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Secretaires For Sale
Style: Baroque
Style: Empire
Antique 18th Century Dutch Oak Drop Front Bombe Secretary Desk Secretaire
Located in Casteren, NL
A beautiful Dutch Baroque style secretary with a 3-drawer bombe front and carved ball and claw feet.
The drop front opens up to reveal an oak writing area and stepped drawers...
Category
Late 18th Century Dutch Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
French Empire Mahogany Drop Front Secretary "Secrétaire à Abattant"
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Early 19th century French mahogany wood Empire style drop front secretary with a removable black marble top. The secretary features two front side columns with bronze mounts detail w...
Category
1810s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique Italian Baroque Style Burl Walnut Secretary Cabinet
Located in Miami, FL
Italian Baroque style walnut veneer secretary cabinet, early 20th century. The top part of the cabinet over slant-front desk with writing compa...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Walnut, Mirror
Late 19th Century Spanish Walnut Bureau Bookcase ‘Secretaire’
Located in Miami, FL
A late 19th century Spanish Walnut Bureau bookcase ‘secretaire’ with fretwork open swan neck pediment, centred by a shaped finial, above a pair of doors, slant front enclosed writing...
Category
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Late 19th Century Spanish Walnut Bureau Bookcase ‘Secretaire’
Located in Miami, FL
A late 19th century Spanish Walnut Bureau bookcase ‘secretaire’ with fretwork open swan neck pediment, centred by a shaped finial, above a pair of doors, slant front enclosed writing...
Category
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Swedish Baroque Secretary Hutch
Located in Hollywood, FL
This is a Swedish Baroque secretary hutch. It was found at an Estate Auction in Uppsala, Sweden.
Category
1870s Swedish Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Empire secretaire à abattant, France around 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Secretary in mahogany veneer with two-door bottom part as well as dark marble shelf and fire-gilded fittings. Behind the writing flap with brown leather there are more drawers and co...
Category
1810s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century French Empire desk Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Beautiful upright secrétaire from the French Empire period. The desk is made of oak with burr walnut veneer, decorated with bronze ormolu elements. These are typical of the French Em...
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
17th Century Spanish Vargueno with Decoupage Exterior on Baroque Style Base
Located in Milford, NH
An exceptional Spanish vargueno or collector cabinet with a sophisticated assemblage of decorated drawers and cabinets on the interior with columnar accents. The exterior with except...
Category
17th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wrought Iron
19th Century Empire Walnut Secretary
Located in Houston, TX
French first Empire period Secretaire à Abattant, also known as a drop-front secretary, fall front or cantilevered desk. Under the dark grey marble top is a secret, entablature drawe...
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
18th Century, Italian Walnut Wood Chest of Drawers with Secrétaire
Located in IT
18th century, Italian walnut wood chest of drawers with secrétaire
The elegant small chest of drawers with secrétaire was built in th...
Category
Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Nutwood
Rare English Secretary Navy from the 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Rare English secretary navy.
from the 19th century,
in camphor wood, yellow metal hardware, top covered in leather.
Dim.: 80 x 135 x 76 cm
good conditions.
Category
19th Century English Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Swedish Country Empire Pine Secretaire
Located in Kramfors, SE
Unusual country secretaire from the empire period Northern Sweden, 1820 to 1840. Painted with the original faux paint and in original condition. The secretaire is made in Swedish pin...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Ferdinando Pogliani Atrib. 19th Century Restored
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
Royal Writing Desk/ Bureau Plat in Empire Style After J. Desmalter, Maple Root
Located in Berlin, DE
Writing table/ bureau plat in Empire style after Jacob Desmalter
Maple Roots with thread intarsia on solid Pinewood, partially carved and handpainted. Cutted out pedestal on profile...
Category
20th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Italian Baroque Ebonized and Eglomise Bureau Cabinet
Located in Essex, MA
Slightly arched top that may have held a bust at some point, over a middle section with drawers with reverse painted panels with scenes of ancient towns and ruins with a central mirr...
