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Empire writing desk in cherry wood, with lifting side flaps, England
Empire writing desk in cherry wood, with lifting side flaps, England

Empire writing desk in cherry wood, with lifting side flaps, England

Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)

Antique Empire writing desk in light cherry wood, with lifting side flaps, It has ebonized inlays

Category

Antique 19th Century English Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Chestnut

19th Century Salon Empire Writing Desk, 1890
19th Century Salon Empire Writing Desk, 1890

19th Century Salon Empire Writing Desk, 1890

Located in Berlin, DE

arched. Fine chiselled bronze applications, gilded. Removable worktop / writing table underneath the

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Empire Writing Desk With Roll Top, Nutwood, Austria ca. 1800
19th Century Empire Writing Desk With Roll Top, Nutwood, Austria ca. 1800

19th Century Empire Writing Desk With Roll Top, Nutwood, Austria ca. 1800

Located in Lichtenberg, AT

future. PLEASE NOTE: this fantastic 18th century Empire writing desk comes in great old restored, ready

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Austrian Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

R. J. Horner Style American Empire Writing Desk or Library Table, Circa 1890s
R. J. Horner Style American Empire Writing Desk or Library Table, Circa 1890s

R. J. Horner Style American Empire Writing Desk or Library Table, Circa 1890s

By R.J. Horner & Co.

Located in South Bend, IN

A gorgeous antique American Empire writing desk or library table In the manner of R.J. Horner &

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Empire Desks

Materials

Brass

French Empire Mahogany Writing Desk
French Empire Mahogany Writing Desk

French Empire Mahogany Writing Desk

Located in LOS ANGELES, CA

Mahogany construction with rectangular leather writing surface with gilt brass medallion pulls

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

French Empire Style Writing Desk
French Empire Style Writing Desk

French Empire Style Writing Desk

Located in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Large French burr elm empire style writing desk. 1900. Kneehole is 23.5" wide x 27" high

Category

Early 20th Century French Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Elm

Stunning French Empire Style Walnut Writing Desk
Stunning French Empire Style Walnut Writing Desk

Stunning French Empire Style Walnut Writing Desk

Located in Crawley, GB

We delight to offer sell this stunning large French Empire style walnut desk having a gilt tooled

Category

Early 20th Century British Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass, Ormolu

Classic French 18th Century Empire Walnut Kneehole Writing Desk
Classic French 18th Century Empire Walnut Kneehole Writing Desk

Classic French 18th Century Empire Walnut Kneehole Writing Desk

Located in Hopewell, NJ

Found near Paris, France, we purchased this museum quality 18th century Empire style desk for its

Category

Antique 18th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

French Empire style leather top mahogany writing desk, C 1890
French Empire style leather top mahogany writing desk, C 1890

French Empire style leather top mahogany writing desk, C 1890

Located in Philadelphia, PA

French Empire style leather top mahogany writing desk having bronze mounts, claw feet and resting

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Baltic Empire Style Writing Table or Desk, circa 1910 in Mahogany
Baltic Empire Style Writing Table or Desk, circa 1910 in Mahogany

Baltic Empire Style Writing Table or Desk, circa 1910 in Mahogany

Located in INTERLAKEN, NY

A very fine Baltic writing or sofa table in the Empire style (and edging toward the Art Deco period

Category

Vintage 1910s Baltic Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

French Empire Style Ebonized Mahogany Writing Table
French Empire Style Ebonized Mahogany Writing Table

French Empire Style Ebonized Mahogany Writing Table

Located in Queens, NY

French Empire style (19th Century) ebonized mahogany writing table desk with a leather top & claw

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather

Empire Style Burlwood Desk
Empire Style Burlwood Desk

Empire Style Burlwood Desk

Located in Houston, TX

Mid 20th century Empire style leather top desk constructed with hardwood and burl wood veneers

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

Rosewood Flip Top Writing Desk
Rosewood Flip Top Writing Desk

Rosewood Flip Top Writing Desk

$2,636Sale Price|20% Off

Rosewood Flip Top Writing Desk

Located in Malibu, CA

Antique European rosewood writing table. Hidden beneath the flip top, a desk in excellent condition

