19th-Century Walnut Secretaire Abattant
Located in New York, NY
A 19th-century secrétaire abattant of exceptional quality. This beautiful piece consists of a center cabinet with a tooled leather writing surface and five small drawers and a lower...
Marble
19th Century French Walnut Secrétaire Abattant
Located in Charlottesville, VA
A French walnut secrétaire abattant with a fall-front writing surface opening to a fitted interior of shelves and small drawers.
Walnut
Austro-Hungarian Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Woodbury, CT
Wearing a layer of Austrian walnut root veneer, this secrétaire has a unique grain that one does not often see; it swirls and undulates across the surface drawing the eye along in a ...
Walnut, Burl
Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Walnut Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Dallas, TX
Place this elegant antique secrétaire à abattant in an office, study, or bedroom.
Leather, Walnut
Italian 19th Century Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant with Fitted Interior
Located in Atlanta, GA
A refined Italian 19th century secrétaire à abattant, masterfully crafted in richly figured walnut with warm honey and amber tones that animate the façade with exceptional depth.
Wood
Antique French Louis Philippe Burr Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant Desk Chest 1840
Located in Portland, OR
A fine, elegant, antique 19th century French Louis Philippe walnut Secrétaire à Abattant, desk/chest, circa 1840.
Marble
19th Century French Louis XV Walnut "Secretaire à Abattant" with Marble Top
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate an office or bedroom with this elegant antique secrétaire à abattant. Crafted in Paris circa 1870, the tall cabinet is built of walnut veneer and stands on cabriole legs end...
Marble, Bronze
Louis XVI Desk/Secretaire a Abattant c. 1790-1800
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a very good example of a late 18th century Louis XVI Secretaire a Abattant. The secretaire is crafted of solid walnut and is a generous 39.5" wide.
Walnut
$13,467Sale Price|20% Off
French 18th century J.F. LELEU stamped secretaire à abattant
By Jean-François Leleu
Located in AALSMEER, NL
Exceptionally high quality furniture from an estate of a private collector Louis XVI Mahogany secretaire à abattant By J.F Leleu with its original ‘Bianca Carrara’ marble top with r...
Brass
19th Century Bombe Marquetry Secrétaire à Abattant, Marble Top and Bronze Mounts
Located in Miami, FL
19th century bombe marquetry secrétaire à abattant, marble top and bronze mounts. Offered for sale is a late 19th century Louis XV style bombe marquetry secrétaire à abattant with a...
Marble, Bronze
French Walnut Secrétaire á Abbatant
Located in Faversham, GB
A beautiful walnut Secrétaire à Abattant in the Empire style of the 19th century, The top bears a rounded rectangular fossil marble top above a substantial fall door, inlaid with a ...
Brass
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
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
French 19th Century Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This wonderful walnut secre´taire a` abattant was constructed in the style of Louis XVI during the 19th century. Topped with a great piece of black and white marble. A single, slim d...
Stone, Marble, Metal, Brass
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
Directoire Diminutive Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant and a Similar Diminutive
Located in Buchanan, MI
A 19th century Directoire diminutive walnut Secrétaire a' Abattant and a similar diminutive five-drawer chest.
Walnut
Unavailable
H 58.5 in W 38.5 in D 19.75 in
Charles X Walnut and Marble Secrétaire à Abattant circa 1820
Located in Louisville, KY
featuring a freize drawer over a fall front revealing a fitted interior, over cabinet doors and raised on carved and ebonized animal paw feet.
Walnut
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.
Bronze
French Walnut Secretaire A Abattant
Located in New York, NY
An exquisite secretaire abattant in solid walnut with clean, rectilinear lines, fluted columns, original top with rounded corners and toupie feet.
Biedermeier Burled Walnut & Bone Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Chicago, IL
Exceptionally crafted and still in wonderful condition, this Biedermeier secretary is constructed of solid woods and beautiful burled walnut veneers. Escutcheons/keyholes are made of...
Walnut, Pine
Burled Walnut & Bone Biedermeier Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Chicago, IL
Biedermeier fourteen drawer secretary constructed of solid woods and beautiful burled walnut veneers. Escutcheons/keyholes are made of bone. With front in horizontal position, birdse...
Walnut, Pine, Bone
French 18th Century Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This wonderful solid walnut secre´taire a` abattant was constructed in the period of Louis XVI, circa 1780. A single, slim drawer at the top features brass drop ring pulls and a deco...
Brass
19th Century Louis XVI Style Walnut Secretaire Abattant
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
19th Century Louis XVI Style Walnut Secretaire Abattant with white and grey marble top.
Marble, Brass
French 19th Century Burl Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A wonderful French 19th century burl walnut secretaire a abattant has a Sainte-Anne marble top.
Mahogany
French 19th Century Burl Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A spectacular burl walnut desk from 19th century, France. A drawer can be found at the top of the desk with no hardware. The front of the desk folds down, revealing a leather topped ...
