French Empire Abattant
19th Century French Empire Abattant Secretary Desk in Flame Mahogany Drop Down
Located in Atlanta, GA
This French Empire Abattant Secretary Desk from the late 19th century is a striking piece of
Category
Antique 1890s Empire Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
H 57 in W 37.5 in D 18.5 in
Antique French Empire Flame Mahogany Abattant with Figural Ormolu 19thC
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique French Empire abattant secretary offers flame mahogany construction with upper drawer
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks
Materials
Ormolu
French Empire Secrétaire á Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A handsome 19th century French Empire secrétaire à abattant made of richly figured, bookmatched
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
Circa 1815 French Empire Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Circa 1815 French Empire Secrétaire à Abattant. Mahogany with mahogany & oak secondary wood
Category
Antique 1810s French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
French Secretaire à Abattant, First Empire Period
Located in Montreal, Quebec
French first Empire period Secretaire à Abattant, also known as a drop-front secretary, fall front
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
French 19th Century Empire Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A statley 19th century mahogany secre´taire a` abattant from France, circa 1810. This desk has an
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
Empire secretaire à abattant, France around 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Secretary in mahogany veneer with two-door bottom part as well as dark marble shelf and fire-gilded fittings. Behind the writing flap with brown leather there are more drawers and co...
Category
Antique 1810s French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century French Empire desk Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Beautiful upright secrétaire from the French Empire period. The desk is made of oak with burr
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
French Empire Mahogany Drop Front Secretary "Secrétaire à Abattant"
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Early 19th century French mahogany wood Empire style drop front secretary with a removable black
Category
Antique 1810s French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Brass
French Empire Mahogany Drop Front Secretary "Secrétaire à Abattant"
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A 19th century French Empire drop front secretary with black as a marble top and side columns with
Category
Antique 1870s French Empire More Carpets
Materials
Mahogany
French First Empire Period, circa 1805, ‘Secretaire Abattant’
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most powerful and of the highest quality French First Empire period, Circa. 1805, "Secretaire
Category
Antique 19th Century French Desks
Materials
Ormolu
Empire style Mahogany secretaire abattant, circa 1840
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality 19th Century French Mahogany marble topped Empire style Secretaire Abattant
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Revival Desks
Materials
Mahogany
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. Item features 2
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
H 61.5 in W 41.25 in D 20.25 in
French Empire Secretaire À Abattant With Faux Book Front
Located in Charlottesville, VA
Tall French Empire secretaire à abattant featuring a drop-front writing surface and faux book
Category
Early 20th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Stone
Antique French Empire Mahogany Gilt-Bronze Mounted Marble-Top Abattant Secretary
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Imported French Empire Flame Mahogany Gilt-Bronze Mounted Marble-Top Abattant Secretary
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
H 55.5 in W 38.5 in D 17.5 in
French Empire Flamed Mahogany Secretaire a'Abattant Desk ca. 1830
Located in Shippensburg, PA
LOUIS PHILIPPE FLAMED MAHOGANY SECRETAIRE A'ABATTANT
France, circa 1830
Item # 407TCJ10P
This
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Bronze, Steel
19th C. French Empire Style Louis Philippe Period Secretaire Abattant
Located in Forney, TX
detail, and nicely aged mellow patina over the whole. Finished in French Empire taste, having a molded
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Fruitwood
1800s Antique French Empire Style, Mahogany, Gilt, Desk, Secretaire a Abattant!!
Located in Austin, TX
Gorgeous antique secretaire a abattant, desk, French Empire style, mahogany, gilt, 1800s, 19th
Category
Antique 19th Century French French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Marble
H 56.5 in W 37.25 in D 22.5 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
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
H 56.7 in W 38 in D 16.54 in
French 19th C. Second Empire Secrétaire À Abattant with Gold Ormolu Mounts
Located in Savannah, GA
This extraordinary French Second Empire period secre´taire a' abattan features flame mahogany, gilt
Category
Antique 1850s French Napoleon III Secretaires
Materials
Granite, Brass, Ormolu
19th Century Empire Walnut Secretary
Located in Houston, TX
French first Empire period Secretaire à Abattant, also known as a drop-front secretary, fall front
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Recent Sales
French Empire Secretaire a Abattant with Cuban Acajou Mahogany
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This secretaire a abattant is the in French Empire style and is veneered in Cuban acajou mahogany
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Gilt Bronze-Mounted Mahogany Secretaire a` Abattant in French Empire Style, 1820
Located in Napoli, IT
, and the general design, make it an authentic Empire period piece.