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century European Empire Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

Empire Burl Wood Desk
Empire Burl Wood Desk

Empire Burl Wood Desk

Located in Hudson, NY

Beautiful burl wood set against ebonized legs and trim. Desk has a single compartmentalized drawer

Category

Antique 19th Century Austrian Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Burl

Russian Empire Writing Table Desk After Antique Heinrich Gambs Bureau-Jardinière
Russian Empire Writing Table Desk After Antique Heinrich Gambs Bureau-Jardinière

Russian Empire Writing Table Desk After Antique Heinrich Gambs Bureau-Jardinière

By Heinrich Daniel Gambs

Located in Forney, TX

influenced Imperial Empire style, having a rectangular quatrefoil clover shaped cabinet topped writing table

Category

20th Century Russian Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Malachite, Brass, Bronze

18th Century Russian Empire Desk
18th Century Russian Empire Desk

18th Century Russian Empire Desk

Located in Allerum, SE

Unusually large 19th century Russian Empire freestanding brass striped mahogany writing table

Category

Antique Late 18th Century Russian Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Antique Leather Top Austrian Empire Desk
Antique Leather Top Austrian Empire Desk

Antique Leather Top Austrian Empire Desk

Located in London, GB

A stunning and very rare antique leather top Austrian Empire desk, dating from around the 1830-1850

Category

Antique 1830s Austrian Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Scandinavian Veneered Biedermeier Writing Desk with Lyres
Scandinavian Veneered Biedermeier Writing Desk with Lyres

Scandinavian Veneered Biedermeier Writing Desk with Lyres

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

A small mahogany and walnut veneered table or writing desk with brass holders in the lyres formed

Category

Antique Early 1800s Scandinavian Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Maitland Smith Empire Style Leather Top Desk
Maitland Smith Empire Style Leather Top Desk

Maitland Smith Empire Style Leather Top Desk

By Maitland Smith

Located in Toledo, OH

Maitland Smith Empire style desk with tooled leather top and curved corners, 2 narrow drawers with

Category

Late 20th Century Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather

20th Century Empire Style Writing Table or Bureau Plat
20th Century Empire Style Writing Table or Bureau Plat

20th Century Empire Style Writing Table or Bureau Plat

Located in Berlin, DE

Writing table or bureau plat in Empire style after Jacob Desmalter. Solid, ebonized beech

Category

20th Century Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Rare Napoleon III French Empire Bureau De Plat Gilt Bronze Writing Table Desk
Rare Napoleon III French Empire Bureau De Plat Gilt Bronze Writing Table Desk

Rare Napoleon III French Empire Bureau De Plat Gilt Bronze Writing Table Desk

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning original Napoleon III French Empire desk with gilt

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Continental (possibly French) 19th Century Empire Desk
Continental (possibly French) 19th Century Empire Desk

Continental (possibly French) 19th Century Empire Desk

Located in Troy, NY

Elegant Continental (possibly French) Empire bureau-plat or partners desk. The pearwood top, inlaid

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Pearwood

Large Empire desk, France, circa 1870. After renovation.
Large Empire desk, France, circa 1870. After renovation.

Large Empire desk, France, circa 1870. After renovation.

Located in Chorzów, PL

An antique Empire desk from the second half of the 19th century, France. This piece of furniture

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

French, Mid-19th Century Empire-Style Desk
French, Mid-19th Century Empire-Style Desk

French, Mid-19th Century Empire-Style Desk

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Mid-19th century The petite mahogany knee-hole desk with a central drawer and two slender

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Style Bronze and Mahogany Desk Leather
French Empire Style Bronze and Mahogany Desk Leather

French Empire Style Bronze and Mahogany Desk Leather

Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Very decorative French desk in the empire style. Structure in solid mahogany and veneered, it is

Category

Antique 1810s French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Style Desk with Gilt Metal Mounts
French Empire Style Desk with Gilt Metal Mounts

French Empire Style Desk with Gilt Metal Mounts

Located in Miami, FL

A perfect example of the Bureau Plat. French Empire style desk with wood marquetry and gilt metal

Category

Early 20th Century Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Fine French Empire Design Oak  Twin Pedestal Desk
Fine French Empire Design Oak  Twin Pedestal Desk

