Early 18th Century Queen Anne Japanned Secretary Bookcase
Located in Essex, MA
Early 18th Century Queen Anne Japanned Secretary Bookcase, possibly Continental.
Antique Early 18th Century English Queen Anne Secretaires
Hardwood
Early 18th Century Queen Anne Japanned Secretary Bookcase
Located in Essex, MA
Early 18th Century Queen Anne Japanned Secretary Bookcase, possibly Continental.
Hardwood
Queen Anne Japanned Secretary Bookcase
Located in Essex, MA
With double arched top over a pair of arched mirror doors opening to a red interior fitted with drawers and shelves, the base with slant lid desk opening to expose a fitted interior ...
Oak
English Chinoiserie Georgian Style Japanned Scarlet Vermillion Cabinet Secretary
Located in New York, NY
Vintage bureau cabinet secretary in the English chinoiserie style with elements of Queen Anne and George I design, japanned finish in red vermillion/scarlet with hand-painted and gil...
Wood
Japanese Style Cabinet-Secretary Attributed to G. Viardot, France, Circa 1880
By Gabriel Viardot
Located in PARIS, FR
Opening onto two drawers and a paper filer, the upright-secretary door is also fitted with red velvet. Surmounted by a drawer and asymmetrical shelves, composed in the Japanese 'zen'...
Wood, Paint
Japanese Style Cabinet-Secretary Att. to Perret & Vibert, France, circa 1880
By Perret et Vibert
Located in PARIS, FR
Opening onto two drawers and a paper filer, the upright-secretary door is also fitted with red velvet. Surmounted by a drawer and asymmetrical shelves, composed in the Japanese « zen...
Wood
19th Century English George III Style Chinoiserie Lacquered Secretary
Located in Essex, MA
George III-Style Red-Lacquered Chinoiserie Secretary Bookcase 19th century, the upper case with a broken-arch pediment over a pair of arched doors, the base with a slant lid opening ...
Oak, Lacquer
Large Red Jappaned Bureau Cabinet
Located in Dubai, AE
Fine Queen Anne style red Japanned Chinoiserie secretary cabinet. The triple domed top with eight urn finials over two doors, opening interior adorned with hand-painted landscape and...
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
Large Japanese Secretary
Located in Stamford, CT
Asian hardwood desk in English form painted with scenes from woodblock prints.
George III Scarlet Japanned Secretary
Located in Essex, MA
With shaped cornice over a pair of doors with green distressed painted interior enclosing shelves , the base a slant lid desk with green painted fitted interior and hidden well over ...
Wood
George III Scarlet Japanned Secretary Cabinet
Located in Essex, MA
The case 18th century with later scarlet Japanned decoration. With shaped arched pediment over a pair of arched doors with beveled glass. Opening to an elaborate interior with variou...
Leather, Oak
George II Green Japanned Secretary Desk
Located in Essex, MA
In two sections with double arched cornice over a pair of etched, beveled mirror doors enclosing shelves and cubbies, the base with hinged fold down writing lid with a fitted interio...
Venetian Rococo Green Japanned Secretary Desk
Located in Essex, MA
With shaped arched cornice over a pair of doors enclosing a red painted interior with shelves over a fold down slant lid writing surface fitted with drawers, over seven drawers with ...
Wood
Sold
H 93 in W 44 in D 21.5 in
18th Century Northern Italian Japanned Secretary Bookcase, 18th Century
Located in Bridgeport, CT
In red paint with overall gilt decoration in relief on three sides. With a tall broken crest with small inset mirror, over double doors with mirrors in two parts opening to shelves, ...
Wood
Fine George 111 Period Japanned Black Lacquered Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
A fine period George 111 Japanned and lacquered drop front secretary. Highly decorated red lacquered upper interior.
Wood
English Bamboo Secretary with Japan-Lacquered Accents
Located in Austin, TX
An English Bamboo secretary featuring japan-lacquered panels on the front, sides, and shelves with decorative Chinoiserie designs of birds and flowers.
Sold
H 92.5 in W 40 in D 21.25 in
Georgian Style, Chinoiserie, Beige Secretary Desk, Bureau Cabinet, Japanned
Located in Stamford, CT
Japanned, Georgian Style Chinoiserie, Beige Secretary Desk, Bureau Cabinet This is a highly decorative and stylish Japanned beige or tan painted bureau bookcase decorated overall wi...
Wood
Georgian Chinoiserie Secretary
Located in Montreal, QC
An 18th century English Chinoiserie Bureau Bookcase, profusely lacquered with exotic birds in a flowering landscape, pavilions and “oriental” figures on a black ground. The upper sec...