Category
1690s Italian Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Large French Empire Napoleon III Bureau Plat Desk
Located in Miami, FL
A fine large sized flat desk otherwise referred to as a "bureau de ministre" or ministers flat desk.
In mahogany and mahogany veneer flamed on all sides, beautiful ornamentation of...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Baroque Secretary Desk, Switzerland 1750, Walnut
Located in Belmont, MA
Baroque secretary desk, Switzerland, 1750.
This gorgeous baroque secretary desk stands out for its very pretty walnut veneer. The writing flap opens...
Category
1750s Swiss Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century Scandinavian Birch Empire Bureau Secretary with Bookcase, c. 1820
Located in Miami, FL
A very fine Scandinavian Empire/Biedermeier secretary in beautiful birch wood with mahogany interior, Denmark, circa 1820. The highly sculptural form makes this piece an outstanding ...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch
French Secretaire à Abattant, First Empire Period
Located in Montreal, Quebec
French first Empire period Secretaire à Abattant, also known as a drop-front secretary, fall front or cantilevered desk. Under the dark grey marble top is a secret, entablature drawe...
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Empire Secrétaire Bottega Maggiolini Walnut Italy 19th Century
By Giuseppe Maggiolini
Located in Milano, IT
Secrétaire consisting of drawer under the plan, tilting door, with cabinet and two drawers at the bottom. Veneered in pedulle walnut and inlaid in various woods. The secrétaire is bi...
Category
19th Century Italian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Unique Austrian Empire Secretary/Writing Desk, Mahogany, 1820s Austria
Located in Horomerice, CZ
Empire secretary or writing desk, (Cylinder)
Material: Mahogany.
Completely restored, Shellac polish.
Period: 1820-1829
Source: Austria, Wien.
Category
1820s Austrian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Mahogany, Lacquer
Burr Walnut Clapper Empire Secretaire with Detached Columns and Secret Drawer
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This beautiful Empire clapper secretaire is made of burr walnut. It has very elegant detached columns with Fine chiseled bronze elements on top and bottom of each column. Inside of the secretaire there is leather desk and several drawers including a secret drawer...
Category
1850s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Empire St. Mahogany, Ormolu, Bronze & Fruitwood Secretary
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most handsome Continental mid 19th century Empire st. mahogany, ormolu, patinated bronze and ebonized fruitwood drop front secretary. The secretary is raised by four square tapered...
Category
19th Century Unknown Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Danish Late Empire Mahogany Secretary Bureau
Located in Kastrup, DK
Late empire secretary bureau in mahogany veneered oak with beautiful grain.
In 2 parts.
Desk top offers three bowed doors. A concave door in the mid...
Category
Early 19th Century European Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Mahogany
18th-19th Century Grey Russian Two Part Bureau - Antique Baroque Oak Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A 18th - 19th Century, antique Russian two part bureau made of hand crafted painted Oakwood, designed and produced by an unknown carpenter from St. Petersburg, in good condition. The vintage secretaire...
Category
Late 18th Century Russian Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Bronze
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
Antique Baroque Style Top Desk Fully Inlaid
Located in Berlin, DE
With rich marquetry in this version, it is very rare to find such a similar piece of furniture. The cupboard stands on paw feet, high-quality maceteria inlays on all sides, i.e. inla...
Category
20th Century Italian Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Flemish Style Bombe Secretary Bookcase by Marge Carson
By Marge Carson
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A large and flamboyant cabinet in the Flemish style, by Marge Carson, Inc., 2004. In a fine distressed ecru with gilt trim finish. The scrolled crest rail with a shell center over double textured glass...
Category
Early 2000s American Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood
Large Empire Bureau Of Hand Polished Mahogany With Inlaid Wood from 1820s
Located in Lejre, DK
This grand Empire bureau is a testament to the exquisite craftsmanship of the 1820s, crafted from hand-polished mahogany adorned with intricate inlaid wood detailing. Its imposing pr...