Fine French Empire Design Oak Twin Pedestal Desk

Located in Crawley, GB

pedestal desk, rectangular top with inset tooled writing surface above three frieze, three further drawers

Category

Early 20th Century British Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Italian Bleached Mahogany Writing Desk / Console Table With Cabriole Legs
Italian Bleached Mahogany Writing Desk / Console Table With Cabriole Legs

Italian Bleached Mahogany Writing Desk / Console Table With Cabriole Legs

Located in Viterbo, VT

Writing desk or console table hand-crafted in Italy in the early 1800s using mahogany. The table

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Italian Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Early 19th century French Empire Bureau Plat / Desk
Early 19th century French Empire Bureau Plat / Desk

Early 19th century French Empire Bureau Plat / Desk

Located in Troy, NY

French Empire Bureau Plat of Stately Size, the top inset with a dark leather writing surface

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Antique French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Desk, 19th Century
Antique French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Desk, 19th Century

Antique French Empire Revival Ormolu Mounted Desk, 19th Century

Located in London, GB

This is an exquisite French Empire Revival pedestal desk, circa 1880 in date. This desk has been

Category

Antique 1880s French Empire Revival Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

19th Century Small Empire Desk, France
19th Century Small Empire Desk, France

19th Century Small Empire Desk, France

Located in Stahnsdorf, DE

Small Empire Desk, France, 1840 A simple yet elegant Empire-style desk, crafted in 1840. Made of

Category

Antique 1840s Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century Empire Style Gold Leaf Library Table / Desk
19th Century Empire Style Gold Leaf Library Table / Desk

19th Century Empire Style Gold Leaf Library Table / Desk

Located in Houston, TX

This 19th Century Empire Style Gold Leaf Library Table/Desk is a truly exquisite piece of furniture

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Gold Leaf

Early 19th Century Empire Greek Vanity or Ladies' Desk
Early 19th Century Empire Greek Vanity or Ladies' Desk

Early 19th Century Empire Greek Vanity or Ladies' Desk

Located in Berlin, DE

figures, ribbons and foliage. Beautiful early 19th century French Empire small desk or vanity fitting

Category

Antique 1810s French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Style Mahogany and Bronze Griffins Table Desk
French Empire Style Mahogany and Bronze Griffins Table Desk

French Empire Style Mahogany and Bronze Griffins Table Desk

Located in Queens, NY

French Empire style (19th Century) mahogany and bronze trimmed 2 drawer table desk with stretcher

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Early 20th Century French Empire Style Walnut Leather Top Desk
Early 20th Century French Empire Style Walnut Leather Top Desk

Early 20th Century French Empire Style Walnut Leather Top Desk

Located in Burton, TX

Found in the South of France, this Early 20th Century French Empire Style Walnut Leather Top Desk

Category

Early 20th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Brass

Empire Style Lacquered Burl Wood Desk
Empire Style Lacquered Burl Wood Desk

Empire Style Lacquered Burl Wood Desk

By Quatrain, Dessin Fournir

Located in Houston, TX

20th Century Quatrain for Fournier Collections custom lacquered burl wood desk with three drawers

Category

20th Century American Neoclassical Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood, Giltwood, Burl

French 19th Century Empire St. Mahogany and Ormolu Executive Desk
French 19th Century Empire St. Mahogany and Ormolu Executive Desk

French 19th Century Empire St. Mahogany and Ormolu Executive Desk

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

An extremely handsome and impressive French 19th century Empire st. mahogany and ormolu executive

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

French 19th century Empire st. flame Mahogany, Ormolu and Leather desk
French 19th century Empire st. flame Mahogany, Ormolu and Leather desk

French 19th century Empire st. flame Mahogany, Ormolu and Leather desk

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A wonderful and most elegant French 19th century Empire st. flame Mahogany, Ormolu and Leather desk

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

Empire Style Desk, Wood and Bronze, Jansen
Empire Style Desk, Wood and Bronze, Jansen

