Secretaires
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Secretaires For Sale
Period: 19th Century
Period: 1950s
19th Century English Mahogany Glazed Secretaire Bookcase
Located in Staffordshire, GB
19th century English mahogany glazed secretaire bookcase
circa 1870.
19th century mahogany glazed secretaire bookcase with 4 glazed cabinet doors ab...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Regency Brass-Inlaid Rosewood Secretaire Cabinet
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Regency brass-inlaid rosewood secretaire cabinet, the rectangular top with a pierced galleried shelf with trellis work on the sides, above a secretaire drawer, banded with brass pa...
Category
1810s English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
English Georgian Mahogany Secretary
Located in New York, NY
English Georgian mahogany secretary cabinet with a bottom section with drawers and an upper section with 2 lattice glass doors.
Category
19th Century English Georgian 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
French Transitional 19th Century Ladies Writing Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A charming French 19th century Transitional style tulipwood, ormolu, and white Carrara marble secretary desk. The secretary is raised by fine cabriole legs with elegant foliate ormol...
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Carrara Marble, Ormolu
19th Century English Walnut Bookcase or Secretary
Located in Savannah, GA
This is a bookcase / secretary or Bureau bookcase, made in England, circa 1825. There is a Pagoda Shaped layered crown molding to the top of the piece (very unusual). There is a pair...
Category
1820s English George IV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
American Federal Inlaid Mahogany Bookcase Secretary, 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
19th century American federal inlaid mahogany bookcase secretary.
Category
19th Century American Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
French Napoleon III Ebonized Secrétaire with Inlaid Brass, circa 1860
Located in Staffordshire, GB
French Napoleon III ebonized secrétaire with inlaid brass, circa 1860
Brass trim supports the grey marble top and features throughout as a delicate ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th Century French Standing Secrétaire / Dry Bar with Tambour Doors, Marble Top
Located in Madrid, ES
A 19th century, French secrétaire with beautiful feathered woodwork, eucalyptus fillet inlay with Louis XVI style detailing. The wood grain veneer is artfully arranged in geometric p...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble
James Mont Cinnabar Lacquered Secretaire
By James Mont
Located in Hanover, MA
Extremely rare, possibly one of a kind, secretary cabinet with bookcase by the godfather of exotic modernism, James Mont, circa 1950. Hand rubbed cinnabar lacquered...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
1950 Compact Home Office Desk in Oak and Blond Wood
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
1950 compact home office desk in oak and blond wood
Interesting desk storage.
Measures: 115 x 87 x 54 cm closed.
115 x 175 x 70 cm open.
Category
1950s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Sycamore
Late 19th Century Marquetry and Parquetry Bureau a Cylindre by François Linke
Located in New York, NY
A special late 19th century Louis XV style gilt bronze mounted marquetry and parquetry bureau a cylindre.
By François Linke - Index no. 393.
The upper section with a shaped pie...
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Antonino Gorgone Midcentury Secretaire / Desk Cabinet, Italy, circa 1950
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Italian midcentury writing desk / secretaire in Italian cherry. It has an extractable writing leaf.
Designer: Stabilimenti Napoli
Manufacturer: Antonino Gorgone...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Cherry
Regency Mahogany Gillows Secretaire à Abattant
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Regency fiddleback mahogany secretaire à abattant in the manor of Gillows, with a black slate top. A cantilevered fall front, having typ...
Category
19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble
English Sheraton Mahogany Secretary
Located in New York, NY
English Sheraton style (19th century) mahogany inlaid secretary with 2 lattice doors.
Category
19th Century Sheraton Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
Lamb of Manchester, An Aesthetic Movement Walnut Writing Desk.
Located in London, GB
Lamb of Manchester. An Aesthetic Movement walnut and leather writing desk with a bank of four graduating drawers to the left and a large upper drawer to the right with turned and flu...
Category
1880s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Walnut
Vintage Birch Secrétaire with Three Drawers and Brass Details, Italy
By Massimo Campigli
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1950s.
This is a stunning birch secretaire that features brass hands and durmast interiors.
The flap has an oil painting in the style of Massimo Campigli, that is in a...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Dutch 19th Century Oak Secretaire
Located in Delft, NL
A Dutch 19th Century oak secretaire
A Dutch 19th century oak secretaire on claw legs and a copper balcony rack.
The secretaire consists of various drawers and a hidden drawer.
...
Category
19th Century Dutch Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
19th Century Large German Baroque Style Secretary a Deux Corps
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
Large German Provincial Baroque secretary a Deux corps from the Eifel region. Probably a one-off production from the 19th century.
Solidly handcrafted from different types of wood (i...
