18th Century Swedish Rococo Bombé Secretary Chest
Located in Kastrup, DK
Swedish Rococo secretary desk, dating from circa 1770, crafted in the distinctive bombé form that defines the elegance of the Swedish Rococo period.
Brass
$3,346Sale Price|25% Off
Baroque Style Bombe Secretary Desk, Mid-20th Century
Located in BÉTERA, ES
Elegant baroque style bureau desk featuring a distinctive bombe front and a drop-front writing surface. The interior reveals a beautifully arranged set of compartments and drawers, ...
Hardwood
Antique Venetian Rococo Bombe Secretary Desk, Hand Painted Floral Bureau
Located in BŘECLAV, CZ
An elegant antique Venetian bombe secretary desk crafted in the Rococo revival style, featuring a gracefully curved silhouette and richly decorated surfaces.
Bronze
18th Century Dutch Bombe Slant Front Secretary Desk in Pine
Located in Houston, TX
An exceptional and character-rich 18th century Dutch bombe secretary desk, crafted in warm, honey-toned pine and retaining its beautifully worn original surface.
Pine
$7,200Sale Price|44% Off
Louis XV Style Bombe Secretary Inlaid Marquetry, Signed, Henry Dasson.
By Gervais Durand
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Louis XV style bombe secretary inlaid marquetry, Ormolu Mounted.
Bronze
Italian Walnut Drop-Front Bombe Secretary in Louis XV Style
Located in Chicago, IL
Italian drop front Louis XV style bombe secretary/chest with three drawers. Brass Rococo pulls and escutcheons with a pair of keys that function.
Brass
Drexel Georgian Mahogany Bombe Form Bureau With Drop Front Secretary Desk
By Drexel
Located in South Bend, IN
An outstanding Georgian or Chippendale style bureau with drop front secretary desk and bookcase hutch top By Drexel USA, 1968 Gorgeous carved mahogany, with original brass hardwa...
Brass
$4,250Sale Price|43% Off
20th Century Burl Walnut Bombe Secretary Bookcase with Etched Glass Doors
Located in Savannah, GA
Italian Bombe secretaire with a distinct burl walnut grain. Highlights include the original wrought iron hinges, a hand carved decorative crown and etched mirrored panels featuring a...
Walnut, Burl, Mirror
Italian Olive Burl Wood Bombe Secretary Vanity with Display Top & Matching Chair
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous Italian bombe drop front secretary cabinet in olive wood with the matching chair.
Brass
Antique Italian or Dutch Small Rococo Bombe Secretary Desk w/ Marquetry, c 1870
Located in INTERLAKEN, NY
An exquisite 19th century Rococo secretary in mahogany with bombe front & sides, with floral & foliate inlays in tulipwood, kingwood & satinwood on the top, front panels of the drawe...
Mahogany, Satinwood, Kingwood, Tulipwood
$9,600Sale Price|20% Off
Baroque Secretary Desk, Switzerland 1750
Located in Belmont, MA
Baroque Secretary Desk, Switzerland, Circa 1750 A refined mid-18th century Swiss Baroque secretary desk with an elegant bombe front and beautifully figured walnut veneer.
Walnut
$12,950Sale Price|31% Off
French Louis XV Style Marquetry & Gilt Bronze-Mounted Secretary Desk with Clock
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th-20th century Louis XV style tulipwood and mahogany marquetry gilt bronze-mounted petit-bureau de dame (secretary). The bombe´ structure surmounted by a pair o...
Bronze
$4,858Sale Price|43% Off
19th Century Dutch Bleached Oak Secretaire
Located in Darmstadt, DE
The lower part of the secretary consists of three bombé drawers with beautiful decorative original bronze fittings.
Brass
$9,399Sale Price|20% Off
Verni Martin secrétaire abattant , circa 1880
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th Century French Louis XVI style secretaries abbattant, having bombe shaped sides, gilded rococo style scrolling ormolu mounts.