Empire Style Desk, Wood and Bronze, Jansen

Located in Brussels, BE

Empire Style Desk, Wood and Bronze, Jansen

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

A French Napoleon III Empire Style Mahogany & Ormolu Secretaire - Knee-Hole Desk
A French Napoleon III Empire Style Mahogany & Ormolu Secretaire - Knee-Hole Desk

A French Napoleon III Empire Style Mahogany & Ormolu Secretaire - Knee-Hole Desk

By François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter

Located in Los Angeles, CA

with gilt-bronze decorations allegorical to the First Empire. The drop-front writing drawer with a

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Ormolu

French Empire Style Mahogany Roll Top Desk with Bronze Gilt Trim
French Empire Style Mahogany Roll Top Desk with Bronze Gilt Trim

French Empire Style Mahogany Roll Top Desk with Bronze Gilt Trim

Located in Queens, NY

French Empire style (19th Century) mahogany roll top desk with bronze trim.

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Early 19th Century French Empire Period Bureau a Cylindre Gentleman's Desk
Early 19th Century French Empire Period Bureau a Cylindre Gentleman's Desk

Early 19th Century French Empire Period Bureau a Cylindre Gentleman's Desk

Located in Forney, TX

A exceptionally rare Period French Empire (1804-1814) walnut bureau a cylindre. Exquisitely

Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Italian Empire Revival Secretary Desk with Marble Top, 1940s
Italian Empire Revival Secretary Desk with Marble Top, 1940s

Italian Empire Revival Secretary Desk with Marble Top, 1940s

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Tall cabinet with fitted drawers, writing surface, and grey marble top. Rich mahogany finish

Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Empire Style
20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Empire Style

20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Empire Style

Located in Berlin, DE

Bird's-eye maple wood on massive beechwood, partially carved and framed. The pedestal is arched on profile shaped washers. Above the four large winged, polygonal standing heads. Thre...

Category

20th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birdseye Maple

20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Empire Style
20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Empire Style

20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Empire Style

Located in Berlin, DE

Bird's-eye maple wood on massive beechwood, partially carved and framed. The pedestal is arched on profile shaped washers. Above the four large winged, polygonal standing heads. Thre...

Category

20th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birdseye Maple

Royal Empire Desk/Bureau Plat, Gilt Bronze, 19th Century
Royal Empire Desk/Bureau Plat, Gilt Bronze, 19th Century

Royal Empire Desk/Bureau Plat, Gilt Bronze, 19th Century

Located in Berlin, DE

Royal Empire Desk/Bureau Plat, Gilt Bronze Mahogany with gilded bronze fittings in the form of

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century European Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Antique Empire Style
20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Antique Empire Style

20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the Antique Empire Style

Located in Berlin, DE

Bird's-eye maple wood on massive beech wood, partially carved and framed. The pedestal is arched on profile shaped washers. Above the four large winged, polygonal standing heads. Th...

Category

20th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Wood

20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the antique Empire Style
20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the antique Empire Style

20th Century, French Desk or Bureau Plat with Lions in the antique Empire Style

Located in Berlin, DE

Bird's-eye maple wood on massive beech wood, partially carved and framed. The pedestal is arched on profile shaped washers. Above the four large winged, polygonal standing heads. Th...

Category

20th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Birdseye Maple

Carved empire desk, in walnut with opening side shelves, Italy
Carved empire desk, in walnut with opening side shelves, Italy

Carved empire desk, in walnut with opening side shelves, Italy

Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)

Antique Empire desk table, hand-carved in walnut wood, has carved details and columns, desk drawers

Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

Empire Estremoz Desk - Hand-Crafted Turned Marble & Brass - Boca do Lobo
Empire Estremoz Desk - Hand-Crafted Turned Marble & Brass - Boca do Lobo

Empire Estremoz Desk - Hand-Crafted Turned Marble & Brass - Boca do Lobo

Located in Rio Tinto, PT

An elegant writing desk built in marble with polished brass details. Its cracks are hand-carved and

Category

2010s Portuguese Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Marble, Metal, Brass

French Empire Mahogany Bureau Plat, 19th C.
French Empire Mahogany Bureau Plat, 19th C.

French Empire Mahogany Bureau Plat, 19th C.

