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19th Century Venetian Secretaire
Located in New York, NY
A painted Venetian secretaire with shelves and drawers on bottom portion of body.
Category
Antique 19th Century Secretaires
Fine Hand-Painted Venetian 19th Century Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Outstanding example of a Venetian bureau bookcase, or secretaire, having a serpentine cornice
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Impressive 18th Century Italian Venetian Walnut Secretaire
Located in San Francisco, CA
An impressive and unusually tall Venetian black walnut and burled walnut secretary. The mirrored
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Walnut
Venetian rococo 19 th century bureau/secretaire hand painted
Located in Houston, TX
This fine quality Venetian secretary is beautifully carved and finely
Painted in pale teal and rose
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood
1960’s Italian Inlaid Secretaire
Located in Bradenton, FL
An Italian inlaid Venetian-style secretaire, circa 1960. Decorated throughout with walnut veneers
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Italian Venetian Secretary, 18th Century
Located in CH
An early 18th century Italian Venetian walnut and burl walnut veneered secretary with serpentine
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Venetian Italian Style Polychrome Secretary Bookcase
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Embrace the timeless charm of this Classic Venetian Style Italian Polychrome Lacquered Hand-Painted
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Victorian Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
20th Century Wood Venetian Trumeau Desk, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Small Venetian trumeau from the second half of the 20th century. Double-body furniture, curved on
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
20th Century Painted Wood Venetian Bureau Desk, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Venetian bureau from the second half of the 20th century. Beautifully designed furniture
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
20th Century Wood Venetian Style Bureau Desk, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Venetian bureau from the mid-20th century. Furniture with a wavy front and sides, inlaid with
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Venetian Rococo Style Walnut Secretary Lacquered by Ira Yeager
By Ira Yeager
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fantastic late 19th century Italian secretaire cabinet or bookcase made in the Venetian Rococo
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Italian Venetian Floral Paint Decorated Antique Distressed Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
designed in the Venetian tradition. The painting and finish was done to look antique and is intentionally
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
H 82.75 in W 25.5 in D 19.75 in
Fantastic Paint Decorated Faux Marble Interior Venetian Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is an extraordinary secretary desk in the Venetian style. The interior is done in faux marble
Category
Antique Early 1900s Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Mid-Century Italian Venetian Hand Painted Chinoiserie Secretary Desk
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a beautiful piece. This is a lovely mid-century Italian chinoiserie secretary desk. The coral and gilt interior makes such a vibrant statement. Each panel of the serpentine f...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Poplar
18th Century Hand Painted Venetian Style Electric Blue Pesaro Secretary
By Porte Italia
Located in Ronchi dei Legionari, IT
features bold designs while maintaining many of our antique silhouettes and Venetian techniques. We’ve
Category
2010s Italian Other Secretaires
Materials
Wood
H 96.46 in W 39.38 in D 21.66 in
20th Century Lacquered and Painted Wood Venetian Trumeau Desk, 1950s
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Venetian trumeau from the mid-20th century. Double body cabinet in lacquered and hand painted wood
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Italian Venetian Chinoiserie and Creme Paint Decorated Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a rare form of Louis XV style Italian-made secretary desk with chinoiserie painted cranes and various scenes in gold raised detail. The desk is in good condition and will sho...
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Original 18th Century Venetian Secretary Desk Bookcase burled walnut with inlaid
By Bassano's Ebanisteria
Located in Vigonza, Padua
What makes this piece unique and special is its originali twist to the characteristic Secretaire, a
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
H 91.74 in W 39.38 in D 21.66 in
Venetian Hand-Painted Blind Door Secretary with Bookcase, Circa 1900
Located in Charleston, SC
Venetian blind door secretary with a carved scrolled decorative cornice, upper case bookcase with
Category
Antique Early 1900s Italian Neoclassical Secretaires
Materials
Brass
20th Century Lacquered and Gold Chinoiserie Wood Venetian Trumeau Desk, 1940s
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Rare Venetian chinoiserie trumeau from the mid-20th century. Double-body furniture, curved in
Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
H 82.68 in W 32.29 in D 18.9 in
18th C. Venetian Tall Secretary Cabinet with Beautiful Hand-Painted Finish
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian Venetian tall secretary cabinet from the 18th century. This antique 7.75 feet tall
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Fine Red Chinoiserie Gold Leaf Italian-Made Rococo Venetian Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a fantastic, versatile and luminous Chinoiserie red and gold paint decorated secretary desk with a bookcase top. The desk is two pieces and does come apart and has a fantasti...
Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
H 71.75 in W 29 in D 16 in
18th Century Hand-Painted Venetian Style Parma Blue Pesaro Secretary with roses
By Porte Italia
Located in Ronchi dei Legionari, IT
on each side of the Furniture by using the very best 18th century Craftsmanship Venetian Techniques
Category
2010s Italian Other Secretaires
Materials
Wood
H 96.46 in W 39.38 in D 21.66 in
Venetian Trumeau Green Lacquered Hand Decorated Secretary with Writing Desk 1976
Located in Prato, IT
Venezia, Italy, handcrafted production from 1976
In Venetian style Louis XV
Painted and decorated
Category
20th Century Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Wood
H 103.55 in W 55.12 in D 23.63 in
Unique Venetian Italian Paint Decorated Secretary Desk with Bookcase Circa 1890s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
painted secretary desk. Done in the tradition of the Venetian style, this beautifully designed piece is a
Category
Antique 1890s Italian Neoclassical Revival Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
H 82 in W 40 in D 21 in
Venetian Louis XV Walnut Bureau Secretaire
Located in Vo', Veneto
Shaped Venetian Bureau Secretaire in Walnut
Wood Type: Walnut and walnut burl
Period: Mid 1700s
Category
Antique 1740s Italian Louis XV Desks
Materials
Nutwood
Venetian Secretaire
Located in Santa Rosa, CA
Beautiful venetian secretaire with three drawers and a fitted interior and two door bookcase above.
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Small Venetian secretaire-bookcase
Located in San Francisco, CA
A small Venetian rococo polychrome and floral painted drop-front secretaire-bookcase of serpentine
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Rare 18th Century Venetian Polychrome Secretaire
Located in San Francisco, CA
A rare 18th century venetian polychrome secretaire of exceptional quality and condition with three
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Incomparable 18th Century Venetian Chinoiserie Secretaire
Located in San Francisco, CA
An incomparable 18th century Venetian chinoiserie secretaire with full shaped domed cornice above
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Secretaires
Venetian Etched and Mirrored Secretaire-Bookcase
Located in Blacksburg, VA
Venetian Etched and Mirrored Secretaire-Bookcase. Beveled mirrored sides and front with scroll and
Category
20th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Giltwood
18th Century Venetian Burled Olivewood Secretaire
Located in San Francisco, CA
An 18th century venetian burled olivewood secretaire, the shaped pediment surmounted by carved
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Secretaires
18th Century Venetian Lacquered Secretary Bookcase
Located in Natchez, MS
Exceptional 18th century lacquered secretary bookcase with mirrored doors. The lacquer features snake charmers and a chinoiserie scenes with children.
This came from an important P...
Category
Antique 18th Century Italian Secretaires
VENETIAN BOMBE SHAPED BURL OLIVE WOOD SECRETARY
Located in New York, NY
VENETIAN BOMBE SHAPED BURL OLIVEWOOD SECRETARY
Category
20th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Olive
Venetian High Palace Secretary Desk, circa 1945
Located in Liverpool, GB
A palace-like, tall Venetian secretary, with a light olive-colored polychrome, beautiful gilding
Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Neoclassical Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Handpainted Venetian Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Secretairie, having mirrored double cupboard doors surmounted by shaped pediment, over slant front desk and single frieze drawer, raised on cabriole legs terminating in hoofed feet; ...
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Mirror
Venetian Secretaire Cabinet in Hand Painted Yellow Lacquer
Located in London, GB
A late 19th Century Venetian secretaire cabinet in a striking yellow lacquer, with beautifully hand
Category
Antique 1880s Italian Cabinets
Materials
Brass
A Fine Painted Venetian Secretaire With Bronze Mounts
Located in Sheffield, MA
The piece is decorated throughout with wonderful details. In two parts the upper section with a crest over two cupboard doors opening to several shelves inside, over a lower section...
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Secretaires
19th Century Venetian Painted Secretaire
Located in Atlanta, GA
19th Century Venetian Painted Secretaire
Please see additional Secretaires and other items at
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Etched Venetian glass mirrored secretaire
Located in New York, NY
Venetian glass etched mirror secretaire with four doors and drop down shelf featuring floral and
Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Glass
Italian Hand-Painted Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Decoratively painted Venetian style cabinet or secretaire.
