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Secretaires For Sale
Period: 19th Century
Period: 1930s
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Writing Desk Secretary
Located in San Angelo, TX
This beautiful and unique 19th century Swedish Gustavian writing desk is perfect for any room or hallway. The colors are amazing with th...
Category

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood, Pine, Paint

Early 19th c. French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Early 19th c. French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretary Desk. Gray black marble top. Bronze hardware. Unfortunately at this time we do not have keys but we are continuing to ...
Category

Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

19th C. Royal Antique Burl Wood Secretary Desk & Black Leather Drop Leaf Top Hrh
Located in West Hollywood, CA
19th C. Royal Antique Burl Wood Secretary Desk & Black Leather Drop Leaf Top HRH . Very Rare Early 19th century secretary " Secrétaire a' Aba...
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

Tall Oak Secretary Bureau from Sweden, circa 1800-20
Located in Round Top, TX
This 7' tall oak secretary is an elegant statement piece crowned with an elaborate carved pediment over paneled cabinet doors. The secretary has been given a professional custom laye...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass

19th Century Swedish Country Folk Art Writing Bureau
Located in Kramfors, SE
Country home writing bureau in folk art from northern Sweden. The bureau is from around 1820 to 1830 and has a writing desk with interior drawers with brass drawer pulls. Underneath ...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Country Antique Secretaires

Materials

Pine

Empire Style Secretary Made In Mahogany & Intarsia From 1820s
Located in Lejre, DK
This impressive Empire style secretary from the year 1820 is a true masterpiece of craftsmanship and aesthetic beauty. Hand-polished mahogany wo...
Category

1820s Danish Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

19th Century French Rococo Revival Marquetry Secretaire a Abattant
Located in London, GB
Dating from around 1850, this is a wonderful antique French Rococo Revival Secretaire a Abattant featuring ormolu mounted mahogany, gonzalo alves and marquetry. A Secretaire a abatt...
Category

1850s French Rococo Revival Antique Secretaires

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Georgian English Mahogany Commode Secretaire, 1816
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Important English commode secretary from the Georgian period with three large drawers. The upper part simulating two drawers is made of a flap which forms the work table covered with...
Category

1810s English Georgian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

19th Century Louis XV Style French Marquetry and Bronze Ladies Secretaire Chest
Located in Darmstadt, DE
"Secrétaire à abattant" - a so called ladies secretaire from the time around 1870-1890 in the style of Louis XV. Fruitwooad and nutwood as well as pr...
Category

19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Ferdinando Pogliani Atrib. 19th Century Restored
By Ferdinando Pogliani
Located in Madrid, ES
Ferdinando Pogliani Atrib. Amazing Italian Secretaire 19th Century. Perfect condition. RESTORED Wood, precious stones Measures: 170cm x 104cm...
Category

19th Century Italian Baroque Antique Secretaires

Materials

Precious Stone, Wood

English Satinwood Adams Inlaid Secretary Desk Vitrine Top with Inkwells
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
For customers that require professional insured delivery we are proud to have teamed up with a nationwide professional delivery company that will assist with coordinating your delivery needs! They offer a reasonable flat-rate fee for delivery and set up to the ground floor of your home. They deliver to the vast majority of the lower 48 states. They offer a flat rate for most of our items with exclusions for the largest or most complex items such as breakfronts or crystal chandeliers or other items of greater complexity. For those items please ask for a shipping quote prior to purchase as these rates are different from our stated pricing. For those items please ask for a shipping quote prior to purchase. Most deliveries to the East Coast will be 295.00, to the mid-west and Southern mid-west 395.00. To the areas west of Kansas 495.00 and the farthest points to the West coast will be 595.00. Again, some areas we can't cover, however we can deliver to most of the lower 48 states so please inquire to be sure! Delivery times range from as fast as 1-4 weeks for the east coast to 5-9 weeks to the farthest areas of the west coast, sometimes longer and sometimes even shorter. If it is a time sensitive purchase, we may be able to accommodate you for a higher price. It is our goal to please each and every one of our customers with the highest standard of service possible. You must realize and accept that we are shipping antique, vintage and quality used furnishings to your home. We cannot control traffic, weather, and acts of God. There will be times when additional patience will be necessary. This fantastic English satinwood desk is in very good antique condition with fantastic beveled glass, superb satinwood, mixed woods inlay and a great antique denim...
Category

1890s English Adam Style Antique Secretaires

Materials

Satinwood

Early 19th Century American Tigerwood Maple Secretaire
Located in Southampton, NY
This Early 19th Century American Tigerwood Maple Secretaire. The desk features a drop-front green felted writing surface above a chest of three width-wide drawers below. A pair of h...
Category

