$14,500
H 84.5 in W 46.25 in D 21.5 in
Antique Empire Cylinder-Top Secretary with Bookcase in Burled Ash
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
An exceptional Empire secretary bookcase in fine burl ash wood. Denmark or North Germany, circa
Ash, Burl
19th Century Empire Mahogany Bureau Secretary with Bookcase
Located in Miami, FL
A very fine Empire secretary in West Indies mahogany, also known as Cuban mahogany, considered to
Mahogany
$14,500
H 84 in W 48 in D 24 in
19th Century Scandinavian Birch Empire Bureau Secretary with Bookcase, c. 1820
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A very fine Scandinavian Empire/Biedermeier secretary in beautiful birch wood with mahogany
Birch
Russian Mahogany Secretary Bookcase
Located in Queens, NY
Russian (18th Century) mahogany secretary bookcase with brass gallery pediment and trim with 2
Brass
$17,500
H 83 in W 46 in D 21 in
Antique North German/Danish Empire Cylinder-Top Secretary with Bookcase, c. 1815
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
secretary with bookcase in ash with inlays and marquetry silhouettes of neoclassical Roman images. Cylinder
Ash
19th Century American Empire Secretary Cabinet
Located in Chicago, IL
A remarkable, and strong early 19th century American Empire secretary bookcase of grand
Mahogany
Sold
H 68.5 in W 63.63 in D 17 in
R. J. Horner Style Victorian Mahogany Glass Front Triple Bookcase with Secretary
By R.J. Horner & Co.
Located in South Bend, IN
An outstanding antique Victorian or American Empire side-by-side triple bookcase cabinet with drop
Brass
Empire Bookcase Secretary
Located in Bradenton, FL
A superb two piece 19th century Empire Mahogany and Cherry blind door bookcase secretary
Mahogany
19th Century Empire Mahogany Bureau Secretary with Bookcase
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
A very fine empire secretary in West Indies mahogany, also known as Cuban mahogany, considered to
Mahogany
Sold
H 87.25 in W 45.25 in D 23 in
Early 19th Century Mahogany American Empire Secretary with Bookcase
Located in Nashville, TN
Early 19th century American Empire secretary with bookcase Circa 1840 Highly polished flamed
Mahogany
Sold
H 82.5 in W 39 in D 25.5 in
Antique American Empire Carved Flame Mahogany Secretary, Bookcase & Desk, C1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
*** Antique American Empire Flame Mahogany Secretary with Upper Bookcase with Double Glass Doors over Lower
Mahogany
Sold
H 73.25 in W 42.75 in D 33.5 in
Antique American Empire Carved Flame Mahogany and Bronze Secretary Bookcase
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique American Empire secretary features flame mahogany construction with three long drawers in
Bronze
Sold
H 86 in W 41.5 in D 20.25 in
American Mahogany and Stenciled Secretary with Bookcase. NY Circa 1825
Located in Charleston, SC
American mahogany stenciled and painted foliage secretary bookcase with fitted inlaid birds eye
Sold
H 96 in W 46.5 in D 24.75 in
American Classical Secretary Bookcase in Mahogany Attributable to John Meads
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
Mahogany Secretary Bookcase attributable to John Meads, Albany, New York, circa early 1800's. Features
Mahogany
Sold
H 81.25 in W 44 in L 81.25 in
Antique Flame Mahogany Slant Front Secretary Desk with Bookcase, circa 1850s
Located in South Bend, IN
A stunning antique flame mahogany slant front secretary desk with glass front bookcase USA
Glass, Mahogany
American Flame Mahogany Empire Bookcase Secretary, circa 1850
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Period 1850 American Empire secretary desk in flame mahogany. Two-door bookcase, two small drawers
Mahogany
Antique American Empire Flame Mahogany Bookcase Secretary, circa 1845
By Anthony Quervelle
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique American Empire secretary offers deeply striated flame mahogany construction with upper
Glass, Mahogany
19th Century Empire Mahogany Bureau Secretary with Bookcase
Located in Miami, FL
A very fine Empire secretary in West Indies mahogany, also known as Cuban mahogany, considered to
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
Bronze
Sold
H 83 in W 46.5 in D 24.25 in
Antique Empire Bureau Secretary with Bookcase in West Indies Mahogany, c. 1800
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
An exquisite Empire bureau secretary with bookcase, in fine West Indies/ Cuban mahogany. Denmark
Mahogany
Bold Antique 19th Century Hand-Painted Empire Secretary Bookcase
Located in Hudson, NY
A very nice and unique antique Empire secretary bookcase, circa 1850, with a hand-painted
Louis XVI Style Sofa
By La Maison London
Located in London, Park Royal
Louis XVI style canape made by La Maison London. Hand carved in solid wood, painted in an ecru white with gold highlights. Upholstered in a fabric of your choice Please note: 11m of...