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Secretaires
Venetian Painted Secretary
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pale green and silver and gold gilt, fall front secretary with a fully painted interior embellished with floral motifs.
Category
Late 20th Century Secretaires
Materials
Gold, Silver
19thc Venetian Secretary
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautifully Painted and Decorated Italian Secretary
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
18th century Venetian Secretay
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautifully painted five drawer fall front secretary
Fitted interior with original paint
Fitted interior with original paint
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Secretaires
19th c. Venetian Secretary
Located in New Orleans, LA
Petie Painted Secretary
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
c.1900 Venetian Secretary
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dramatic, burl wood and walnut secretary with scrolling crown and hidden and serpentine drawers.
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Burl, Walnut
Venetian Style Painted Secretary
Located in Essex, MA
DOUBLE DOME TOP OVER A PAIR OF DOORS ENCLOSING A FITTED INTERIOR,THE BASE WITH SLANT LID DESK WITH FITTED INTERIOR OVER THREE DRAWERS,BRACKET FEET.
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Secretaires
Painted Venetian Secretary or Desk
Located in Winter Park, FL
Venetian secretary with original hand painted finish and lovely floral design. Opening to 26" deep.
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Italian Venetian Style Painted Secretary
Located in Manhasset, NY
Attractive Venetian style painted secretary, circa 1960s, overall light green painted with
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Adam Style Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Venetian Walnut Bookcase circa 1940
Located in Doylestown, PA
Venetian walnut secretary bookcase, broken arched pediment with mirrored cartouche above double
Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Baroque Revival Secretaires
Antique Venetian Painted Secretary Bookcase
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique Venetian painted secretary bookcase showcases the flair for the dramatic that characterizes
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Secretaires
Venetian Painted and Gilt Decorated Secretary
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Venetian Louis XV style painted and partial gilt two part secretary desk, made in Italy, circa
Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
19th Century Venetian, Olive Wood Bureau
Located in Hixson, TN
This is a 19th Century Venetian burr olive wood bureau with a slant top and lid which opens to
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Rococo Secretaires
19th Century Lacquered Venetian Bouquesse Cabinet
Located in Catania, Sicilia
An original red lacquered with figures wood Bouquesse hand-crafted and painted in Venice in the 19th century, very good conditions considering use and age
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Italian Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Fruitwood, Lacquer
Venetian Rococo Green Japanned Secretary Desk
Located in Essex, MA
With shaped arched cornice over a pair of doors enclosing a red painted interior with shelves over a fold down slant lid writing surface fitted with drawers, over seven drawers with ...
Category
Antique 1760s Italian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood
18th C. Style Venetian Painted Secretary
Located in Rochester, NY
An Italian Venetion secretary in the 18th century style. All original with the most beautifully aged soft pale green painted, silver gold gilded and overall raised scenic chinoiserie...
Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Secretaires
1910 Venetian Painted Secretary, Flowers and Birds
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1910 Venetian painted secretary. Painted flowers and birds.
Drawers open. Paint loss throughout
Category
Vintage 1910s Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Venetian Hand Painted Secretary Circa 1930's
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Petite hand painted venetian secretary. The upper portion which is painted on both sides has
Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Venetian painted cabinet/secretary 19 th century
Located in Houston, TX
The exceptional painting on this piece makes it a real
Showpiece. The pale mint green and silver gilt accents
Are of the best quality. The doors open wide for a diplay
The front drop...
Category
Antique Early 1800s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Fruitwood, Paint
Italian Venetian Hand-Painted Secretary, Early 20th Century
Located in Hamburg, PA
A beautiful Italian Venetian hand-painted secretary with French style feet and accents. Unusual two
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
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Venetian Secretaire For Sale on 1stDibs
Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the venetian secretaire you’re looking for at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, glass and paint, every venetian secretaire was constructed with great care. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer venetian secretaire, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 20th Century. A venetian secretaire is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Rococo, Neoclassical and Louis XV styles are sought with frequency. Many designers have produced at least one well-made venetian secretaire over the years, but those crafted by Baker Furniture Company are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
How Much is a Venetian Secretaire?
Prices for a venetian secretaire can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $750 and can go as high as $78,000, while the average can fetch as much as $8,200.
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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