Early 19th Century American Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Walnut Directory Secretary
Located in Madison, MS
This directory secretary was crafted in 1810, yet the condition of this desk seems practically new. The dark wood color is a beautiful stained walnut. There are two big lower drawers...
Category

19th Century French Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Georgian Style Walnut & carved Bureau
Located in Dereham, GB
Georgian Style Walnut & carved Bureau circa 1930s Walnut Veneer on top Burr Walnut Veneer on Fall with Walnut Cross Banding Working Lock with Key, Open to Reveal : Centre cupboard, 2...
Category

1930s British George II Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

19th Century German Black Forest Chip-Carved Suite Desk with Drawer and Chair
Located in Vero Beach, FL
19th century German black forest chip-carved suite desk with drawer and chair. Impressive and extremely rare Black Forest desk and chair. The rectangul...
Category

19th Century German Black Forest Antique Secretaires

Materials

Pine

François Linke, Ormolu and Mahogany Secretaire After Riesener
Located in BARSAC, FR
Large Louis XVI style secretaire in mahogany marquetry in frames of light wood and ebony fillets, rich ornamentation of very finely chiseled gilt bronze such as flower garlands, inte...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires

Materials

Ormolu

Empire Secretaire, Ebonized, Maple, Ink Painting, Brass, Gold, Vienna circa 1815
Located in Regensburg, DE
Fine neoclassical Empire or early Biedermeier Secretaire / Drop Front Desk from Vienna, Austria around 1810-15. Ebonized veneer on oak. Classicist gable cornice with surrounding gol...
Category

1810s Austrian Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass, Iron, Gold Leaf

Antique subtle English secretary from the 19th century with a beautiful interior
Located in Harderwijk, NL
This beautiful antique English secretaire is not only a stunning decorative piece but also highly practical and versatile. You can use it as a writing desk, or it can serve excellent...
Category

Early 19th Century English Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Secretaire "À Abattant" Signed Hyppolyte-Edme Pretot, Paris, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Secretaire "à abattant". Fine woods, marquetry, interior with drawers in rosewood and textile, gilded bronze and enameled porcelain; on marble. Signed HYPPOLYTE-EDME PRETOT (Paris, 1...
Category

19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

19th century Swedish Gustavian Period Two Part Secretaire Cabinet
Located in Charleston, SC
Early 19th century Swedish Period Gustavian two part secretaire cabinet with writing surface. The secrétaire cabinet is with two upper reeded door, two selves, two smaller drawer an...
Category

Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

French Brass Inlaid Ladies Bureau Desk
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A top quality French rosewood brass inlaid desk, with tambour front, you have to pull open the drawer to release the tambour and then fold over the original velvet writing surface, l...
Category

Early 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Antique North German/Danish Empire Cylinder-Top Secretary with Bookcase, c. 1815
Located in Miami, FL
From the Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany, once part of Denmark, a very handsome Empire secretary with bookcase in ash with inlays and marquetry silhouettes of neoclassical Roman images. Cylinder top opens to a pull-out desk which offers a felt-lined lectern or writing surface flanked by sliding storage compartments, as well as a series of small drawers and a central cabinet. Above desk, are three cupboards and below, there are three long drawers. Northern Germany or from the Danish Jutland region, circa 1815. Note: Green baize on writing surface can be replaced with leather. Measures: 46" wide x 21" deep x 83" high (With desk top open...
Category

Early 19th Century German Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Ash

Antique mid 19th century Dutch honey color oak Biedermeier Secretary Desk
Located in Casteren, NL
Offered here is a stunning Dutch secretary desk in the Biedermeier style, crafted in the mid-19th century, around 1840. This exquisite piece is made entirely from the finest quality ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Dutch Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Oak, Bone

Directoire Style Desk with Cylinder Top, France, 19th Century
Located in Belmont, MA
Directoire style desk with cylinder top, France 19th century Mahogany veneer with satinwood inlays. This elegant little desk is perfect for a small working space. The writing top fo...
Category

1860s French Directoire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany, Satinwood

SECOND HALF OF THE 19th CENTURY SMALL STANDING DESK
Located in Firenze, FI
Elegant small piece of furniture in carved solid walnut, with a folding top for standing writing. This piece of furniture was created to be used as a vertical desk, the top opens wit...
Category

Late 19th Century Italian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Henri 2 Cabinet or Secretaire in Sculpted Oak Renaissance Style, 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Rare cabinet desk Henri II style in carved oak. The base is made up of two boxes each with a drawer and a door carved and framed by columns. On the wooden top rests the cabinet treat...
Category

