Located in Vancouver, British Columbia

Handmade teak wood military correspondence box with multiple sections for organizing paperwork. Original hardware, circa 1910-1920.

Category

1910s British Indian Ocean Territory Vintage British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Teak

Fabulous Antique British Colonial Butler's Desk 'With Secret Compartments'

Sold

H 79.5 in W 42.75 in D 19 in

Fabulous Antique British Colonial Butler's Desk 'With Secret Compartments'

Located in Atlanta, GA

A tall British Colonial carved-wood secretary with display top from the turn of the 19th and 20th century. This fabulous antique piece from India is as beautiful as it is functional....

Category

Late 19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Glass, Wood

19th Century Campaign Chest

Sold

H 43.5 in W 48 in D 21 in

19th Century Campaign Chest

Located in Palm Beach, FL

English campaign chest with a fold out secretary, having a flame and cross banded mahogany front, tooled leather writing surface, and letter compartments. The chest is crafted in w...

Category

19th Century English Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Secretaire Campaign Chest

Sold

H 41.74 in W 36.23 in D 24.41 in

Secretaire Campaign Chest

Located in Henley-on Thames, Oxfordshire

Early 19th century military chest with secretaire drawer. Retaining original handles and also the original leather on the secretaries drawer, a handsome piece.

Category

Early 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Teak

China Trade Camphor Wood Campaign Desk

Sold

H 39.5 in W 35.5 in D 16 in

China Trade Camphor Wood Campaign Desk

Located in San Francisco, CA

A Chinese export brass mounted camphor wood campaign desk in 2 parts, the upper case with hinged top opening to a tooled leather writing surface be...

Category

19th Century Chinese Antique British Colonial Secretaires

Materials

Brass

British Colonial secretaires for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique British Colonial secretaires for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage secretaires created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, asian art and furniture and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, brass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used British Colonial secretaires made in a specific country, there are England, Europe, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for secretaires differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $5,800 and tops out at $14,000 while the average work can sell for $9,525.