Slant Front Antique Secretary
19th Century American Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
17th Century American Agra Slant Front Antique Secretary
Hardwood, Walnut
1880s American Victorian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
19th Century French Slant Front Antique Secretary
Mirror, Wood
Mid-19th Century English Chinoiserie Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Early 19th Century Scandinavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Mid-19th Century British George III Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Mid-18th Century English Georgian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Leather, Walnut
19th Century American Chippendale Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood, Maple
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
18th Century and Earlier English Slant Front Antique Secretary
18th Century French Louis XV Slant Front Antique Secretary
Walnut
Mid-19th Century Belgian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Oak
Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Slant Front Antique Secretary
Copper
19th Century American Eastlake Slant Front Antique Secretary
Walnut, Burl
Late 18th Century English George III Slant Front Antique Secretary
Mahogany
Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Slant Front Antique Secretary
Fir
18th Century and Earlier Italian Slant Front Antique Secretary
19th Century British Georgian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Early 20th Century American Chippendale Slant Front Antique Secretary
Mahogany
Early 20th Century American American Classical Slant Front Antique Secretary
Oak
Mid-19th Century American George III Slant Front Antique Secretary
Glass, Walnut
19th Century German Biedermeier Slant Front Antique Secretary
Spruce, Cherry
1810s Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Oak
18th Century Swedish Baroque Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Pine
Late 18th Century English Georgian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Mahogany, Satinwood
Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood, Paint
Late 18th Century English Georgian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Mahogany
1780s English George III Slant Front Antique Secretary
Walnut
Early 20th Century Jacobean Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
18th Century British George II Slant Front Antique Secretary
Walnut, Burl
19th Century English Queen Anne Slant Front Antique Secretary
Walnut
Early 19th Century English Georgian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Early 20th Century Edwardian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Early 19th Century European Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Slant Front Antique Secretary
Glass, Wood
Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Late 19th Century Swedish Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Early 19th Century Danish Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Late 18th Century European Slant Front Antique Secretary
Glass, Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
18th Century European Slant Front Antique Secretary
Glass, Wood
19th Century American Country Slant Front Antique Secretary
Mahogany
19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Slant Front Antique Secretary
Bamboo, Wood
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Slant Front Antique Secretary
Olive, Burl
Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Late 18th Century Dutch Biedermeier Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Wood
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Late 19th Century Eastlake Slant Front Antique Secretary
Cherry
Late 19th Century American Chippendale Slant Front Antique Secretary
Brass
Early 20th Century Slant Front Antique Secretary
Mahogany
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Slant Front Antique Secretary For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Slant Front Antique Secretary?
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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