French Empire Secrétaire á Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A handsome 19th century French Empire secrétaire à abattant made of richly figured, bookmatched walnut.
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Marble, Brass
French Empire Secrétaire á Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A handsome 19th century French Empire secrétaire à abattant made of richly figured, bookmatched walnut.
Marble, Brass
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 facade.
Stone
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.
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Empire Secretaire, Chest Of Drawers, Dressing Table
Located in Greven, DE
Antique mirror chest of drawers with writing compartment Frankreich Mahagoni erste Hälfte 19. Jahrhundert Dimensions: H x W x D: 151 x 98 x 52 cm Description: Exceptionally delica...
Mahogany
Secretaire "a Abbatant" Napoleon III Empire, 19th Century
By Empire Furniture
Located in Madrid, ES
Material: Mahogany wood Additional Information: Secretaire "a Abbatant" French, Empire Style, 19th century.
Wood
Large French Empire Walnut Secretaire Abattant, Early 20th Century
Located in BÉTERA, ES
Elegant French Empire secretaire abattant crafted in walnut, featuring striking book-matched veneer, ebonized column details, and brass capitals.
Brass
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 or cantilevered desk.
Marble, Bronze
French 19th Century Empire Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A stately 19th century mahogany secretaire a abattant from France, circa 1810. This desk has an exceptional charcoal St.
Marble, Brass
$6,500
Empire Secretaire
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful classic piece.
Walnut
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. Crafted in richly figured flame mahogany, it features strong classical l...
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Empire Walnut Fall-Front Secretaire
Located in Southampton, NY
Grey marble top above a single long drawer, two columns with gilded detailing on either side of fall-front desk enclosing six small drawers surrounding one larger drawer and original...
Leather, Walnut, Giltwood
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 marble top. The secretary features two front side columns with bronze mounts detail w...
Brass
French Empire Period Walnut Secretaire Desk, Circa 1810
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
This elegant French secrétaire desk dates from the Empire period, circa 1810–1820, and represents a refined example of early 19th-century French cabinetmaking.
Leather, Walnut
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.
Mahogany
19th C. French Empire Style Louis Philippe Period Secretaire Abattant
Located in Forney, TX
A Louis Philippe period (1830–1848) fruitwood secretaire abattant fall front desk. Born in France in the mid-19th century, hand-crafted of rich solid fruitwood with warm wood tone...
Leather, Fruitwood
French Walnut Secrétaire á Abbatant
Located in Faversham, GB
The term Abattant is used to describe the fall-front mechanism seen in French style writing desks, known as Secrétaire à Abattant.
Brass
Patent Secretaire, France, 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Patent secretaire with mahogany veneered frame and columns with bronze capitals and bases.
Bronze
$6,365Sale Price|20% Off
Burr Walnut Clapper Empire Secretaire with Detached Columns and Secret Drawer
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This beautiful Empire clapper secretaire is made of burr walnut.
Bronze
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 brass-mounts and retains its original dark grey speckled granite top. Decorated th...
Granite, Brass, Ormolu
Empire Secretary Desk, France 19th century
Located in Belmont, MA
French Empire Secretary Desk, 19th Century – Mahogany Veneer, Marble Top, Bronze Details This stunning 19th-century French Empire secretary desk is a true statement piece, showcasin...
Marble
Empire Fall Top Desk, France, 1810
Located in Belmont, MA
Introducing a remarkable Empire Fall Top Desk, hailing from France during the period of 1800-1810. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this magnificent desk boasts a mahogan...
Mahogany
Empire Secretary in Mahogany Veneer, France, Circa 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...
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Empire Mahogany Secretary W/ Mirror
Located in Astoria, NY
An exquisite early 19th century French Empire secretary, meticulously restored and sourced from Paris, France. Masterfully hand-crafted from rich mahogany, the piece is topped with i...
Marble, Brass
$23,403Sale Price|20% Off
French Empire Mahogany Bureau à Cylindre Writing Table, circa 1810
Located in Rome, IT
A French gilt-metal mounted mahogany bureau à cylindre writing desk. With a grey marble top over three drawers, the fall enclosing a sliding tan leather writing surface, an interior...
Mahogany
$23,403Sale Price|20% Off
French Empire Mahogany Bureau à Cylindre Writing Table, circa 1810
Located in Rome, IT
A French gilt-metal mounted mahogany bureau à cylindre writing desk. With a grey marble top over three drawers, the fall enclosing a sliding tan leather writing surface, an interior...
Mahogany
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...
Bronze
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 or cantilevered desk.
Marble, Ormolu
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 furniture, crafted from flame mahogany. The abattant (drop-front) design allows for a con...
Wood, Mahogany
Circa 1810. French Empire Mahogany Secretary With Ormolu Fittings & Trim
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Circa 1810. French Empire Mahogany Secretary With Ormolu Fittings & Trim
Mahogany
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...
Bronze
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...
Bronze
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...
Bronze
$3,697Sale Price|20% Off
18th Century Empire Secretary Veneered with Mahogany
Located in Opole, PL
We present you an antique piece of furniture covered with mahogany veneer with beautiful grain. It is topped with a green marble board. The whole is dated the turn of the 18th and th...
Marble
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...
Bronze
Antique Empire Style Secretary with Brass and Marble Top mahogany veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
Mahogany veneer on solid conifers. High-right corpus on chased bronze claw feet. Architecturally articulated front with library dummy and brass rim sockets. On both sides slightly co...