Oak, Pine
Sold
H 91 in W 49 in D 22 in
Very Fine George 11 Style 19th C Grand Tortoise and Chinoiserie Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
A magnificent 19th century large George11 faux tortoise and Chinoiserie decorated secretary. Hand painted and lacquered and decorated with Chinoiserie scenes. The exterior is a combi...
Wood
Georgian Japanned Secretary
Located in Essex, MA
With broken arch pediment over a pair of mirror doors enclosing shelves, the base with fold down writing lid enclosing a fitted interior over four graduated drawers raised on bracket...
Queen Anne Japanned Secretary
Located in Essex, MA
Likely Dutch. With arched cornice over a pair of arched doors opening to shelves and drawers, the base with hinged slant lid writing surface opening to a fitted compartment with draw...
Oak, Paint
English Chinoiserie Black and Gold Tall Secretary / Slant Front Desk
Located in Tarry Town, NY
English hand decorated and painted Japanned secretary from the 1930s with black , red and gold chinoiserie décor with drop slant front desk.
Gold, Brass
Sold
H 94 in W 37.75 in D 20 in
English Chinoiserie 1920s Black and Gold Tall Secretary with Slant Front Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English tall Japanned secretary from the early 20th century with black and gold chinoiserie décor, slant front desk, broken arch pediment and multiple drawers.
Wood
Sold
H 87 in W 42 in D 24 in
Baker Red Chinoiserie Japanned 1593 Venetian Secretary Desk Collectors Edition
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Baker red chinoiserie japanned 1593 Venetian secretary desk - collectors edition.
Wood
A Spectacular English Chinoiserie Secretary
Located in Lyndhurst, NJ
This impressive and grand Chinoiserie Secretary having an intricate detailed decoration both on the exterior and interior, the top section with 2 doors opening to reveal a fitted i...
Giltwood, Lacquer, Paint
19th C. Bamboo Chinoiserie Secretary or Cabinet
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant 19th Century Bamboo Chinoiserie Secretary or Cabinet, England, circa late 19th century. This piece is a versatile size and could be used as a secretary, bookshelf, or bar cab...
Leather, Bamboo, Glass, Wood
English Black and Gilt Japanned Drop Front Secretary
Located in Larkspur, CA
Mid 20th Century English Black and Gilt Japanned Drop Front Secretary. The Double Doors with Arched Beveled Antique Mirror Opening to a Fitted Interior Above a Short and Long Drawer ...
Francis Elkins English Japanned Secretary
Located in Lake Forest, IL
A late 18th Century Lacquered Slant Front Bevelled Mirrored Secretary with later refreshed Japanned Decoration executed in London under the direction of Francis Elkins for the famed ...
Oak, Paint
Magnificent Drexel Chinoiserie Japanned Secretary Desk Cabinet
Located in Southfield, MI
Signed and dated 1969, this Drexel chinoiserie tall case secretary desk/cabinet was just removed from a Palm Beach estate, and is in it's original excellent condition, without issues.
Brass
Japanned Red Secretary
Located in Stamford, CT
Japanned red secretary (two parts)
Japanned Federal Slant-front Secretary
Located in Woodbury, CT
A Rhode Island tiger maple slant-front secretary, dated on its bottom board; with Japanning to the Boston taste executed 2nd quarter of the 19th century.
Chestnut, Lacquer, Gesso
19th Century Japanese Lacquer Secretary Desk Richly Decorated
Located in Paris, FR
19th century Japanese lacquer secretary desk richly decorated Small size secretary desk with black lacquered flap, rich decor of birds and koi carps in a lake landscape.
Wood
Red Japanned Lacquer Work Chinoiserie Secretary
Located in Washington, DC
"Japanned" Chinoiserie Secretary Probably Italian, two-doors over fall-front desk with interior drawers and cubby holes, over two small drawers and three long drawers.
Wood
18th Century English Chinoiserie Secretary Bookcase, George III
Located in Charleston, SC
Mid-18th century Georgian secretary bookcase with green lacquered Japanning.
Pine
Red laquered fallfront secretary with chinoiserie decoration
Located in Stamford, CT
Fallfront secretary with red japaning
Wood
Anglo-Japanese Secretary
Located in Cookeville, TN
Intricate hand-carved flowers made of ivory grace this lovely ornate secretary from the early 20th century. The secretary has elaborate detailing in the black lacquered wood. Has sev...
Ivory, Wood
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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