Painted Secretary
to
53
699
84
770
13
3
65
63
20
18
17
8
7
7
5
4
4
2
2
1
218
335
216
16
52
85
25
9
1
6
14
13
12
14
7
4
673
207
161
129
90
656
364
322
133
66
786
776
783
7
4
3
2
2
Sort By
Continental Gustavian Painted Secretary
Located in Queens, NY
Continental Gustavian-style (Possibly Swedish/ Danish 18th Century) off-white painted secretary
Category
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th c. Venetian Painted Secretary
Located in New Orleans, LA
Fantastic Italian Venetian Painted secretary/cabinet. This piece has a wonderful color palette but
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Directoire Cupboards
Materials
Wood
Swedish Gustavian Painted Secretary Cabinet Bookcase
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Gustavian Painted Secretary Cabinet Bookcase, Sweden
Antique Swedish secretary cabinet in
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Beautiful French 19th Century Hand-Painted Secretary Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful French 19th century hand-painted secretary desk, the patina is so much beautiful in
Category
Antique 1880s French Desks
Materials
Wood
Faience Pitcher and Bowl Hand Painted, Secretary Bird
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Faience Pitcher and Bowl Hand Painted, Secretary Bird
This attractive and colourful pair are both
Category
Vintage 1960s Art Deco Decorative Bowls
Materials
Ceramic
French Painted Secretary Desk with Fallfront, Mid 19th century
Located in South Salem, NY
This stunning Mid-19th-century French Painted Secretary Desk has a captivating fall-front design
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French French Provincial Secretaires
Materials
Wood
18th Century Swedish Neoclassical Painted Secretary Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
18th century Swedish neoclassical painted secretary desk will make the perfect addition to your
Category
Antique 1790s Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Steel
19th Century Italian Painted Secretary, Bookcase
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century Italian painted secretary ~ bookcase is a fanciful and marvelous expression of the
Category
Antique 1890s Italian Baroque Revival Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Hand Painted Secretary
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand painted and silver gilt secretary with inset original glass mirrored doors and fitted interior.
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Wood, Paint
$28,000
Vintage Louis XV Style Minton Spidell Drop-Front Hand Painted Secretary Cabinet
By Minton-Spidell
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Louis XV Style Minton Spidell Drop-Front Hand Painted Secretary Cabinet
This Vintage
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Gold Leaf
19thc French Painted Secretary
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautiful 19thc Robin’s egg blue secretary/fall front desk.
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Outstanding Red and Yellow Ornate Large Venetian Painted Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This outstanding Venetian painted secretary desk is a true statement piece, showcasing the artistry
Category
Vintage 1920s Italian Neoclassical Revival Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Swedish Gustavian 19th Century Painted Secretary
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A generously sized 19th century secretary desk from Sweden, made in the Gustavian style, with a
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Large Swedish Painted Secretary from Värmland, Dated 1854
Located in Atlanta, GA
This impressive mid-19th century Swedish secretary from Värmland, dated 1854, is a striking example
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Pine
18th Century Swedish Gustavian Two Part Painted Secretary
Located in Rio Vista, CA
top is fronted by two large doors opening to a shelved bookcase. The interior is painted with a 1783
Category
Antique 18th Century European Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Iron
White-Painted Secretary Desk with Glazed Cabinet, 18th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Elegant secretary desk with glazed upper cabinet and a gracefully broken arched pediment. The
Category
Antique 18th Century German French Provincial Secretaires
Materials
Brass
French Painted Secretary Desk with Fallfront, Mid 19th century
Located in South Salem, NY
This late 19th-century French secretary exudes timeless elegance with its creamy painted finish
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Wood
1940s Petite Mahogany Ornate Painted Secretary Bureau with Flip Leather Top
Located in Germantown, MD
Beautifully painted and decorated mahogany Secretary Bureau writing table with Flip green Leather
Category
Mid-20th Century American Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany, Paint
Maddox French Provincial Louis XV Painted Secretary Desk With Mirrored Bookcase
By Maddox Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous French Provincial Louis XV style bureau with drop front secretary desk and mirrored
Category
Vintage 1970s American French Provincial Desks
Materials
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Painted Secretary Cupboard in Grey with Patina
Located in Atlanta, GA
An exceptional early 19th-century Swedish secretary cupboard, circa 1810–1830, finished in soft
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Pine
19th Century Hand Painted Secretary with Hidden Drawers and Floral Decorations
Located in Sofia, BG
Secretary with "lacquered" decoration in the style of Coromandel lacquers decorated with
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$6,090 Sale Price
40% Off
Swedish 1770s Baroque Period Light Gray Painted Secretary with Slant Front Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
simplicity of the Gustavian painted finish. Indeed, this secretary, with its light gray painted finish, two
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood
$9,560 Sale Price
20% Off
Swedish 1856 Two-part Painted Secretary with Four Doors and Slant Front Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
Swedish 19th century two-part painted wood secretary circa 1856 with slant front desk, four doors
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Gustavian-style Secretary Bookcase
Located in Solebury, PA
A stunning 19th-century Gustavian painted secretary bookcase, adorned with an elegant arched top
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
Superb Period 1780s era Italian Tombstone Paint Decorated Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Elevate your interior with this Superb Period 1780s Italian Tombstone Paint Decorated Secretary
Category
Antique 1780s Italian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Painted Oak Secretary Bureau, Denmark circa 1760-80
Located in Round Top, TX
attached brass pulls.