Category
Antique 1720s French Empire Secretaires
H 59.06 in W 34.65 in D 18.9 in
19th Century Third Republic Secretaire Abattant, French
Located in Sydney, NSW
A 19th century secretaire abattant in the Empire taste. Bookmatched feathered mahogany, the
Category
Antique 1870s French Empire Revival Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Empire Ormolu Mounted Mahogany Secretaire a Abattant, 19th century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Empire Ormolu Mounted Mahogany Secretaire having a marble top over a single frieze drawer, with a
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in New York, NY
continued to produce superb pieces throughout the Empire period, but only recovered his distinguished career
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Antique Ebonized Silver Empire Secretary an Abattant from France, 19th Century
Located in Vienna, AT
An original antique Empire secretary from the early 19th century from France. The secretary is
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
H 55.52 in W 37.41 in D 15.36 in
French Empire Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Winter Park, FL
Made of solid cherry retaining its original condition this secretaire has nice classical lines and interesting architectural elements in the interior colonnade. Leather writing surfa...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
French 19th Century Empire-Style Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
of brass knobs. There are no keys that work the locks for the drawers. This Empire-style secretary
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Empire Secretary à abattant, France early 19th century
Located in Greding, DE
French Empire secretary à abattant with a two-door base, two wide drawers and a flat writing flap
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Mahogany, Maple
French 19th Century Empire Mahogany Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A stunning 19th century Empire secretary, in mahogany, from France. The desk has a black, fossil
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Brass
French 19th Century Mahogany Empire Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A divine 19th century mahogany secrétaire à abattant from France, circa 1810. This desk has an
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Buffets
Materials
Marble, Brass
French Secretaire Abattant
Located in San Francisco, CA
Empire Mahogany, Top Section of a Secretaire Abattant. Richly figured mahogany secretaire writing
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Early 19th Century French Empire Fall Front Desk 'Abattant'
By Jacob Frères
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A period French Empire fall front desk referred to as an Abattant. The case is constructed in a
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Desks
Materials
Bronze
Antique French Empire Walnut Drop Down Secretary Secretaire Desk Abattant
Located in West Hartford, CT
Beautiful tall 19th Century French Empire walnut secretaire abattant features elegant patterns
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Fine Mahogany French Empire Period Secretaire a' Abattant, France Circa 1815
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
The richly figured mahogany case showing a black marble top over a single flush mounted drawer, the drop-down panel fronting an interior compartment housing small drawers and a gilt ...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Antique Second Empire French Marble-Top Flame Mahogany and Ormolu Abattant
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Second Empire French secrétaire à abattant features flame mahogany construction with long
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks
Materials
Ormolu
French Empire Flamed Mahogany Secretaire a'Abattant Desk ca. 1830
Located in Shippensburg, PA
LOUIS PHILIPPE FLAMED MAHOGANY SECRETAIRE A'ABATTANT
France, circa 1830
Item # 407TCJ10P
This
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks
Materials
Brass, Bronze, Steel
Antique French Empire Mahogany Secretary Drop Down Desk Abattant
Located in West Hartford, CT
Exquisite tall 19th century French Empire mahogany secretaire abattant which features elegant
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Secretaires
Materials
Granite
French Empire Secretaire a Abattant in Brown Walnut with Grey Marble Top, 1810
Located in Berlin, DE
This beautiful French Empire secretaire a Abattant is veneered in walnut and has a grey marble top
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble
H 58.27 in W 43.31 in D 21.26 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
Category
Vintage 1980s American Empire Secretaires
Materials
Brass
H 58 in W 33.25 in D 15.25 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
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
H 69.68 in W 39.37 in D 20.27 in
French 19th Century Mahogany Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A dignified 19th century mahogany secre´taire a` abattant from France . This desk has an
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Desks
Materials
Stone, Granite, Metal, Brass
Early 20th C French Empire Style Secretaire Abattant
Located in Troy, MI