Category
Early 19th Century German Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood, Maple, Pine, Oak
Pair of French Early 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany Bonheurs Du Jours
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A magnificent pair of French early 19th century Louis XVI St. Bonheurs du Jours, which literally means, the joy of the day. A type of writing desk introduced in Paris by renowned int...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Carrara Marble, Ormolu
French Boulle Escritoire
Located in Wilson, NC
This French Boulle escritoire has profuse brass inlays with arabesques and brass ornamental mounts throughout. The wooden background is ebonized. The dra...
Category
1890s French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Light Hardwood Library Bookcase Secrétaire Desk Brown Leather Surface
Located in GB
We are delighted to this stunning circa 1880 light mahogany library bookcase with secrétaire desk
A well made and collectable library bookcase. The top s...
Category
1880s English Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood
Italian Mid-Century Sideboard with Secretaire attributed to Paolo Buffa, 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Traversetolo, IT
This so amazing cabinet with Secretaire of the 1950s is attributable to the design of Paolo Buffa.
The external structure is refinished with glass dividers and parchment feet.
Its ae...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood, Birch
Biedermeier secretaire, circa 1830
Located in London, GB
A Biedermeier secre´taire a` abattant of unusual tapered form, goncalo alves with ebonized, inlaid and pewter decoration, and an enclosed fitted interior, Russian/Baltic, circa 1830.
Category
1820s Baltic Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pewter
19th Century French Louis XV Style Floral Marquetry and Gilt Bronze Writing Desk
Located in Miami, FL
A very fine and well-proportioned 19th century French Louis XV style ladies desk. The case is veneered with marquetry decoration and embelli...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Cuban Mahogany Wood Bargueno Desk
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This Bargueno desk is hallmarked Garcia & HN Monte #122 Habana. It is embellished with a carving scene from the book of Don Quixote de la Mancha bordered...
Category
Late 19th Century American Renaissance Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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
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
Georgian Oak Secretary
Located in Sheffield, MA
Very handsome Georgian lowland oak secretary with walnut trim.
Category
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Walnut
Fine Sevres Style Porcelain Mounted Secrétaire, 19th Century, After Henry Dasson
By Henry Dasson
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality late 19th century French side cabinet with a marble top, a fall front secrétaire, having wonderful hand painted Sevres...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Porcelain, Mahogany
Superb 19th Century French Empire Escritoire
Located in Dallas, TX
Marvelous 19th century French Empire three-drawer escritoire with lovely Breche africaine marble top. Having detailed bronze mounts in urn and floral motifs, columnar supports with p...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Georgian Fall-Front Secretary Desk in Carved Oak, England, circa 1800
Located in Miami, FL
Early 19th century oak English fall-front secretary with carvings of acanthus leaves and urns.
Note: Relaxed, antique condition. Drawers are working well and original brasses are com...
Category
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Charles 'X' Secretaire
Located in Sheffield, MA
Burled elm charles 'X' drop front secretary (secrétaire à abattant) with black marble top with white vains, drop door revealing a leather covered writing table...
Category
19th Century English Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Very Rare Italian Hardwood Cylinder Bureau Bookcase Desk with Must See Pictures
Located in GB
We are is delighted to offer for sale this very fine 19th century Italian cylinder top Bureau bookcase with ornately inlaid internals
This is one of the finest flamed mahogany cyl...
Category
1820s English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood
French Empire Mahogany Bureau à Cylindre Writing Table, circa 1810
Located in Rome, IT
A French gilt-metal mounted mahogany bureau à cylindre writing desk.
With a grey marble top over three drawers, the fall enclosing a sliding tan leather writing surface, an interior...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century France Louis Philippe Walnut Secretaire Marble Top, 1840s
Located in Roma, RM
Beautiful French secretaire of the Louis-Philippe era, of excellent quality and quality of the woods, in walnut burl and rosewood interiors with inlays of fruit woods.
Contemporary ...
Category
1840s French Louis Philippe Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique Solid Oak Biedermeier Secretary in Honey Color
Located in Casteren, NL
A beautiful secretaire abbatant or standing secretary.
Made in the finest European oak, this secretary was made in The Netherlands circa 1840. It stands on turned feet and features 3 drawers at the lower part. The writing plate has a recessed panel with the typical Dutch Biedermeier...
Category
Mid-19th Century Dutch Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Danish Midcentury Secretaire in Walnut, 1950s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
A Danish secretaire from circa 1950. Every visible surface has shows walnut veneer and the wood grains are 'mirror'/matched by the woodworker wherever this was possible. It has three...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Citronnier Wood and Marquetry Secretaire by Englander & Bonta, Argentina, 1950
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Citronnier wood and marquetry secretaire by Englander & Bonta, Argentina, 1950.
Englander & Bonta where two European designer that migrated to Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1930 and man...
Category
1950s Argentine Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century English 3-Drawer Oak Bureau Office Desk with Bronze Hardware
Located in Marbella, ES
19th century English 3-drawer oak bureau office desk with bronze hardware.
