$9,995
H 75.5 in W 32.75 in D 21 in
Incredible Carved Italian Luigi Frullini Narrow Figural Walnut Secretary Desk
By Luigi Frullini
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
walnut, this narrow figural desk is intricately hand-carved with high-relief allegorical figures
Walnut
$3,890 / item
H 52.76 in W 24.81 in D 15.75 in
French Directoire Style Narrow Secretary Desk in Wood, Orange Gray Lacquered
Located in Landivy, FR
This Secretary is a handmade modernized interpretation of the French Directoire style at the end of the 18th century. This period design is remarkable with its straight, classical an...
Leather, Wood, Cherry, Lacquer
$3,800
H 79 in W 30 in D 19 in
Narrow 30" Wide 4 Drawers Slant Front Secretary Desk w/ Glass Doors Bookcase
By Henredon
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Narrow 30" Wide 4 Drawers Slant Front Secretary Desk w/ Glass Doors Bookcase MINT
Brass
Fine Narrow Classical Secretaire Bookcase, New York
Located in Providence, RI
In order to fill the larger rooms of houses that increased in size during the early 19th century, Classical or Empire case pieces came in larger proportions than their antecedents. T...
Mahogany
19th Century French Secretaire
Located in Nashville, TN
This 19th century narrow French Secretaire features a top drawer which opens to reveal a desk and
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 74 in W 26 in D 18.5 in
Vintage Narrow Georgian Inlay Mahogany Secretary Desk & Bookcase Secretaire
Located in West Hartford, CT
Expertly hand made in England, this classic Georgian secretary desk has a bookcase above. The original finish s to die for - see pics. It also features delicate banding and a tradit...
Glass, Mahogany
Sold
H 61.03 in W 31.5 in D 16.15 in
19th Century Narrow Biedermeier Secretaire, Walnut, Cherry, Austria circa 1820
Located in Greven, DE
Narrow Biedermeier writing cabinet, Secretaire Austria (Vienna) Walnut, cherry tree
Cherry, Walnut
Sold
H 59.85 in W 37.8 in D 18.51 in
19th Century Narrow Biedermeier Secretary, Padouk, Antique Secretaire circa 1825
Located in Greven, DE
stand secretaire in a rarely narrow design. The 96 cm in width apply at the top of the cornice at the
Padouk
Sold
H 55.91 in W 29.53 in D 14.97 in
Late 18th Century Narrow Oak Swedish Study Cabinet / Secretaire in Empire Style
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
Beautiful and in fully original condition Swedish oak secretaire or study cabinet features black
Metal, Brass
Sublime Narrow Tall English Antique Secretary with Shell Decoration
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Incredibly pretty tall narrow English secretary having gorgeous bookshelf top with original glass
Leather, Glass, Mahogany
Sold
H 55.5 in W 30 in D 15 in
French Neoclassical Style 19th Century Secrétaire with Arabesques and Flowers
Located in Atlanta, GA
, musical instruments and birds. Created in France during the 19th century, this painted secrétaire features
Wood
Sold
H 72.5 in W 26 in D 16 in
Narrow Venetian Italian Circassian Walnut Mirrored Secretary Desk, circa 1930
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a beautiful desk with a great narrow width that's perfect for smaller spaces or an entryway
Walnut
Sold
H 63.39 in W 37.41 in D 19.3 in
Narrow German Biedermeier Secretary with Secret Drawer, Walnut, circa 1840
Located in Greven, DE
Narrow antique Biedermeier cabinet with secret compartment Hesse/Palatinate Walnut etc
Walnut
French Faux Bamboo Cherry Bookcase/Secrtaire
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a warm, mellow French faux bambooLouis XVI style bookcase/secretaire. The narrow molded
Cherry
Sold
H 33 in W 25.5 in D 10.5 in
Parquetry Kingwood Secretaire Cabinet Cupboard - shallow narrow depth
Located in London, by appointment only
France, circa 1850. A fine 19th century secretaire cabinet veneered in book matched kingwood
Kingwood
Sold
H 53.94 in W 37.01 in D 14.97 in
Narrow Antique Biedermeier Secretaire In Pine Sweden Late 19th Century
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
Beautiful and in fully original condition Swedish pine secretaire features rounded corners with a
Pine
Sold
H 60.5 in W 26 in D 17 in
Narrow Width Antique Italian Provincial Secretary Desk with Lined Surfaces
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a very narrow Italian secretary desk with one door containing 2 shelves, 10 drawers, and a
Wood
Sold
H 40.5 in W 25.25 in D 21 in
Narrow Raised Lacquer Black Chinoiserie Slatfront Secretary Desk circa 1950
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
For customers that require professional insured delivery we are proud to have teamed up with a nationwide professional delivery company that will assist with coordinating your delive...
Walnut
Sold
H 89 in W 35 in D 21 in
Tall Narrow English Turn of Century Mahogany Georgian Secretary Beveled Glass
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Turn of the century mahogany Georgian two part secretary leather top desk writing table with individual beveled glass panes.
