$1,800Sale Price|61% Off
Unique Venetian Italian Paint Decorated Secretary Desk with Bookcase Circa 1890s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This Venetian Italian paint decorated secretary desk with bookcase, circa 1890s, is a remarkable example of hand-crafted artistry and old-world European charm.
Walnut
$3,000Sale Price|38% Off
Fantastic Paint Decorated Faux Marble Interior Venetian Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This fantastic paint decorated Venetian secretary desk with faux marble interior is a remarkable statement piece that captures the artistry and elegance of 19th to early 20th century...
Walnut
Sold
H 33 in W 39 in D 20 in
Louis XVI -Style Asian Chinoiserie Desk/Secretary with Verni Martin Decorating
Located in Houston, TX
This piece is in the manner of Jacques Dubois , the shaped, rectangular top Has a pierced three quarter pierced brass gallery above a slant front opening To a storage well and draw...
Mahogany
Sold
H 41.93 in W 31.11 in D 14.97 in
Highly Decorative English Lady's Secretary Desk from the 19th Century
Located in Opole, PL
Furthermore, the front is decorated with beautiful inlays. Presented secretary desk has undergone renovation.
Baize, Wood
Sold
H 94.49 in W 68.9 in D 19.69 in
19th Century Spanish Bargueño / Vargueño New World Inlay Motif with Table
Located in Madrid, ES
Large-scale 19th century Spanish bargueño / vargueño (secretary/desk) decorated with scenes of Columbus discovering the New World.
Wood, Bone, Tortoise Shell
Sold
H 71 in W 36 in D 18.5 in
English Satinwood Paint Decorated Adams Style Secretary Desk with Bookcase top
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Adams style paint decorated secretary desk with 4 doors containing 3 shelves with a drop desk.
Wood
Sold
H 46.46 in W 44.49 in D 17.33 in
Unusual Swedish Antique Tall Country Secretary Desk in Painted Pine
Located in Kramfors, SE
Interior with drawers and two doors in the center, all decorated with a ribbed decor. The secretary desk is painted with faux paint to imitate wood with green accents on the doors an...
Pine
19th Century Japanese Lacquer Secretary Desk Richly Decorated
Located in Paris, FR
19th century Japanese lacquer secretary desk richly decorated Small size secretary desk with black lacquered flap, rich decor of birds and koi carps in a lake landscape.
Wood
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.
Simple or sophisticated, equipped with console, cart or custom cabinetry, these stylish bar areas deserve a toast.
Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.
The furniture equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, it's the multifunctional piece you didn't know you needed.
Italian studio DimoreMilano mustered great ingenuity when crafting these sculptural shelves, which are built without any screws.
Leaping into a design project, whether it's refreshing the bedroom or redoing the whole house, can be overwhelming. Luckily, we know more than a few interior designers. You asked questions on Instagram, and now they're answering.
Introduced nearly 500 years ago, curiosity cabinets are finding new fans among today's collectors and designers.
In the hands of New York Heartwoods cofounder Megan Offner, unwanted local trees become works of design art.
From Brooklyn townhouses to Maine campgrounds, Trattie Davies and Jonathan Toews relish a challenge, like transforming a former warehouse space into the new 1stdibs Gallery.