Sold
H 60 in W 45.5 in D 21 in
Antique French Empire Walnut Drop Down Secretary Secretaire Desk Abattant
Located in West Hartford, CT
Beautiful tall 19th Century French Empire walnut secretaire abattant features elegant patterns created by the natural walnut grain, flanked by columns with bronze ormolu mounts.
Bronze
Sold
H 59.45 in W 39.38 in D 20.08 in
Antique Dutch Walnut Marquetry Secretaire Abattant Chest Late 18th Century
Located in London, GB
This is an impressive antique Dutch marquetry walnut secretaire à Abattant - fall front desk, which dates from circa 1780.
Leather, Walnut
Lovely Louis-Philippe period Secretaire Abattant
Located in Westport, CT
Louis-Philippe Secretaire Abattant in a burl wanut veneer with St Anne bevelled marble top, interior outfitted with drawers, secret compartments and veneered in exotic wood.
Marble
Sold
H 57 in W 26.5 in D 17 in
Drexel Heritage French Provincial Louis XV Carved Walnut Secrétaire À Abattant
By Drexel
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous French Provincial Louis XV style drop-front secretary desk By Drexel Heritage, "Brittany Collection" USA, Circa 1970s Carved walnut, with shell motif, hand painted flo...
Brass
Empire Secretaire à abattant, Vienna circa 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Empire secretary adorned with flanking caryatids around the flat writing flap, top drawer, and a two-door base cabinet. The caryatids are elegantly ebonized and gold-patinated, compl...
Bronze
Sold
H 58 in W 33 in D 17 in
19th Century French Provincial Walnut Secretary Desk or Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
This rare French Provincial secretaire a abattant or secretary desk features a long top drawer above a fall front opening up to an interior fitted with drawers and compartments and c...
Bronze
Sold
H 58.27 in W 43.31 in D 21.26 in
French Empire Secretaire a Abattant in Brown Walnut with Grey Marble Top, 1810
Located in Berlin, DE
This beautiful French Empire secretaire a Abattant is veneered in walnut and has a grey marble top.
Marble
19th Century Classical Charles X Burled Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A dramatic Charles X fall front secretary in astounding burled walnut veneer. The original fossilized marble top is supported by an elliptical molding. The main body contains one upp...
Walnut
French 19th Century Louis Philippe Abattant Secretary
Located in Wilton, CT
Louis Philippe style burled Walnut. Locks with brass escutcheon plate, drop front desk with embossed leather writing surface. The interior is fitted with 7 drawers and a shelf. Below...
Leather, Walnut
French 19th Century Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
Stunning French Louis Philippe walnut Secretaire a' Abattant in walnut. Beautiful details grace many of this 19th century French secretary’s surfaces and interiors.
Walnut
18th Century Louis XVI Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a late 18th century Period Louis XVI Provincial Secretaire a Abattant. The solid figured walnut case is in very good to excellent condition.
Brass
Sold
H 57 in W 26.5 in D 17 in
Drexel Heritage French Provincial Louis XV Carved Walnut Secrétaire À Abattant
By Drexel
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous French Provincial Louis XV style carved walnut drop-front secretary desk with shell motif and painted floral accents By Drexel Heritage "Brittany Collection" USA, ci...
Brass
French 18th Century Walnut Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
An impressive solid walnut secretaire a abattant from late 18th century France.
Brass
French 19th Century Walnut Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
An impressive solid walnut secretaire a abattant from 19th century France.
Brass
18th Century, Louis XVI Secretaire Abattant
Located in Doylestown, PA
An 18th century French secretaire abattant with an upper cabinet with 2 doors concealing 12 small drawers, a middle drop front desk, and a lower two-door cabinet concealing shelves, ...
Walnut
Sold
H 59.85 in W 41.74 in D 17.72 in
French 19th Century Empire Walnut Greek Female Heads Secretaire à Abattant
Located in Berlin, DE
French 19th Century Empire Walnut Greek Female Heads Writing Desk or Secretaire à Abattant A fine walnut veneered secretaire à abattant, with a mottled grey Gris-St-Anne marble top...
Marble, Bronze
Sold
H 60 in W 39.25 in D 17.5 in
Antique French Charles X Classical Secrétaire à Abattant Desk Chest Walnut 1825
Located in Portland, OR
A fine & elegant antique French Charles X figured walnut secretaire abattant, circa 1825. A high quality French figured walnut secretary chest from the first quarter of the 1800s, th...
Walnut
Secretaire a Abattant, Drop Front Desk, France, 1840
Located in Belmont, MA
This secretaire a abattant or drop front desk is an absolute masterpiece.
Walnut
19th Century French Empire desk Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Beautiful upright secrétaire from the French Empire period. The desk is made of oak with burr walnut veneer, decorated with bronze ormolu elements. These are typical of the French Em...
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.
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