Secretaires
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Birdseye Maple
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Brass
Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires
Wood
19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Brass
Early 19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Blown Glass, Mahogany
Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Mahogany
19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Antique Secretaires
Leather, Bamboo, Wood, Maple
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Wood
19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Antique Secretaires
Bamboo, Wood
19th Century German Aesthetic Movement Antique Secretaires
Wood
Late 19th Century American Chippendale Antique Secretaires
Mahogany
Early 1800s Austrian Neoclassical Antique Secretaires
Cherry
19th Century British Georgian Antique Secretaires
Wood
1890s Italian Baroque Revival Antique Secretaires
Wood
19th Century British Antique Secretaires
Hardwood
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Copper
1820s Danish Empire Antique Secretaires
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century Swedish Country Antique Secretaires
Pine
Mid-19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Rosewood
1880s French Art Nouveau Antique Secretaires
Nutwood
Early 19th Century English George IV Antique Secretaires
Brass
19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Mahogany, Oak
Early 1800s English George III Antique Secretaires
Brass
Early 19th Century Spanish Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Hardwood
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Wood
1820s German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Brass
19th Century Victorian Antique Secretaires
Walnut
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Brass
19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Secretaires
Cherry
19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Wood
Late 19th Century Queen Anne Antique Secretaires
Walnut
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Brass
Early 19th Century French Charles X Antique Secretaires
Wood
19th Century North American Federal Antique Secretaires
Mahogany, Satin
1810s Japanese Edo Antique Secretaires
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretaires
Mahogany
19th Century American Antique Secretaires
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Secretaires
Bronze
1840s French Louis Philippe Antique Secretaires
Pine
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Wood, Mahogany, Softwood
1860s French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Carrara Marble, Brass, Bronze
19th Century English Victorian Antique Secretaires
Hardwood
19th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Antique Secretaires
Walnut
1860s Italian Moorish Antique Secretaires
Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Bronze
Late 19th Century Indonesian British Colonial Antique Secretaires
Glass, Wood
1880s English Victorian Antique Secretaires
Hardwood
Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Antique Secretaires
Bronze
1820s Danish Empire Antique Secretaires
Mahogany
19th Century British Victorian Antique Secretaires
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Secretaires
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Marble, Bronze
1860s English Jacobean Antique Secretaires
Brass
Late 19th Century English Antique Secretaires
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.