1870s French Renaissance Revival Antique Secretaires

Materials

Oak

19th Century Biedermeier Secretary Desk in Maple Burl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A refined 19th-century Biedermeier secretary desk, exquisitely crafted in maple burl and veneers, showcasing the elegance and simplicity characteristic of the Biedermeier period. The...
Category

19th Century German Antique Secretaires

Materials

Maple

Fall-Front Desk in West Indies Mahogany, Attrib to Gustav Friederich von Hetsch
Located in Miami, FL
A very lovely secretary with serpentine front in beautiful West Indies/ Cuban mahogany attributable to Danish architect and painter, Gustav Friederich von Hetsch (1788-1864). A mirro...
Category

1830s Danish Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

Antique secretary from around 1880, Northern Europe.
Located in Chorzów, PL
Antique secretary from the end of the 19th century, Northern Europe. Furniture in very good condition, after professional renovation. Dimensions: height 159 cm / width 112 cm / dep...
Category

Late 19th Century Unknown Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Louis XV Style Bombe Secretary Inlaid Marquetry, Signed, Henry Dasson.
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Louis XV style bombe secretary inlaid marquetry, Ormolu Mounted. Signed Henry Dasson. This 19th century bombe tulipwood secretary is built with superior craftsmanship and intricate ...
Category

19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

A fine 19th c Biedermeier birch secretary. Ebonized details and gilt bronze
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine Biedermeier period drop front secretary. Fine Empire gilt bronze details . Ebonized details . Beautiful walnut and birch woods
Category

Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

English Chinese Chippendale Style Bamboo Secretary with Slanted Lift-Top Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English Chinese Chippendale style tall bamboo secretary from the 19th century, with slanted lift-top writing table, doors and drawers. Created in England during the 19th century, this bamboo secretary charms us with its slender proportions and exquisite Chinese Chippendale influence. The overhanging desk opens...
Category

19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bamboo, Wood

American Victorian Walnut Secretary Glass Front Cabinet
Located in Queens, NY
American Victorian two-piece walnut secretary cabinet with a base having a drawer whose front folds down to create a desktop with interior drawers and green felt over two doors with ...
Category

Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Glass, Wood, Walnut

Rustic German Oak & Horn Cabinet
Located in Queens, NY
Rustic German (19th Century) oak cabinet with horn trim & carved medallions with flip seat bench base and upper section with 2 large stained glass doors and...
Category

19th Century German Black Forest Antique Secretaires

Materials

Oak, Horn, Stained Glass

19th Century Biedermeier Column Secretary
Located in Berlin, DE
Cuba mahogany on pine tree. Architecturally arranged front. High-right body on padfoot feet. Fitted with three drawers of different sizes, the base drawer is curved. Straight writing...
Category

19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany, Wood

Antique Dutch Floral Marquetry Inlaid Bombé Bureau, 19th Century
Located in Glasgow, GB
A 19th century Dutch marquetry inlaid bombé bureau profusely decorated all-over with marquetry depictions of flowers, urns and birds. With a rectangular flap opening to reveal a stri...
Category

19th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Early 19th Century Swedish Secretary
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Early 19th Century Swedish secretary. Decorative carved pediment with two doors with reeded carving. With a fall front desk opening to a useful workspace and six drawers, below with...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Neoclassical Style Mahogany Bronze Ormolu Mounted Secretaire
Located in Tarry Town, NY
19th century mahogany wood neoclassical style bronze ormolu mounted secretary. The secretary is raised on tapered feet mounted bronze ormolu. The center section is fitted with a pane...
Category

1820s French Neoclassical Antique Secretaires

Materials

Ormolu

A fine 19th century Biedermeier satinwood birch and ebony secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine 19th century Biedermeier satinwood and Birch secretary . Ebony and fine quality inlayed woods .
Category

Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Birch, Ebony, Satinwood

PORTUGUESE SECRETARY 19th Century in Rosewood
Located in Madrid, ES
SECRETARY Portuguese 19th Century in rosewood and other woods. Twisted and shaky, front with eight drawers and one drawer, sides and padded back. Brass hardware. Dim.: 80 x 140 x 75...
Category

19th Century Portuguese Renaissance Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

French Louis Philippe Drop Front Secretary, late 19th Century
Located in South Salem, NY
Experience the timeless allure of a Louis Philippe secretary, resplendent in mahogany veneer and a black stone top. This exquisite piece of 19th-century craftsmanship boasts a drop f...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Arts and Crafts Pine Collectors Cabinet Filing Drawers
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Arts and Crafts Pine Collectors Cabinet Filing Drawers The Cabinet is made in natural pine and has 12 Long Drawers, some of the drawers have the original dividers others are missing...
Category