This painted secretary is restored, solid/stable and ready to be used. It is built in
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Danish Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Iron
19th Century Swedish Blue Painted Tall Oak Secretary
Located in Round Top, TX
This oak secretary is a striking statement piece with panel doors, dramatic bonnet, three large
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Paint
18th Century Painted Oak Secretary, Denmark
Located in Round Top, TX
included as decoration only. The desktop has no functioning lock or key; no pull.
This painted secretary is
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Danish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Swedish Gustavian Period 1790s Painted Slant Front Secretary with Three Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian period painted wood secretary from the late 18th century, with slant front desk
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th Century Swedish Blue Oak Secretary Bureau
Located in Round Top, TX
three drawers have two brass pulls on each.
This blue painted secretary is restored, solid/stable and
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Black Painted Baroque Swedish Oak Secretary Bureau, circa 1780-1810
Located in Round Top, TX
This striking oak secretary is an elegant statement piece crowned with a curved bonnet. Note the
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th Century Blue Oak Secretary Bureau from Denmark
Located in Round Top, TX
.
This blue painted secretary is restored, solid/stable and ready to be used. It is built in two sections
Category
Antique 19th Century Danish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Paint
Tall Oak Secretary Bureau from Sweden, circa 1800-20
Located in Round Top, TX
over paneled cabinet doors.
The secretary has been given a professional custom layered painted finish
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Swedish Gustavian 1790s Painted Slant-Front Desk with Carved Diamond Motifs
Located in Atlanta, GA
fine painted secretary features a slanted front, carved with diamond motifs and opening to reveal
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Painted Italian Secretary Bookcase
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a lovely, decorative Italian secretary, painted overall with floral sprays against a pale
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Other Bookcases
Materials
Wood
Hand-Painted Baroque Secretary, 18th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Baroque secretary with three drawers and slant-front writing flap decorated with recessed panels
Category
Antique 18th Century German Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Iron
19th Century Swedish Painted Pine Secretary
Located in Round Top, TX
It is the aged and scraped patina of the original brown painted finish that draws one to this pine
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Country Secretaires
Materials
Pine, Paint
Painted Swedish Secretary, 19th Century
Located in South Salem, NY
This 19th-century Swedish secretary is a captivating example of timeless design. Its cream-painted
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Majestic Blue painted Rococo Bureau / Secretary
Located in Kastrup, DK
A Rococo secretary desk with a cabinet or bookcase top, beautifully painted in blue with a black
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Danish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Brass
19th Century Rustic Swedish Painted Pine Secretary
Located in Round Top, TX
This secretary is a special find due to the original brick red painted finish, gently scraped to
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Rustic Secretaires
Materials
Pine, Paint
Edwardian Walnut Secretary with Hand Painted Motifs
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a lovely Edwardian walnut Secretary, the top having two glazed doors within Gothic mullions
Category
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
18th Century Original Painted Writing Desk Secretary, Sweden
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A late 18th Century Folk Art Baroque Scandinavian original painted writing desk secretary. This
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Carved and Painted French Oak Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
The 19th Century Carved and Painted French Oak Secretary is an antique piece of furniture that
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Gustavian Light Gray Painted Bureau / Secretary 1780 - 80
Located in Kastrup, DK
Elegant and architectural Gustavian bureau / secrétaire in oak with light gray paint. Interior
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Danish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Iron
Black Painted Chinoiserie Drop Front Secretary Writing Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique chinoiserie painted writing desk with red interior.
early-19th century
Category
Antique 19th Century Chinoiserie Furniture
Materials
Wood
19th c. Swedish Bureau Desk / Secretary in Original Paint
Located in Wichita, KS
A Swedish bureau secretary with a scalloped base in original paint. Circa 1870. Behind the drop
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
English Chippendale Style Painted Goddard Chest Secretary Writing Desk
Located in Dayton, OH
secretary.