Located in Astoria, NY

French Empire Mahogany Bureau Plat, 19th century, with gilt-tooled tan leather top with central

Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

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Empire Writing Desk For Sale on 1stDibs

Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the empire writing desk you’re looking for at 1stDibs. An empire writing desk — often made from wood, metal and mahogany — can elevate any home. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer empire writing desk, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. An empire writing desk is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Empire, Modern and Neoclassical styles are sought with frequency. Baker Furniture Company, Jean Joseph Chapuis and Lysberg, Hansen & Therp each produced at least one beautiful empire writing desk that is worth considering.

How Much is a Empire Writing Desk?

The average selling price for an empire writing desk at 1stDibs is $6,544, while they’re typically $400 on the low end and $65,000 for the highest priced.

Finding the Right Desks-writing-tables for You

Choosing the perfect writing desk or writing table is a profoundly personal journey, one that people have been embarking upon for centuries.

Queen Atossa of Persia, from her writing table circa 500 B.C., is said to have been the originator of the art of handwritten letters. Hers was reportedly the first in a long and colorful history of penned correspondence that grew in popularity alongside literacy. The demand for suitable writing desks, which would serve the composer of the letters as well as ensure the comfort of the recipient naturally followed, and the design of these necessary furnishings has evolved throughout history.

Once people began to seek freedom from the outwardly ornate styles of the walnut and rosewood writing desks and drafting tables introduced in the name of Queen Victoria and King Louis XV, radical shifts occurred, such as those that materialized during the Art Nouveau period, when designers longed to produce furniture inspired by the natural world’s beauty. A prime example is the work of the famous late-19th-century Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí — his rolltop desk featured deep side drawers and was adorned with carved motifs that paid tribute to nature. Gaudí regularly combined structural precision with decorative elements, creating beautiful pieces of furniture in wood and metal.

Soon afterward, preferences for sleek, geometric, stylized forms in furniture that saw an emphasis on natural wood grains and traditional craftsmanship took hold. Today, Art Deco desks are still favored by designers who seek to infuse interiors with an air of luxury. One of the most prominent figures of the Art Deco movement was French decorator and furniture designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann. With his use of neoclassical motifs as well as expensive and exotic materials such as imported dark woods and inlays of precious metals for his writing desks, Ruhlmann came to symbolize good taste and modernity.

The rise in appreciation for Scandinavian modernism continues to influence the design of contemporary writing desks. It employs the “no fuss” or “less is more” approach to creating a tasteful, sophisticated space. Sweden’s master cabinetmaker Bruno Mathsson created gallery-worthy designs that are as functional as they are beautiful. Finnish architect Alvar Aalto never viewed himself as an artist, but, like Mathsson, his furniture designs reflected a fondness for organic materials and a humanistic approach. Danish designers such as Hans Wegner introduced elegant shapes and lines to mid-century desks and writing tables, often working in oak and solid teak.

From vintage desks to contemporary styles, 1stDibs offers a broad spectrum of choices for conducting all personal and business writing and reading activities.

Questions About Empire Writing Desk
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019

    A writing desk may refer to a desk with a top, often sloping, for writing on or to a portable case with compartments to hold writing materials and a surface for writing.

  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    A small writing table is also called a davenport table or davenport desk. They normally feature a sloped or inclined top attached with hinges to the back of the table. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage davenport desks.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021
    A writing desk with drawers is also called a secretary. It is a desk with drawers, one of which can be pushed out and the front of the desk lowered to create a flat writing surface. These writing desks have been made in a variety of styles over the years. Shop for a variety of writing tables with drawers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023
    What an old-fashioned writing desk is called varies by design. Pieces with drop-down fronts are secretary desks (these are typically made of two parts: a chest of drawers on the bottom and a hutch or cupboard with shelves on the top), while ones that rest on two pillars, cabinets or bookcases are pedestal desks. A desk with a small writing surface positioned in front of drawers and cubbies is a bureau à gradin. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of desks.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023
    In French, the term for a writing desk that often featured a drop-down writing surface is secretaire. This type of desk is called a secretary desk in English. 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, which are called pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers, are revealed. On 1stDibs, shop antique secretary desks from some of the world's top sellers.