Mahogany
19th Century Mahogany Campaign Secretaire Chest
Located in Eindhoven, NL
narrow drawer above the secretaire drawer. This makes the whole chest more refined to see. The secretaire
Mahogany
$5,069 / item
H 56.11 in W 25.6 in D 19.1 in
Arcate sideboard, in Canaletto walnut by Accardibuccheri Medulum for Medulum
By Mauro Accardi & Silvia Buccheri
Located in Meolo, Venezia
Il settimanale Arcate fa parte di una collezione esclusiva che include comodini e comò, ideata dal rinomato studio milanese Accardi Buccheri per il brand MEDULUM. La scocca, realizza...
Walnut
$4,900 / item
H 34 in W 86 in D 42 in
Custom Made Modern English Arm Sofa in Performance Linen Velvet - 86"
By Bloom Home Inc
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This beautiful english arm sofa has a modern twist, with its single bench cushion, and beautiful curved apron sides. It’s upholstered in a Linen Velvet Performance fabric. Shown in...
Linen, Velvet
$2,680Sale Price|20% Off
H 60.5 in W 17.75 in D 31.5 in
1940's French Art Deco Exotic Rosewood Secretary Cabinet
Located in Opa Locka, FL
c1940's French Art Deco Exotic Rosewood Secretary Cabinet. Top glass enclosed display area. Interior with special sections for desk needs. Rare form.
Wood
$6,267 / set
H 24.01 in Dm 13.78 in
Pair of Constant Night Stands in Iroko Wood by Master Studio for Lemon
By Lemon
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Neatly proportioned with exceptional detailing, the constant nightstand is your perfect bedside partner. In our furniture making, the IDEA is to create special pieces that you can bu...
Hardwood
Georgian 18th Century Mahogany Secretaire Cupboard
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A superb quality late 18th century Georgian mahogany secretaire cupboard having well figured and banded top over one secretaire drawer to frieze, enclosing attractive satinwood in...
Mahogany
Tall Narrow Blue Painted Louis XVI Chest of Drawers
Located in Kastrup, DK
Tall Louis XVI/Gustavian chest of drawers with 11 drawers. This chest is a custom-made piece, making it unique. Crafted from pine wood, it has been conservator-restored with blue pai...
Pine
French 19th Century Walnut Secretary Desk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A wonderful walnut secretary desk from 19th century France. The desk can be separated into two bodies: a lower writing surface, and the upper glass-front cabinet. The top cabinet ha...
Walnut, Leather, Glass
French Faux Bamboo Secretaire à Abattant, or Drop Front Desk
Located in Winter Park, FL
A French secrétaire à abattant, or drop front secretary desk, with the case made of birdseye maple veneer over solid oak and the faux bamboo details made of turned cherry wood. Four ...
Brass
$2,395
H 88.38 in W 43 in D 21 in
Chinoiserie Black Lacquered Drop Front Secretary Desk With Bookcase Hutch
By Jasper Furniture Company
Located in Elkhart, IN
A gorgeous Georgian Chinoiserie style bureau with drop front secretary desk and bookcase hutch top In the manner of Jasper Furniture Company USA, Late 20th Century Black lacquered...
Brass
French 19th Century Ebonized & Inlay Secretary
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This French Louis XVI style drop front secretary from the 1800s has impressive etched brass inlay on its exterior, which is made even more dramatic by the deep ebonized finish. The t...
Marble, Brass
$38,900
H 80.5 in W 40 in D 19.75 in
19th Century German Biedermeier Veneered Mahogany Cabinet - Antique Secretary
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An early 19th Century, antique German Biedermeier two-part cabinet with a writing flap made of hand crafted shellac polished, partly veneered Mahogany, in good condition. The bottom ...
Metal, Brass
Art Deco Secretaire by Jacques Adnet
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Miami, FL
Art Deci secretaire desk was designed by Jacques Adnet, made of Tamo Ash Wood. The style of this secretaire features sleek lines, geometric shapes and a combination of different mat...
Leather, Ash
Biedermeier secretaire, circa 1830
Located in London, GB
A Biedermeier secre´taire a` abattant of unusual tapered form, goncalo alves with ebonized, inlaid and pewter decoration, and an enclosed fitted interior, Russian/Baltic, circa 1830.
Pewter
$3,573 / item
H 49.22 in W 35.44 in D 18.12 in
Light blue French secretary desk, designed by Eric Gizard in Paris
By Éric Gizard
Located in Landivy, FR
This secretary Desk belongs to our ÉGÉE COLLECTION designed by the Parisian designer Eric Gizard. Eric adopts for this collection the refined codes of Scandinavian design, combinin...
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
$33,947
H 70.87 in W 73.23 in D 88.19 in
Bed Tester Spanish Baroque Carved Dark Green & Gilded Leather Superking 6ft180cm
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Rare, Spanish Demi-Tester, Baroque Bed With Carved, Green Painted & Gilded Posts 181cm, 6ft High, Floral Painted Leather Headboard, sold with custom made box spring mattress base, ac...
Giltwood, Paint
19th Century Biedermeier Mahogany Secretary
Located in Stahnsdorf, DE
19th Century Conical Shape Secretary, Germany, 1820 This fine Biedermeier secretary made of mahogany is a real gem for every lover of antique furniture. With a height of 194 cm, a w...
Mahogany
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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