Antique Secretary Desks

Traditionally, vintage and antique secretary desks were composed of two parts — a chest of drawers on the bottom and a hutch or cupboard with shelves on the top. It’s a practical piece of furniture with a secret. At first glance, this tall, bureau-esque specimen looks like any other cabinet. But cleverly built into the design is a hinged panel that folds open or drops down to become a sturdy writing surface.

When the leaf is folded out, a delightful collection of inner storage compartments is revealed. For centuries, secretary owners have used these pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers to store their office supplies and desk accessories — from quills, ink and sealing wax to Uniball roller pens, paper clips and external drives — as well as small valuables and curiosities.

It’s not surprising that secretary desks have surged in popularity, with more people than ever now working from home. Handsome and versatile, they’re the workstations of choice in many busy households, especially those with spaces pulling double duty as offices by day and living rooms, dining rooms or bedrooms at night.

The English terms secretary desk and secretaire originate from secrétaire à abattant, the French name for a writing desk (secrétaire) with a drop leaf (abattant). The first secrétaire à abattant was most likely masterminded by German-born craftsman Jean-François Oeben (1715–63), a talented marquetry artist and mechanical genius who arrived in France in the 1740s. In 1751, he joined the workshop of Charles-Joseph Boulle, the son of famed cabinetmaker André-Charles Boulle. It’s no surprise that over the centuries, Oeben’s Louis XV-era secrétaire à abbatant gave rise to innumerable variations with countless combinations of features, sizes, colors, styles and adornments.

The star features of the secretary are its drop leaf and hidden cache of small drawers, shelves, cubbies and other compartments — that’s a given. From the 1700s through the later half of the 19th century, the highest-quality secretary desks were constructed from exotic woods, including rosewood, tulipwood, satinwood and kingwood; later, hardwoods like cherry, maple, oak and mahogany were more common. 

No matter if your home is cozy or palatial, or your design ethos minimalist or maximalist, there’s a secretary desk that will fit right in. And whether you use it as a workstation, a display case, a safe of sorts or all of the above, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an object that’s more functional — or more charming — than this timeless piece.

Browse a range of new, vintage and antique secretary desks on 1stDibs, including Chippendale secretaires, mid-century modern secretaires, Georgian secretaires and others.

Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items. 

In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior. 

Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time. 

Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room. 

In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.

A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.

Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.