Empire Drop Front Desk, Kopenhagen, 1820
Located in Belmont, MA
Empire drop front desk, Copenhagen 1810-20. This unique Danish secretary desk is embellished with mahogany veneer.
Category
Antique 1810s Danish Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Empire Drop Front Desk
Vintage Empire Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Exceptionally functional, the desk features a drop-front writing surface that opens to reveal a neatly organized interior, while two large lower drawers provide ample storage for doc...
Category
Antique 19th Century American Empire Desks
Materials
Brass
French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretaire Abattant Secretary Desk
$6,500
H 61.5 in W 41.25 in D 20.25 in
French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretaire Abattant Secretary Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretaire Abattant Secretary Desk.
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretary Desk
$7,800
H 56.25 in W 38 in D 16 in
Early 19th Century French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in Miami, FL
Classic antique Early 19th Century French Empire drop front secretary desk made with magnificent high quality flame mahogany adorned with bronze doré mounts and its original gray mar...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Style 19th Century Walnut Chest with Drop Front Desk, Two Drawers
$7,500
H 37 in W 36.5 in D 18.5 in
French Empire Style 19th Century Walnut Chest with Drop Front Desk, Two Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Empire style walnut chest from the 19th century with drop front desk and two additional drawers.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Brass
American Empire Classical Mahogany Butlers Chest With Drop-Front Desk c1840
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
H 48 in W 46.5 in D 22.5 in
American Empire Classical Mahogany Butlers Chest With Drop-Front Desk c1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
This substantial piece of antique furniture embodies the robust elegance characteristic of the American Empire period. The chest features a drop-front mechanism that reveals a meticu...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
$4,360Sale Price|20% Off
H 54.93 in W 38 in D 16.15 in
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
Located in Miami, FL
Secretaire a abattant, France circa 1820, Biedermeier period. The outside with fall front and two drawers flanked by two ebonized columns shows a beautiful oak veneer design. The woo...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
$5,450
H 58.67 in W 38.98 in D 18.51 in
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
Located in Miami, FL
Secretaire a abattant, France circa 1820, Biedermeier period. The outside with fall front and two drawers flanked by two ebonized columns shows a beautiful oak veneer design. The woo...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
$5,450
H 55.71 in W 35.24 in D 14.97 in
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
Located in Miami, FL
Secretaire a abattant, France circa 1820, Biedermeier period. The outside with fall front and two drawers flanked by two ebonized columns shows a beautiful oak veneer design. The woo...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
$5,450
H 56.7 in W 38 in D 16.54 in
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
Located in Miami, FL
Secretaire a abattant, France circa 1820, Biedermeier period. The outside with fall front and two drawers flanked by two ebonized columns shows a beautiful oak veneer design. The woo...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Empire Solid Marble Top Mahogany Secretaire
$3,600
H 55.75 in W 38.25 in D 17.75 in
French 19th Century Empire Solid Marble Top Mahogany Secretaire
Located in Carmine, TX
This Empire secrétaire (drop-front desk) reflects the bold, architectural elegance of the early 19th century.
Category
Antique 1850s French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Empire Secretaire, Walnut, Maple, Paw Feet, Austria circa 1815
$10,506
H 59.45 in W 39.38 in D 18.31 in
Empire Secretaire, Walnut, Maple, Paw Feet, Austria circa 1815
Located in Regensburg, DE
Fine Early Biedermeier or late Empire Secretaire / Drop-Front /Secretary Desk from Austria around 1815-20.
Category
Antique 1820s Austrian Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Gold Leaf
Recent Sales
Unusual Small French Directoire or Empire Transition Desk
Located in New Orleans, LA
Unusual and small-scale French Directoire/Empire transition period mahogany drop front desk, with white marble top with brass gallery, removable from stand with fabric back and white...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Directoire Desks
Materials
Marble, Brass
French 19th Century Empire Drop Front Desk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This French 19th century solid walnut desk has many interesting features. The slant front folds down to reveal a writing surface and many small compartments. There are two small draw...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Classical Empire Tiger Maple Two-Tone Inlaid Drop Front Butlers Desk
Sold
H 44 in W 40.5 in D 21.75 in
Classical Empire Tiger Maple Two-Tone Inlaid Drop Front Butlers Desk
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Classical Empire butler's desk feature two toned inlay tiger maple with drop front desk opening to writing surface with storage drawers and pigeon holes, lower long drawers ...
Category
Antique 19th Century American American Empire Desks
Materials
Maple
Antique American Empire Neoclassical Mahogany Drop Front Abattant Desk C1840
Sold
H 55 in W 37.25 in D 20.5 in
Antique American Empire Neoclassical Mahogany Drop Front Abattant Desk C1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
***Reduced In-House Delivery Rates - Click on “Ask Seller” to Request a Quote*** Antique American Empire Neoclassical Mahogany Drop Front Abattant Desk Unsigned C1840.