Mahogany
VENETIAN BOMBE SHAPED BURL OLIVE WOOD SECRETARY
Located in New York, NY
VENETIAN BOMBE SHAPED BURL OLIVEWOOD SECRETARY
Olive
Unusual Dutch Bombe Secretary
Located in Wainscott, NY
This wonderful secretary was discovered in the Netherlands, but its origin is unknown. It appears to be oak, with a lovely natural waxed finish. The apron is carved and terminates in...
Brass
Italian Olive Wood Bombe Secretary
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1950s olive wood secretary from Italy.
Italian Louis XV Style Painted Bombe Secretary
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Italian Louis XV style painted bombe secretary, circa 1960's. The top section with double serpentine shaped top and two doors with birdcage wire and two shelves, the bottom section o...
Metal, Brass
Antique Italian Baroque Hand-Painted Bombe Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
A masterpiece of hand-painted artistry that also just happens to be an incredibly functional desk, this Antique Italian Baroque bombe secretary features original artwork on all three...
French Painted Bombe Secretary Chest of Drawers
Located in Stamford, CT
French Louis XV style bombe chest of drawers, the green onyx marble atop a red distress painted bombe case opening to a drop-front writing surface and cubby holes, raised on splayed ...
Antique Louis XV Bombe Marquetry Drop-Front Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
Crafted from exotic imported mahogany with precisely oriented grain patterns, this secretary features floral and foliate marquetry on the upper drawer; drop front desk surface and lo...
Marble
Antique 19th Century Dutch Oak Drop Front Bombe Secretary
Located in Charleston, SC
Antique 19th century Dutch oak drop front bombe secretary with a 3-drawer bombe front and carved ball and claw feet.
Oak, Paint
Sold
H 97 in W 61 in D 24 in
19th Century Italian Walnut Bombe Secretary Bookcase with Marquetry Inlay
Located in Dallas, TX
Elegant antique fruitwood secretaire a abattant from Italy, circa 1870; the bookcase secretary features an arched bonnet top, two glass doors on the upper section, three bombe drawer...
Glass, Walnut
Sold
H 75.5 in W 42 in D 15 in
Italian Olive Burl Wood Cabriole Leg Bombé Secretary Desk With Bookshelf
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Elevate your home decor with the exquisite Italian Olive Burl Wood Secretary Desk. Featuring elegant cabriole legs and a distinct bombé shape, this vintage piece combines functionali...
Burl
Sold
H 40.5 in W 43 in D 21.25 in
Antique Dutch Rococo Inlaid Marquetry Walnut Bombe Secretary Desk Bureau 1780
Located in Portland, OR
A fine 18th century Dutch Rococo walnut inlaid marquetry bombe shaped desk, circa 1780. The desk top is inlaid with a satinwood panel and having corresponding panels to the sides, th...
Fruitwood, Walnut, Ebony, Satinwood
Sold
H 45 in W 46 in D 25 in
18th Century French Louis XV Bombe Cherry Desk Secretary Scriban from Bordeaux
Located in Dallas, TX
Put a sophisticated spin on your study or office with this antique slant front desk commode, or "commode scriban". Carved in Bordeaux, France, circa 1760, the fold out secretary is b...
Bronze
Sold
H 41.75 in W 42 in D 23.5 in
18th C. Dutch Marquetry Inlay Drop Front Secretary Desk Bombe Commode Secretaire
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Dutch marquetry hand inlaid bombe form drop front desk or secretaire, circa 1790. This remarkable item is heavily inlaid throughout including a beautiful console table with f...
Walnut
Sold
H 96.5 in W 46.5 in D 23 in
Italian Louis XV Bombe Style Marquetry Roll Top Secretary Bookcase, 20th Century
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
This superior Italian Marquetry inlaid roll top secretary bookcase features a scrolled broken up pediment above two glazed doors opening up to a shelved interior. The bottom part fea...
