Secretary à deux corps Baroque, Saxony c. 1740, walnut and walnut burl veneer, sloping lid, 2-door top with sprung gable and beautiful interior division, 3-tier, double-arched chest...

Category

Antique 1760s German Baroque Secretaires

Materials

H 39.49 in W 36 in D 16.5 in

Stunning Lacquered Inlay Secretary with Gorgeous Hardware

Located in Memphis, TN

Bring the grandeur into your home with this fantastic secretary desk with stunning marquetry design from the first half of the 20th century.

Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Secretary furniture in precious wood, stamped J. Popsel, Louis XV - 18th century

Unavailable

Sold

H 45.28 in W 31.89 in D 20.08 in

Art Nouveau Marquetry Secretary Desk Signed Bize, France

By Bize

Located in Paris, FR

French Art Nouveau style secretary desk made in a lovely light ton wood and decorated with floral branches and leaves in marquetry.

Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Napoleon III Marquetry Secretary Cabinet, France, 19th Century

Sold

H 55.12 in W 29.14 in D 23.63 in

Napoleon III Marquetry Secretary Cabinet, France, 19th Century

Located in Paris, FR

Napoleon III style secretary cabinet, France, circa 1880. Made in a beautiful marquetry composition of vase, flowers, leaves, birds...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires

Materials

Marble, Brass

Napoleon III Boulle Marquetry Secretary, France, 19th Century

Sold

Sold

H 89 in W 52 in D 24 in

Dutch Rococo Elmwood And Marquetry Secretary

Located in Essex, MA

Arched carved cornice over a pair of glazed doors and also glazed on top sides, the base elaborately inlaid with a fold down writing lid enclosing a fitted interoir over three gradua...

Materials

Carrara Marble, Brass, Bronze

Antique French Louis XVI Kingwood & Satinwood Marquetry Ladies Secretary 19thC

Sold

H 46 in W 31 in D 16.25 in

Antique French Louis XVI Kingwood & Satinwood Marquetry Ladies Secretary 19thC

Located in Big Flats, NY

An antique French Louis XVI ladies secretary offers kingwood construction with satinwood marquetry and banded inlay in demilune form with upper display vitrine having curved glass an...

Category

Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Vitrines

Materials

Kingwood, Satinwood

Napoleon III 19th Century French Desk Secretary Boule Marquetry, France

Sold

Sold

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...

Category

Antique 1780s Dutch Rococo Secretaires

Materials

Materials

Wood

Hollywood Regency Napoleon III Style Gilt Rope & Tassel Settee in Leopard Velvet

$16,400

$37,570

H 42.13 in W 83.47 in D 32.29 in

A Large French Louis XV Canapé en Corbeille, Walnut - Louis Delanois JME

By Louis Delanois

Located in Göttingen, NI

A Large French Louis XV Canapé en Corbeille, carved walnut Master Louis Delanois JME c. 1760 Provenance: Albrecht Neuhaus, Würzburg Literature: Pierre Kjellberg, Le Mobilier França...

Category

Antique Mid-18th Century French Louis XV Sofas

Materials

Walnut

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Secretary Marquetry For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic secretary marquetry available at 1stDibs. A secretary marquetry — often made from wood, metal and hardwood — can elevate any home. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer secretary marquetry, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. A secretary marquetry made by louis xv designers — as well as those associated with Louis XVI — is very popular. Many designers have produced at least one well-made secretary marquetry over the years, but those crafted by André-Charles Boulle, Wedgewood and Alexandre Chevrié, Paris are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a Secretary Marquetry?

Prices for a secretary marquetry start at $895 and top out at $398,000 with the average selling for $8,496.

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.

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