Circa 1930s French empire style secretaire abattant in mahogany with decorative gilt brass mounts
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
Empire Bronze Mounted Secretary Abattant
Located in Norwood, NJ
Unique slender and narrow stand alone French Empire period Secretaire à Abattant. Drop front panel
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
1850s French Empire Secretaire a Abattant Brul Mahogany Secretary Desk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
1850s French Empire secretaire also known as a drop-front brul mahogany secretary desk. White
Category
Antique 1850s French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th C. French Empire Flame Mahogany a Abattant/Desk with Gilt Bronze Mounts
Located in San Francisco, CA
19th c. French Empire flame mahogany a abattant with gilt bronze mounts & noir marble top
Drop
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
French 19th Century Empire Walnut Greek Female Heads Secretaire à Abattant
Located in Berlin, DE
French 19th Century Empire Walnut Greek Female Heads Writing Desk or Secretaire à Abattant
A fine
Category
Antique 19th Century French Restauration Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
H 59.85 in W 41.74 in D 17.72 in
Very Fine Empire Mahogany Secretaire Abattant Writing Desk, 19th Century
Located in Shippensburg, PA
Abattant exhibits the best of the period. The carefully selected and matched flamed mahogany veneers have
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Desks
Materials
Bronze
H 52.38 in W 30 in D 15.25 in
19th Century French Beidermeier Drop Front Abattant Secretary Desk Writing Table
Located in West Hartford, CT
Stunning 19th century French Empire drop leaf secretary abattant with ebony accents and columns
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Secretaires
Materials
Brass
H 62 in W 32 in D 19 in
French Empire Mahogany Secretaire Abattant
Located in Brooklyn, NY
French Empire mahogany secretaire abattant with black marble top. Piece consists of a fall front
Category
20th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Empire French sectretaire abattant
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Empire French walnut sectretaire abattant with cast brass mounts , escheons & drawer pulls. The
Category
French Secretaires
Empire Mahogany Secretaire Abattant Desk
Located in Kirkland, WA
First Empire Mahogany Secretaire Abbattant Desk with wonderful petina and nice interior.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
French Empire Secretaire "A Abattant" 19th Century
Located in Madrid , ES
French Empire Secretaire " A Abattant " 19th century
Palm wood
Marble
France
89cm x 47cm x
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Fruitwood
Empire Secretaire à Abattant
Located in Atlanta, GA
Beautiful 19th century marble topped secretaire a abattant, excellent condition recently restored
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Empire Period Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Charleston, SC
This Empire Secretaire follows the general forms of the 18thC. one but with a more massive, more
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
French Empire, Secretaire a Abattant by Ipolito Ceri
By Iporito Ceri
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This Secretaire a Abbant is from the French Empire period and was created by the workroom of
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Empire Secretaire a Abattant
Located in New Orleans, LA
Drop front secretaire in maple with interior compartments and three lower drawers. One hidden drawer at top.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
Empire Period Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Charleston, SC
This Empire Secretaire follows the general forms of the 18thC. one but with a more massive, more
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Empire Period "Secretaire a Abattant", circa 1810
By Jacob Freres Rue Meslée
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Early 19th century, French First Empire period, attributed to Jacob Freres Rue Meslée, flame
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
H 53.15 in W 39.38 in D 17.33 in
French Empire Secretary Cabinet
Located in New York, NY
This French Empire mahogany secretaire-a-abattant has a Belgian fossilized black marble top above a
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Antique French Secrétaire Abbatant Desk Empire Style 19th Century
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Antique 19th century French Empire style Secretaire à abattant, circa 1850 with fall front
Category
Antique 19th Century Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
19th Century French Neoclassical Secretaire Abattant
Located in Brooklyn, NY
houses three drawers with their original oval pressed brass bale pulls and escutcheons, Empire style
Category
Antique Early 1800s French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
French Mahogany Secrétaire À Abattant with its Marble Top, Early 1800s
Located in Petaluma, CA
This lovely early 19th century French mahogany secrétaire à abattant has a drop front with fitted
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Furniture
Materials
Mahogany
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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.