Category
Antique 19th Century Neoclassical Desks
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
Sold
H 69.68 in W 39.37 in D 20.27 in
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
Located in Miami, FL
Secretaire a abattant, France circa 1820, Biedermeier period. The outside with fall front and three drawers flanked by two ebonized columns shows a beautiful oak veneer design. The w...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Baker Furniture French Empire Burl Wood Secrétaire á Abattant With Brass Ormolu
Sold
H 58 in W 33.25 in D 15.25 in
Baker Furniture French Empire Burl Wood Secrétaire á Abattant With Brass Ormolu
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
An outstanding French Empire or Neoclassical style drop front secretary desk By Baker Furniture USA, Circa 1980s Gorgeous burl wood, with ebonized columns, and original brass hard...
Category
Vintage 1980s American Empire Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Empire Secretaire with Ink Painting, Ebonized, Maple, Brass, Vienna circa 1815
Sold
H 66.93 in W 37.8 in D 18.51 in
Empire Secretaire with Ink Painting, Ebonized, Maple, Brass, Vienna circa 1815
Located in Regensburg, DE
Fine neoclassical Empire or early Biedermeier Secretaire / Drop Front Desk from Vienna, Austria around 1810-15.
Category
Antique 1810s Austrian Empire Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Iron, Gold Leaf
Baker Signature Empire Style Drop Front Desk / Secretary with Cabinet
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Toledo, OH
American, mid-20th century, mahogany Empire style secretary by Baker Furniture. Gilt trim, applied half pilasters with brass hardware. Fall front tooled leather writing surface, 26.5...
Category
20th Century American Empire Desks
Materials
Mahogany
Antique American Empire Flame Mahogany Bookcase Drop Front Secretary, circa 1840
Sold
H 83.5 in W 47 in D 21.5 in
Antique American Empire Flame Mahogany Bookcase Drop Front Secretary, circa 1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
An American Empire flame mahogany secretary features upper bookcase with double fretwork glass doors opening to adjustable shelf interior with drawers and pigeon holes surmounting ca...
Category
Antique 19th Century American American Empire Desks
Materials
Bronze
Antique Classical Flame Mahogany Empire Abattant, circa 1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Classical Empire abattant (drop front desk) features bookmatched flame mahogany, drop front opens to reveal banded writing surface, central cabinet flanked with carved reticu...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Desks
Materials
Mahogany
Antique American Empire Flame Mahogany Carved Slant Front Secretary 19th Century
Sold
H 96 in W 53 in D 22 in
Antique American Empire Flame Mahogany Carved Slant Front Secretary 19th Century
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique American Empire slant drop front desk features flame mahogany with cared floral and foliate decoration, upper bookcase, drop front opens to reveal writing surface and interio...
Category
Antique 19th Century American American Empire Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
A First Period Empire Bombay Shaped Drop Front Desk
Located in New York, NY
A first period bombay shaped Dutch Empire drop front desk with five lower drawers, a fitted interior with drawers and a central accordian doored compartment, an upper gallery with do...
Category
Antique 19th Century Dutch Desks
Materials
Oak
19th Century French Empire Drop Front Secretary
Located in Fairhope, AL
A 19th century French Empire drop front secretary. Has a marble top and side columns with bronze mounts, doors below with three drawers inside and one drawer above.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables
19th Century French Empire Drop Front Secretary with Marble Top
Located in Fairhope, AL
French Empire style mahogany secretary with marble top has three lower drawers which are lockable (key included) and the single hidden drawer at the top. The interior has five docume...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Desks
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H 30.71 in W 51.58 in D 30.32 in
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Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
An imposing Napoleon III center table (or 'Table de Milieu') in ebonized fruit wood, rectangular in shape, with rounded sides. Its ornate top, which is bordered all around with a gi...
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Empire Drop Front Desk For Sale on 1stDibs
Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the empire drop front desk you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Each empire drop front desk for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, metal and mahogany. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect empire drop front desk — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 19th Century are available. Each empire drop front desk bearing Empire hallmarks is very popular.
How Much is a Empire Drop Front Desk?
An empire drop front desk can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $6,750, while the lowest priced sells for $1,895 and the highest can go for as much as $31,300.
Finding the Right Case Pieces And Storage Cabinets for You
Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.
In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.
Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.
Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.
In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.
A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.
Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.
Questions About Empire Drop Front Desk
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023A drop-front desk is usually called a secretary. Other names for this type of desk include writing cabinet, fall-front desk and secrétaire à abattant. The name secretary can be traced back to the 18th century when estate secretaries used the drop-front desks as workstations for paying bills and reconciling accounts. On 1stDibs, find a range of secretary desks.
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