Bronze
Sold
H 79 in W 39 in D 17 in
Italian Burl Olive Wood Bombe Style Drop Front Secretary W/ Hutch Shelves Mint!
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Italian burl olive wood bombe style drop front secretary w/ hutch shelves mint!
Burl
Sold
H 43 in W 50 in D 26 in
18th Century French Louis XV Carved Bombe Cherry Scriban Secretary from Bordeaux
Located in Dallas, TX
Put a sophisticated spin on your study or office with this elegant antique slant front desk, or "commode scriban". Carved in Bordeaux, France circa 1760, the "secretaire a abattants"...
Leather, Cherry
19th Century Danish Rosewood Secretary
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Hand carved two-piece bombé front burlwood secretary fitted with two (2) large drawers on the bottom part and a third, smaller one above them; Inside the cabinet are three (3) mini d...
Bronze
Sold
H 88 in W 42 in D 20 in
Midcentury French Style Black Lacquer Chinoiserie Secretary Desk / Cabinet
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a midcentury French style hand painted chinoiserie secretary with a unique bombe form base and glass top.
Leather, Glass, Lacquer
Sold
H 49 in W 25.5 in D 13 in
19th Century French Napoleon III Marquetry and Bronze Lady's Secretary Chest
Located in Dallas, TX
Place this elegant, antique bombe secretary in an office or a bedroom. Crafted in Paris circa 1870, the versatile fruit wood piece is a lady's desk and chest of drawers at once.
Marble, Bronze
18th Century Dutch Marquetry Inlaid Bombe Secretary/Chest of Drawers
Located in Miami, FL
A fine 18th century Dutch scriban, secretary or commode, from Holland. Top lid, sides and front inlaid with flowers, urns of flowers and trailing vines. Three drawers with slant lid...
Kingwood, Mahogany
Sold
H 105 in W 52 in D 20 in
Early 20th Century Italian Venetian Painted and Gold Leaf Bombe Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
Make a statement in your home with this beautifully painted antique secretary from Italy, circa 1920. The piece features a rounded, bombe base with three deep drawers and a folding t...
Stained Glass, Wood
Sold
H 42.13 in W 42.13 in D 21.66 in
Antique 18th Century Dutch Oak Drop Front Bombe Secretary Desk Secretaire
Located in Casteren, NL
A beautiful Dutch Baroque style secretary with a 3-drawer bombe front and carved ball and claw feet.
Brass
Sold
H 86 in W 44.75 in D 20.75 in
Antique Italian Olivewood Bombe Coke Bottle Curved 2 Piece Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This Antique Italian 2 Piece Bombe Secretary Desk is made with fine burled Olive wood veneer and made of the highest quality!
Olive
Sold
H 36.5 in W 49 in D 26 in
19th Century Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Secretary, Attributed to Millet
By Maison Millet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine French 19th century Louis XV style gilt bronze-mounted kingwood and tulipwood parquetry decorated bombé secretary bureau-plat, attributed to Maison Millet.
Bronze, Ormolu
Bombe' Italian Red Chinoiserie Secretary
Located in Natchez, MS
Venetian Red Chinoiserie Secretary. Very exagerated Bombe' form. Wonderful interior.
Wood, Paint
Venetian Painted Bombe Secretary Bookcase
Located in Natchez, MS
19th c. Painted secretary bookcase. Wonderfully shaped bombe base wtih a shaped top with 2 glass doors (glass is hand laid and slightly opaque).
Wood
c.1910 Dutch Bombe Secretary
Located in Los Angeles, CA
c. 1920 Dutch tortoise shell pattern veneer secretary. It is in two parts, the bottom half being a bombe shaped chest of drawers with a desk area built in.
Wire
Italian Rococo Style Walnut Bombe Secretary Cabinet
Located in Cypress, CA
Fine Italian Rococo style walnut veneered bombe secretary cabinet. The shaped surmount is over a mirrored door revealing several fitted compartments and two small drawers, above a s...
Walnut
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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