Dimensions:
31" x 17" x 40.5"h, surface 29.5"
Category
Early 20th Century American Chippendale Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood, Paint
$880 Sale Price
20% Off
Mid 19th Century Swedish Blue Painted Pine Secretary
Located in Round Top, TX
Mid 19th-century Swedish pine secretary with newer professionally applied layered blue exterior
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Late 18th Century Oak Secretary Bureau Painted Black, Denmark
Located in Round Top, TX
This oak rococo secretary reflects the style and functionality of the late 1700's in Sweden.
The
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Danish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Paint
Fine Paint Decorated Baroque Style Armoire Secretary/ Desk
Located in Bridgeport, CT
long drawers.
Overall distressed look green/gray paint with silver gilt trim and brown painted
Category
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Secretary / Writing Desk - Painted
Located in Kvidinge, SE
Swedish Gustavian Secretary / Writing Desk from early 19th century
A rectangular top sitting above
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
$2,652 Sale Price
30% Off
18th Century Danish Oak Secretary Bureau, Painted Black
Located in Round Top, TX
18th-century Danish oak secretary with a newer professionally applied layered black exterior finish
Category
Antique 18th Century Danish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Original Painted Pine Secretary Bureau from Sweden, dated 1847
Located in Round Top, TX
This unusual secretary is a special find. The remarkable folk art painted finish is all original
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Folk Art Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Pine, Paint
Late 18th Century Swedish Secretary Cabinet with Historic Paint
Located in South Salem, NY
Splendid early antique Gustavian style secretary cabinet, made in Sweden, circa late 19th century
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th Century Swedish Folk Art Secretary in Original Paint
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Early 19th Century Swedish folk art secretary in original paint.
With a curved pediment, below two
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Painted French Provincial Ivory and Green circa 1920s Secretary/ Desk
Located in Essex, MA
In an all-over ivory paint with a wonderful light green interior throughout this beautiful turn of
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown French Provincial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Paint
19th Century Hand-Painted Satin Wood Secretary Dresser
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This exquisite 19th-century antique hand-painted satin wood cabinet is a true work of art
Category
Antique 19th Century Georgian Dressers
Materials
Satinwood
- 1
- ...
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Painted Secretary", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.
Painted Secretary For Sale on 1stDibs
With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the painted secretary you’re looking for. Frequently made of wood, paint and metal, every painted secretary was constructed with great care. If you’re shopping for a painted secretary, we have 254 options in-stock, while there are 1 modern editions to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect painted secretary — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. A painted secretary is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles are sought with frequency. You’ll likely find more than one painted secretary that is appealing in its simplicity, but Dorothy Draper, Henredon and Maitland Smith produced versions that are worth a look.
How Much is a Painted Secretary?
The average selling price for a painted secretary at 1stDibs is $7,294, while they’re typically $750 on the low end and $78,500 for the highest priced.
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.
Read More
37 Cheerful Home Bars, Where Everybody (Literally) Knows Your Name
Simple or sophisticated, equipped with console, cart or custom cabinetry, these stylish bar areas deserve a toast.
The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home
Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.
What Exactly Is a Secretary Desk, and What Is It Used For?
The furniture equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, it's the multifunctional piece you didn't know you needed.
This Shelving System with Oxidized Brass Tubes Is Retro and Futuristic at Once
Italian studio DimoreMilano mustered great ingenuity when crafting these sculptural shelves, which are built without any screws.
Ask an Interior Designer: Work-from-Home Edition
Leaping into a design project, whether it's refreshing the bedroom or redoing the whole house, can be overwhelming. Luckily, we know more than a few interior designers. You asked questions on Instagram, and now they're answering.
Collected and Eclectic, ‘Wunderkammern’ Are Back in a Big Way
Introduced nearly 500 years ago, curiosity cabinets are finding new fans among today's collectors and designers.
Meet the Incredible Woman Transforming Fallen Trees into Sleek Furniture
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.
More Ways To Browse
Hair Clip
Vintage Jasper Cabinet
1940s Bureau
Gabriel Viardot Cabinet
Gustavian Tall Cabinet
Spanish Bureau
William A Berkey
1800s Secretary
1920 Secretary
Antique Glass Front Secretary
Blue Cabinet Tall
Clock Secretary
Drop Leaf Secretary
Petite Secretary
Red Chinoiserie Secretary
Antique Butler Secretary Desk
Antique Ivory Chest
Antique Secretary With Glass Doors