$6,291
H 56.5 in W 37.8 in D 15.75 in
Louis XVI drop-leaf secretary desk in rosewood and violet wood veneer, 18th cent
Located in Honnelles, WHT
Louis XVI drop-leaf secretary desk in rosewood and violet wood veneer, 18th century
Wood
Louis XV period marquetry secretary from the mid-18th century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
A very elegant and rare Louis XV period drop-leaf secretary desk, characteristic of Rococo
Marble, Bronze
$72,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 61 in W 31 in D 18.5 in
19th C. Royal Antique Burl Wood Secretary Desk & Black Leather Drop Leaf Top
Located in West Hollywood, CA
19th C. Royal Antique Burl Wood Secretary Desk & Black Leather Drop Leaf Top HRH . Very Rare
Bronze
$2,200Sale Price|54% Off
H 40.75 in W 39 in D 20.5 in
Late 19th Century Italian Walnut Burl Inlaid Louis XIV Secretary Drop Leaf Desk
Located in Encinitas, CA
Late 19th Century Italian Walnut Burl Inlaid Louis XIV Secretary Drop Leaf Desk. Trim three-drawer
Walnut
18th century Italian Secretary
Located in Atlanta, GA
Painted and gilded Italian Secretary, drop leaf desk over 3 drawers with 2door upper cabinet
Louis XV Painted Drop Leaf Secretary Desk
Located in New York, NY
Absolutely breathtaking, this Louis XV drop leaf secretary has gorgeous carvings and original
19th Century Swiss Drop-Leaf Secretary Desk and Chest
Located in New York, NY
This 19th Century Swiss case piece is comprised of a drop-leaf desktop and a chest of drawers. They
Brass
Swedish Style Painted Drop Leaf Secretary or Desk
Located in New York, NY
Antique painted, drop leaf petite secretary or desk with just the perfect patina. Cabriole legs
Sold
H 54.75 in W 31.38 in D 15 in
18th Century French Louis XVI Flame Mahogany Secretary or Drop Leaf Desk
Located in Miami, FL
A fine late 18th century French Louis XVI Secretary or drop leaf desk made of beautiful flame
Brass
French Faux Bamboo Secretaire
Located in Stamford, CT
Chest of Drawers with drop down front and marble top. Four drawers and drop-leaf secretary desk
Faux Bamboo
Traditional Secretary Desk with Brass Hardware
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Traditional drop-leaf mahogany secretary desk with three large drawers. Brass pulls and interior
Sold
H 59.75 in W 32.75 in D 20.5 in
French, Faux Bamboo Secretaire Chest of Drawers with Drop Down Desk
Located in Bridport, CT
Stunning French Secretary Desk. Chest of drawers with bamboo detailing. Four drawers and a drop
Wood
Antique Pine Drop-Leaf Secretary or Desk
Located in Pau, FR
Antique pine drop-leaf secretary or desk. The secretary features plenty of compartments and small
Brass
$6,500 / item
H 14 in W 36 in D 20 in
Modern Oval Coffee Table in Oak Wood Cylinder Base and Glass by Ercole Home
By Ercole Home
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Palazzo oval coffee table with green and ivory glass sits on 2 Rift White Oak Wood pedestals by Ercole Home. This new bespoke coffee table design by Ercole Home is available today fo...
Art Glass, Cut Glass, Walnut
Swedish Art Deco Dressing Table Vanity
Located in Atlanta, GA
Unique Art Deco dressing table with foldable mirrors. Ample storage on the sides and pull-out drawer in the center.
Mirror, Teak
$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
$3,599
H 67.33 in W 44.49 in D 22.05 in
19th Century Chinese Apothecary Medicine Cabinet with 45 Drawers
Located in Kastrup, DK
Beautiful Chinese apothecary medicine chests dating to circa 1840-1860 from the Shanxi province, China. 45 drawers and original lacquer. Drawers still with some remains of the desc...
Metal
$6,948
H 7.09 in W 13 in D 4.34 in
19th Century Animalier French Bronze Entitled "Taureau Debout" by Rosa Bonheur
By Rosa Bonheur
Located in London, GB
"Taureau Debout" by Rosa Bonheur. An excellent late 19th Century French animalier bronze study of a standing bull with fine hand chased surface that accentuates the muscle definit...
Bronze
$38,950Sale Price / set|48% Off
H 54.25 in W 37.25 in D 32 in
Pair of Palatial Venetian Walnut Carved Mid-19th Century Baroque Figural Thrones
By Valentino Besarel
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine pair of palatial Venetian walnut carved mid-19th century Baroque figural throne armchairs, attributed to Valentino Panciera Besarel (Venice, 1829-1902) in the manner of A...
Leather, Walnut
$3,125
H 88 in W 42 in D 20 in
Midcentury French Style Black Lacquer Chinoiserie Secretary Desk / Cabinet
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a midcentury French style hand painted chinoiserie secretary with a unique bombe form base and glass top. It works so well for both display and functional desk. It is unmarke...
Leather, Glass, Lacquer
$2,884Sale Price|20% Off
H 61.82 in W 31.11 in D 16.54 in
Art deco yellow parchment and grey Vanity Table Coiffeuse Italy
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Valladolid, ES
Elegant and refined Italian art deco toilet or bedroom vanity with fixed oval profile mirror; wood covered in parchment simulating marble in light yellow tones veined in greys of dif...
Brass
19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Secretaire
Located in Darmstadt, DE
This stunning Biedermeier secretary desk is an authentic antique piece crafted from walnut wood, both inside and out. Dating back to the early 19th century, this masterpiece showcase...
Pine, Walnut
$1,650
H 48 in W 60 in D 1 in
Chinese Export Four Panel Lacquered Coromandel Dressing Screen Room Divider
Located in Doylestown, PA
Chinese export smaller scale four-panel lacquered dressing screen room divider with hand-painted decoration on both sides. One side depicts a charming continuous pavilion scene with...
Metal
19th century English faux bamboo marble top bedside chest
Located in Richmond, VA
Great little 19th century English faux bamboo chest with original white marble top. Two drawers over two on turned feet.
Marble
$2,395
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
English 19th Century Sheraton Secretary
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A slender mahogany bureau bookcase with secretary desk, made in England, circa 1820. The secretary’s upper body is crowned with a broken pediment–a classic Sheraton feature–above gla...
Brass
Biedermeier Secretary Desk, Mid-19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Secretary desk with exquisite ash veneer and a three-drawer commode base. Behind the leather-covered writing surface lies a spacious arched compartment, complemented by six small dra...
Bronze
Sea Life and Shell Diorama /Shadow Box
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
3-715 Beautiful sea life diorama including sea shells various crustaceans ,seahorse starfish encased in a walnut frame under glass. Brass hanging ring
Shell
$4,500
H 72.5 in W 56.75 in D 14.5 in
1920s Art Deco Vanity Dressing Table Attributed to Henry Van De Velde
By Henry van de Velde
Located in Southampton, NY
1920s Art Deco Vanity Dressing Table Attributed to Henry Van De Velde This dressing table, attributed to Henry Van der Velde, showcases the elegant simplicity and functional design c...
Birdseye Maple
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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