Louis Xv Trumeau Secretaire
Antique 18th Century European Louis XV Secretaires
Wood
Antique 1760s Dutch Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
20th Century Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Mirror, Wood
People Also Browsed
Antique 1760s French Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
20th Century Chinoiserie Secretaires
Wood
Antique 1870s French Renaissance Revival Bookcases
Glass, Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Belle Époque Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Vintage 1920s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Bronze
Antique Early 1900s French Louis XV Secretaires
Leather, Tulipwood, Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Corner Cupboards
Brass
Vintage 1910s Dutch Dutch Colonial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Leather, Oak
Antique 19th Century English Chinoiserie Secretaires
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Desks
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Desks
Oak
Antique 1870s Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Wood
Antique 1850s Italian Grand Tour Figurative Sculptures
Breccia Marble, Bronze
Recent Sales
Antique 1730s French Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
Antique Mid-18th Century European Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
Antique 18th Century Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut, Giltwood
Antique 1760s Dutch Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Walnut
20th Century French Paintings
Canvas, Paint
A Close Look at louis-xv Furniture
The style of 18th-century French furniture was guided by the court. When Louis XV, who reigned from 1715–74, focused royal life on the smaller salons of Versailles rather than its grand chambers, it transformed the aesthetics away from the imposing and angular furniture that characterized the style of Louis XIV. A broader focus on comfort and more delicate forms define antique Louis XV furniture, with nature-inspired carvings, wood inlays, curved cabriole legs, asymmetrical shapes and rounded oval seat backs. The furnishings changed throughout the king’s life, as he ascended to the throne as a child and then grew to establish his own tastes.
Pieces like the bergère, an upholstered armchair with a wide cushion that fit the flowing dresses in fashion at the time, reflected this more informal court. Introduced at the start of Louis XV’s reign, bergère chairs in this style were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period.
Louis XV tapestries and carpets tended to be floral and colorful, and design elements were borrowed from Asia. Dutch-born cabinetmaker Bernard van Risenburgh brought lacquer techniques influenced by Japan and China into his luxuriously made furniture. Along with its fine details, the furniture of the era also featured new innovations including mechanical devices. Jean François Oeben, a royal cabinetmaker, created such intricate pieces as a mechanical table for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress. It involved a sliding top and a writing surface that extended from its marquetry panels.
During the later years of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift from the ostentatious rocaille style, part of the exuberantly decorative Rococo movement in Europe for which designers such as Nicolas Pineau and Juste-Aurèle Meissonier are known. The style under Louis XVI would return to boxier forms, but with a neoclassical touch inspired by the ancient world.
Find antique Louis XV bedroom furniture, seating, tables and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
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.