Category
1820s Danish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
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 lea...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Empire Dutch Mahogany Secretaire Bureau Inlay 1800
Located in Roma, RM
Dutch mobile for the American market, Empire period, we are faced with the great Dutch market that adapted its furniture for every nation that requested it, styling in the best way f...
Category
Early 1800s Dutch Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century French Empire Secretary from Countess of Schulenburg-Wolfsburg
Located in Berlin, DE
French Empire secretary 1815 from Countess of Schulenburg-Wolfsburg.
High-quality Cuba mahogany on solid oak. Fire gilded, finely chiselled fi...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
18th Century, Italian Inlaid Wood Chest of Drawers with Secretaire
Located in IT
18th century, Italian inlaid wood chest of drawers with secretaire
This chest of drawers with secretaire represents the elegant pr...
Category
Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Baroque Cabinet with Secretaire, Germany 1750
Located in Belmont, MA
Stunning original baroque cabinet, Germany 1750. The cabinet originates from the area of the city of Brunswick. Walnut, plum wood and satinwood veneer. The cabinet will be directly s...
Category
1750s German Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century Lion Secretary Empire Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Cuba mahogany on solid oak and softwood partly ebonized. High-rise, architecturally designed corpus. In the front three drawers of different sizes. Straight writing board, behind it ...
Category
Early 19th Century German Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Danish Baroque Oakwood Bureau with Iron Handles, Late 18th Century
Located in Virum, DK
A Danish Baroque oakwood bureau with iron handles, late 18th century.
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
20th Century Empire Style Courtly Lion Secretaire
Located in Berlin, DE
Bird’s eye maple on solid pinewood, partially ebonized. Finely engraved Empire bronze fixtures.
(L-Sam-301).
Category
20th Century Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
18th Century Italian Walnut Parquetry Important Bureau Cabinet Trumeaux
Located in Rome, IT
An Italian walnut, parquetry bureau cabinet fruitwood inlaid with scrolling foliage,
The upper section with a shaped carved cresting, a shaped doors opening to reveal three shelves,...
Category
Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Classicist/Empire Clapperboard Secretary, circa 1790
Located in Berlin, DE
Classicist/Empire clapperboard secretary, circa 1790
Solid wood veneered with walnut. High-quality top on short tapered square legs, straight two-tier body, sloping writing flap a...
Category
Late 18th Century German Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut, Wood
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
19th Century Venetian Secretary Bookcase with Painted Scenes and Floral Sprays
Located in Miami, FL
A very lovely painted green and yellow Italian fall-front secretary bookcase in the Venetian Baroque style with arched doors painted with 18th century-style scenes with figures in a garden landscape amid Roman ruins. Gold relief-work with acanthus leaves and rocaille create cartouches throughout the piece that are embellished with floral swags, as on the arched bonnet, the fall-front, the bottom drawers and the sides. The desk top opens...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Paint
Italian Olive Burl Wood Bombe Secretary Vanity with Display Top & Matching Chair
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous Italian bombe drop front secretary cabinet in olive wood with the matching chair. Bookcase top with Two drawers with brass hardware and exquisite cabriole legs. Expert craft...
Category
1940s Italian Baroque Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
Frisian Baroque Oakwood Bureau, Mid-18th Century
Located in Virum, DK
The Frisian bureau is in excellent condition with bracket feet and curved front on either side. It still retains the original brass hardware drawer pulls...
Category
Mid-18th Century Dutch Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Baroque Walnut Secretaire, 18th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Italian secretaire standing on bracket feet with four drawers and trapezoidal top with an inclined flap. The walnut veneer is contrasted with panel-shaped frames and decorated with a...
Category
18th Century European Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
18th Century Danish Late Baroque Secretaire
Located in Mjöhult, SE
Fine 18th century Danish late Baroque secretaire in its original finish with three drawers in the bottom half. The desk compartment features four drawers ...
Category
18th Century Danish Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Antique Empire Style Secretary with Brass and Marble Top mahogany veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
Mahogany veneer on solid conifers. High-right corpus on chased bronze claw feet. Architecturally articulated front with library dummy and brass rim sockets. On both sides slightly co...