Giltwood
Classic Empire Center Table, Oatmeal
Located in Westwood, NJ
A Classic Empire style grey cerused oak oatmeal stained center table with a carved ogee edge, raised on an octagonal pedestal base. Dimensions: 42" W x 42" D x 30" H. Clearance: 27"
Wood
Library of Antique Leatherbound Books
Located in Brønshøj, DK
This collection consists of 400 antique decorative books, mainly dating from 1850–1950, with most published before 1920. The books are bound in leather, many with fine gold leaf embo...
Gold Leaf
Common Ostrich Fine Taxidermy Object by Sinke & Van Tongeren
By Sinke & Van Tongeren
Located in Haarlem, NL
A unique hand-sculptured mannequin creates a one of a kind work of fine Taxidermy. Al the bare skin parts are hand-painted. This common African Ostrich is 2 meters high and built on...
Animal Skin
$100,852
W 80.71 in L 124.02 in
Tapestry Royal Manufacture of Aubusson, Louis XVI period 1738 at the Gobelins
By Aubusson Manufacture
Located in Madrid, ES
Tapestry from the Royal Manufacture of Aubusson, Louis XVI period , made in 1738 at the Gobelins One panel from a series of Gobelins tapestries depicting the Hi...
Wool, Silk
Highclere Castle Jewellery Box
By LINLEY London
Located in London, GB
Over the years, British design company Linley has developed expertise in creating scaled versions of famous architectural buildings including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the R...
Maple
French Empire Bedroom Suite Walnut Nightstands Bed Commode 1870
Located in Potters Bar, GB
This Suite Comprises of a Large Gentleman's Wardrobe, a Ladies Wardrobe, Super King Size Bed, Marble Top Commode and a Pair of Marble Top Bedside Cabinets. The Whole of the Suite Bei...
Marble
Bespoke Handmade Belgian Linen Sofa
Located in Jesteburg, DE
Introducing the home collection. An iconic, unobtrusive design. A small selection of timeless Flemish designs made by hand for us in a small third generation workshop in Belgium....
Linen
$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
19th Century Biedermeier Column Secretary
Located in Berlin, DE
Cuba mahogany on pine tree. Architecturally arranged front. High-right body on padfoot feet. Fitted with three drawers of different sizes, the base drawer is curved. Straight writing...
Mahogany, Wood
$15,400 / set
H 34.5 in W 19.5 in D 18.5 in
19th Century German Set of Six Antique Biedermeier Walnut Dining Room Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique German Biedermeier set of six dining room chairs made of hand crafted polished, partly veneered Walnut, in good condition. The side chairs have an open, detailed carved ba...
Fabric, Upholstery, Velvet, Walnut, Ebony
$95,950 / set
H 12 in W 18 in D 18 in
Chrysanthemum Tiffany Sterling Silver Flatware Set Service 255 pcs Fitted Chest
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Big Bend, WI
Chrysanthemum (c1880) originally called Indian Chrysanthemum .Tiffany's luxurious Chrysanthemum silver was designed in 1880 by Charles Grosjean. With its flowing curves, swirling ve...
Sterling Silver
$5,000
H 23 in W 16 in D 8.5 in
Grand Tour Bronze Figure of Seated Hermes, Early 19th Century After the Antique
Located in Beachwood, OH
Large Figure of Seated Hermes, Grand Tour Bronze, Early 19th Century 19th Century Continental School After the Antique The large size figure well cast, with brownish green patination...
Marble, Bronze
Jules Leleu Pair of French Art Deco Side Tables
By Jules Leleu
Located in Bridgewater, CT
A pair of French Art Deco side tables, circa 1930s signed LELEU, in rosewood with mother of pearl inlaid.
Rosewood
Monumental 19th Century Ebonized Ripple-Molded Mirror
Located in Chireno, TX
Monumental 19th century ebonized ripple-molded mirror from Italy. Hand-carved in baroque style and ebonized. Original mercury-backed silvered mirror glass with some losses to reverse...
Mirror, Walnut
$18,200Sale Price|24% Off
H 39.5 in W 53 in D 25 in
Important Maison Jansen Velvet and Gilt Canapé, c. 1930s, Signed
By Maison Jansen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful Maison Jansen settee in emerald green velvet and gilt frame, signed underneath with remnants of Jansen stamp. Incredible collectors piece, with exquisite detail and craft...
Wood, Velvet
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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