Mahogany
Spectacular Napoleon III Empire Secretaire 19th Century RESTORED
By Empire Furniture
Located in Madrid, ES
Spectacular Napoleon III Empire Secretaire 19th Century France in mahogany, mahogany root rich gilded bronze decoration cm. 102x46 h. 140 RESTORED
Mahogany
$27,426Sale Price|25% Off
Mahogany and Gilded Bronze Cylinder Desk, Empire Style, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Large cylinder desk in mahogany and flamed mahogany veneer in the Empire style. This secretary with semi-cylindrical flap has eight drawers with palmette keys on the front: five on t...
Marble, Bronze
Antique French Secretary, Circa 1820, Polished Ebony & Birchwood
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Restored, refurbished and hand polished. The secretaire represents the First French Empire time period, era also known as Napoleonic France.
Metal, Bronze, Brass
$16,663Sale Price|20% Off
French Transition Period secretary c. 1760 Jean-Francois Dubut
Located in Münster, DE
Secretary à battant - Jean-Francois Dubut Elaborately crafted bureau à battant, Paris circa 1760, Transition, Jean-Francois Dubut rosewood, amaranth, violet and ebony veneered on o...
Marble
Vintage French Empire Marquetry Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Commanding attention with its exquisite craftsmanship and timeless design, this vintage French Empire commode is a magnificent addition to any sophisticated interior.
Brass
À battant” secretary desk Jean Nicolas Adriaansen Antwerp ca. 1825/30
Located in Münster, DE
“À battant” secretary desk, Jean Nicolas Adriaansen, Antwerp, ca. 1825/30 Mahogany, solid and veneered, symmetrically designed body with full columns and bronze capitals, top draw...
Marble, Bronze
19th C. Royal Antique Burl Wood Secretary Desk & Black Leather Drop Leaf Top
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Dimensions: Height: 61 in (154.94 cm)Width: 31 in (78.74 cm)Depth: 18.5 in (46.99 cm) Style: Empire (Of the Period) Materials and Techniques: Bronze,Burl,Elm,Wood,Carved,Hand-Carved,...
Bronze
$6,320Sale Price|20% Off
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 bronze mounts, three drawers below and one drawer above. Double brass locking syste...
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 Abattant'.
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.
Mahogany
A French Napoleon III Empire Style Mahogany & Ormolu Secretaire - Knee-Hole Desk
By François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine and Rare French Napoleon III Empire Style Mahogany and Ormolu Mounted Knee-Hole Secretaire with a Pull-Drawer Desk and Three Upper-Drawers with Two-Side Door Compartments, the...
Ormolu
Unavailable|$2,195
19th Century French Empire Secretaire
Located in Nashville, TN
This 19th century French Empire secretaire features lovely columns with finely cast gilt brass capitals and hardware as well as a lovely white marble top.
Marble
Unavailable|$5,700
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, with bronze doré mounts and a gray Saint Anne marble top.
Marble, Bronze
Unavailable|$7,021
Early 19th Century Empire Flame Mahogany and Black Marble Secretaire
Located in Toledo, Castilla La Mancha
Wonderful French empire secretaire, early 19th century. Flame mahogany, Belgian black marble, leather, bronze details, with two working keys and two secret drawers.
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
Unavailable|$9,946
Secrétaire Bonheur du jour Empire
Located in Nice, Cote d' Azur
a very unusual secretaire Bonheur du jour with black marble top.
Mahogany
Unavailable|$7,850
French Empire Period Painted Oak Secretaire Cabinet, circa 1820
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
This is a really beautiful French Empire period painted oak secretaire cabinet, with well painted neo classical decoration en grisaille and ebonized columns.
Brass
Gilt Bronze-Mounted Mahogany Secretaire a` Abattant in French Empire Style, 1820
Located in Napoli, IT
The superstructure with a white marble top flanked by volute scrolls above a frieze drawer and recessed fall flap enclosing a fitted interior with mirror within columns over a flush ...
Unavailable|$9,127
19th Century, Empire Secretaire, Mahogany Feather, Gilded Bronze
Located in PALERMO, IT
Empire secretaire, veneered in mahogany feather wood, and adorned with applications in finely chiseled bronze, and gilded with mercury. Upper top in marble.
Marble, Bronze
French Napoleonic Empire Period Mahogany Secretaire A Abbattant, circa 1820
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
This is a beautifully made and stylish French early 19th century Napoleonic Empire period Secretaire a Abbattant in mahogany and fruitwood, with original mirrored back architectural ...
Brass
Unavailable|$6,436
19th Century French Mahogany Secrétaire
Located in Milan, IT
French mahogany secrétaire A-vantaux, first quarter of the 19th century. The secretaire has a high front and columns with gilded bronze ormolu. There are other gilded bronze ormolu a...
Marble, Ormolu
Unavailable|$3,900
19th Century Empire Style Secretaire a Abbatant
Located in Los Gatos, CA
Late 19th/Early 20th Century Empire Style Gilt Metal Mounted Mahogany Secretaire a Abbatant
4' 9" h x 36" w x 19" d
$3,900
Mahogany
Unavailable|$4,680
19th Century Third Republic Secretaire Abattant, French
Located in Sydney, NSW
A 19th century secretaire abattant in the Empire taste. Bookmatched feathered mahogany, the interior of the desk being in pale bookmatched figured walnut. Gilt bronze mounts and grey...
Bronze
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.