Category
20th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
French Empire Secretaire a Abattant with Cuban Acajou Mahogany
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This secretaire a abattant is the in French Empire style and is veneered in Cuban acajou mahogany, with bronze doré mounts and a gray Saint Anne marble top.
Dimensions Closed:
Height: 56.5 in. (143.51 cm)
Width: 38 in. (96.52 cm)
Depth: 15.75 in. (40.01 cm)
Overall Cabinet Depth with the slant-front opened is 33.75".
The desk top/slant opened is 21.38" deep.
The piece has three lower drawers which are lockable (key included) and the single hidden drawer at the top. The interior has five document and accessory storage drawers. The fall-front (which locks) retains its original tooled leather border (with a Greek-Key pattern) and a later replacement dark green felt.
The bronze doré mounts on the drawers are cornucopias which symbolize bounty. The fall-front has a mount with scrolling roses and foliage. There are two mounts with a male and female profile. The male has a baby owl on his helmet which symbolizes wisdom. And hanging from the females hair-band is a peacock which symbolizes the ability to see all.
The fall front desk can be considered the cousin of the secretary desk. Both have a main working surface or desktop which does double duty as a cover to seal up papers and other items located in small shelves or small drawers placed one on top of the other in front of the user. Thus, all working papers, documents and other items have to be stored before the desk is closed.
Unlike the secretary desk, the fall front desk's desktop panel is in a perfectly vertical position when in its closed position. Often, there are no additional shelves or drawers above the section which is enclosed by the desktop. Thus, the fall front desk is identical in shape to a Barguen~o desk which would have been placed on a Stand of drawers, or more precisely to the form known as Desk on a chest or as "chest-on chest".
The fall front desk is also called a drop front desk or drop-front desk, and sometimes also a drop lid desk...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
A Russian Neoclassical Roll Top Writing Desk
Located in New Haven, CT
A most elegant Russian Plumpudding mahogany cylinder desk, circa 1810. Raised on four tapered legs the lower case holds seven drawers and two sliding shelves with leather tops that e...
Category
1810s Russian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
18th Century Empire Secretary Veneered with Mahogany
Located in Opole, PL
We present you an antique piece of furniture covered with mahogany veneer with beautiful grain. It is topped with a green marble board.
The whole is dated the turn of the 18th and th...
Category
Late 18th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Pedestal Desk in the Empire Style
Located in London, GB
A fine French late 19th century mahogany and ormolu pedestal desk with tooled leather top in the Empire style, having nine drawers, one containing a locking secret compartment, with ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Empire Fall Top Desk, France, 1810
Located in Belmont, MA
Introducing a remarkable Empire Fall Top Desk, hailing from France during the period of 1800-1810. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this magn...
Category
Early 1800s European Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
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 lea...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Antique 18th Century Dutch Marquetry Inlaid Burr Walnut Bombe Slope-Front Bureau
Located in Charleston, SC
Finest antique Dutch marquetry inlaid burr walnut bombe' shape slope-front bureau with exceptional fitted interior and baize writing surface
Please note extraordinary cast brass h...
Category
Late 18th Century Dutch Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
18th Centurey Baroque Walnut Tabernacle / Secretaire
Located in Darmstadt, DE
The Tabernacle Secretaire is divided into 3 parts.
The upper part has a door with a snap lock in the middle, in this compartment the three small drawers on the right and left side c...
Category
18th Century Austrian Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
18th Century Spanish Colonial Vargueno Set on a 19th Century Mission Chest
Located in Hudson, NY
This interesting two-part piece of furniture is an example of the Spanish dominion over the Americas during the global colonization associated with Empire and trade supremacy. The to...
Category
Mid-18th Century Mexican Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Empire Secretaire, Vienna, circa 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Viennese secretaire on square pointed feet with bronze sabots. The body with beveled corners has a two-door base, a writing flap with central lock and one top drawer. The front side ...
Category
1810s Austrian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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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