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Antique 19th Century Carved Mahogany Secretary Bookcase
Located in New Orleans, LA
This is an extremely handsome, well-carved secretary bookcase in fine condition. It will not fail to please.
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
German Birchroot Biedermeier Abbatant With Architectural Pediment
Located in Charleston, SC
This monumental Berlin Biedermeier Secretaire is one of the finest examples with its Classical Architecture of Doric Pediments, Columns, and Dental Moldings. The main structure of the Secretaire has a majestic architectural superstructural cabinet resting on top, representing a temple. The Biedermeier Abbatant is veneered in Birchroot with a fall front writing desk...
Category
Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch, Burl
Rare Cabinet Chest of Drawers with Marble in the antique Biedermeier Style
Located in Berlin, DE
Maple root on solid conifers. Single-door cabinet in cylindrical shape. Corpus on corresponding frame. Gering marble top surface with light-grey grain. Partially ebonised. Interior s...
Category
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birdseye Maple
Empire or Biedermeier Secretary Mahogany, 1815
Located in Berlin, DE
Very well preserved conical secretary with stepped head
Front with multiply mirrored pyramid mahogany
entire surface with original shellac hand polish
high-quality cabinet part with thread intarsia and leg buttons
very elaborate workmanship and rare furniture...
Category
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Italian Walnut Burl Inlaid Louis XIV Secretary Drop Leaf Desk
Located in Encinitas, CA
Late 19th Century Italian Walnut Burl Inlaid Louis XIV Secretary Drop Leaf Desk.
Trim three-drawer bureau chest featuring secretary drop lid with lock and key revealing small drawers and compartments. Beautiful walnut veneers and solids with rosewood inlaid detail. Handsome hardware, hinges and pulls. Lock and key.
Due to the curved shape of the desk and components, some measures are a close approximation.
Exterior measures of the desk: 39" W x 20.5" D x 40.75" H
99.1 cm W x 52 cm D x 103.5 cm H
Opened drop lid desk...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Louis XIV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Inlaid Marquetry Bureau a Cylindre
Located in New York, NY
An exquisite late 19th century Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted inlaid marquetry and parquetry bureau a cylindre
The stepped rectangular top with pierced three quarter gallery ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Georgian Oak Secretary
Located in Sheffield, MA
Very handsome Georgian lowland oak secretary with walnut trim.
Category
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Walnut
19th Century Danish Biedermeier Bureau Secretary Desk
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This early 19th century mahogany Biedermeier secretary bureau was made in two sections, circa 1830. The top section has a superstructure with a straight cornice over a pair of serpen...
Category
19th Century Danish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Austrian Biedermeier Cherrywood Secretary
Located in New York, NY
Austrian Biedermeier (Circa 1835) cherry veneer drop front secretary with 2 ebonized and gilt dolphins and birch root interior drawers with inlaid trim.
Category
19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch, Cherry
Antique Specimen Cabinet, French Oak Cupboard, Secretaire, Desk, circa 1850
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique specimen cabinet, a French, oak cupboard offering a secretaire desk dating to the late 19th century, circa 1850.
In a de...
Category
Mid-19th Century French French Provincial Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
19th Century Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in Mt Kisco, NY
A lovely architectural form secretary with marquetry inlay doors.
Category
19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Louis XVI Style Parquetry Secrétaire, circa 1890
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted parquetry and marquetry fall-front Secrétaire with a marble top.
Stamped to the carcass ‘10298’.
This elegantly shaped Secrétaire is deco...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
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
Rare Victorian Flamed Hardwood Library Bookcase Secretaire Desk Chest of Drawers
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely Victorian flamed mahogany library bookcase with built in secrataire desk and chest of drawers
A good looking and multifunctional pie...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood
19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Small Secretaire
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Beautiful little Secretaire from the time of the late Biedermeier, circa 1840. The Secretaire is covered outside with walnut and root walnut veneer on a pine body. The inner part is...
Category
Mid-19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch, Pine, Walnut
19th Century Hand Painted Secretary with Hidden Drawers and Floral Decorations
Located in Sofia, BG
Secretary with "lacquered" decoration in the style of Coromandel lacquers decorated with chrysanthemums, flower vases and other beautiful objects. Rectangular, it opens with four dra...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Flame Mahogany and Gilt Bronze Commode with Rouge Griotte By Molitor
By Molitor
Located in Stamford, CT
A superbly crafted French Empire commode with Rouge Griotte marble top by Molitor. A pair of these commodes were acquired by King Jerome between 1809 and 1812 and listed in the i...
Category
Early 1800s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Sublime Early 19th Century French Secrétaire
Located in Stockbridge, GA
Sublime early 19th century French secrétaire.
Category
Early 19th Century French Restauration Antique Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Walnut
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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