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19th Century French Louis XVI Style Mahogany Vitrine with Bronze Detailing
Located in Fayetteville, AR
Standing at 63 inches in height, this small scale mid-nineteenth century Louis XVI style mahogany bibliotheque or bookcase is finished with stunning bronze banding. Its corners featu...
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Fine English George III Antique Mahogany Secretary Desk circa 1780
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A VERY FINE GEORGE III MAHOGANY SECRETAIRE WITH A GLAZED BOOKSHELF ABOVE A CHEST OF DRAWERS
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Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A late 18th century ‘secrétaire à abattant’, or drop-leaf desk, in fruit wood. This lovely piece of upright furniture benefits from a wealth of useful storage compartments, both inte...
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French 19th Century Empire Daybed & Bed Crown
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A gorgeous French Empire mahogany alcove daybed and bed crown hand-crafted in France in the 19th Century. A rare lit de repos made of mahogany most likely from Cuba or the Antilles a...
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Antique 19th Century French Empire Beds and Bed Frames
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French 19th Century Empire Style Commode
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A French marble top commode made of bookmatched burl mahogany and decorative Empire style ormolu. The commode’s top is a Saint Anne marble with curved front edges making for a durabl...
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Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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Marble, Brass
Biedermeier Mahogany Secretary Desk, circa 1860, after Renovation
Located in Opole, PL
We present you another incredible piece of furniture in our collection -- this elegant and highly exquisite Biedermeier secretary desk circa 1860.
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French 19th Century Mahogany Empire Buffet
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A French Empire buffet made of rich flame bookmatched mahogany is classic in style. The original marble top of charcoal with white veining sits at the top of this buffet and is remov...
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Antique 19th Century French Empire Buffets
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Mahogany Neoclassical Bed Frame, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
"Boat" bed in carved mahogany wood, 19th century.
Head and feet of the same height, are decorated with a circular molding, while the rear, by harmony, follows the lines of the front...
Category
Antique 19th Century European Neoclassical Beds and Bed Frames
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
French 19th Century Empire Mahogany Semainier
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A 19th century French Empire mahogany semainier featuring artful neoclassical hardware. Hand-crafted in France circa 1810, this semainier is fitted with seven drawers to provide a dr...
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Antique 19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
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19th Century Louis Philippe Secretary Desk
Located in Opole, PL
We present you a Louis Philippe secretaire from the mid-19th century.
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H 56.7 in W 32.29 in D 14.57 in
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Hello,
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Unusual 18th-19th Century Continental Secretary Bookcase
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French Empire Abattant For Sale on 1stDibs
With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the French empire abattant you’re looking for. Each French empire abattant for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, mahogany and metal. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect French empire abattant — we have versions that date back to the 19th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century are available. Each French empire abattant bearing Empire hallmarks is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made French empire abattant over the years, but those crafted by Iporito Ceri are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
How Much is a French Empire Abattant?
Prices for a French empire abattant can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $2,100 and can go as high as $90,000, while the average can fetch as much as $5,933.
Finding the Right Secretaires for You
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.
Questions About French Empire Abattant
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The Classical world is primarily what influenced French Empire furniture. Greek and Roman motifs appear on many pieces. In addition, the opulence of Egyptian furniture inspired furniture makers active during the period. On 1stDibs, shop a range of French Empire furniture.
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In the hands of New York Heartwoods cofounder Megan Offner, unwanted local trees become works of design art.
These New York Architects Love a Complicated Project
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.