1880s Arts and Crafts Antique Secretaires

Materials

Pine

19th Century Italian Painted Secretary, Bookcase
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century Italian painted secretary ~ bookcase is a fanciful and marvelous expression of the unique stylistic flair that originated in Ven...
Category

1890s Italian Baroque Revival Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Early 19th Century Stunning Swedish Gustavian Secretary
Located in San Angelo, TX
Here is a stunning early 19th century Swedish Gustavian secretary. This secretary features a newer, professionally applied white and gray e...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Superb George III Style Inlaid Marquetry Secretaire Cabinet
By Mayhew & Ince
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Magnificent antique English Secretaire cabinet with satinwood, hare wood, tulipwood, and kingwood marquetry, of monumental form, in two parts. The upper section with molded cresting ...
Category

19th Century English George III Antique Secretaires

Materials

Kingwood, Satinwood, Tulipwood

English 19th Century Mahogany Secretary with Arched Pediment with Inlay
Located in Atlanta, GA
English 19th Century Mahogany Secretary with Arched Pediment with Inlay and Crossbanding
Category

19th Century English Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

Diminutive George III Walnut Block Front Slant Front Bureau Bookcase Cabinet
Located in Germantown, MD
A mid 19th century, fully professionally restored Diminutive George III Walnut And Block Front Slant Front secretary Bureau Bookcase Cabinet in great vintage condition. Restored throughout to the legs and inside drawers. Features top double door vitrine...
Category

Mid-19th Century American George III Antique Secretaires

Materials

Glass, Walnut

English Bookcase Secretary with Moroccan Style Glass Doors, 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
English secretary with glass door and three glass shelves, leather inlay on desk surface, original glass panels, 19th Century. There is one ...
Category

19th Century English Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

19th Century English Queen Anne Chinoiserie Chest on Stand
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is an elegant English black lacquered English Queen Anne cabinet chest on Stand decorated overall with gilt chinoiseries. This case piece was originally a traveling secretary...
Category

Early 19th Century English Queen Anne Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Early 19th Century Inlaid Oak Secretary Bureau from Denmark
Located in Round Top, TX
The warm patina of the aged wood glows with life in this lovely rococo secretary or bureau with striking inlaid double star pattern along desk front. The interior 14 drawers and one ...
Category

Early 19th Century Danish Rococo Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Patent Secretaire, France, 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Patent secretaire with mahogany veneered frame and columns with bronze capitals and bases.
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

Highly Carved Pine Secretary from Denmark, circa 1890
Located in Round Top, TX
Elaborate carving accentuate the entire surface of this striking pine secretary. Enlarge photos to appreciate the extensive details, including vines, birds, leaves, trees, dentil mol...
Category

Late 19th Century Danish Anglo-Indian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Pine

Bonheur du Jour Secretaire in Lous-Seize-Style, Late 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Two-door Bonheur du Jour ladies' secretaire standing on tall, tapered legs with brass sabots, featuring a leather-covered writing surface in the lower drawer and compartments for ink...
Category

Late 19th Century Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

1920s Lombard Secretary Desk Commode in Walnut & Burl Veneer, Threaded Maple
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Early 20th Century Lombard Secretary Desk Commode in Walnut & burl Veneer, Threaded of Maple. Elegant walnut flap. It has a front with three drawers and a calatoia door. Trhee large...
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Baroque Revival Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut, Burl

Antique Secretary, Scandinavia, Around 1870, After Renovation
Located in Chorzów, PL
Antique secretary from the end of the 19th century. Furniture in very good condition, after professional renovation. Dimensions: height 210 cm ...
Category

1870s Norwegian Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

19th Century Antique English Display Secretaire, Mahogany
Located in Berlin, DE
19th Century Antique English Display Secretaire, Mahogany Solid wood, manufactured to a high quality. The display cabinet has a pull-out function and can be used as a secretary than...
Category

19th Century English Antique Secretaires

Materials

Leather, Glass, Mahogany

Empire Drop Front Desk, Kopenhagen, 1820
Located in Belmont, MA
Empire drop front desk, Copenhagen 1810-20. This unique Danish secretary desk is embellished with mahogany veneer. The lower part has three cur...
Category

1810s Danish Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

Museum Biedermeier Secretary Signed by Adolph Friedrich Voigt, circa 1825
Located in Berlin, DE
Museum Biedermeier secretary signed by Adolph Friedrich Voigt, circa 1825 Fire-gilt fittings. High quality Cuba mahogany on solid linden wood. Architecturally structured front. Rect...
Category

Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood, Mahogany

Antique, New and Vintage Secretaires

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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