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Secretaires

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Secretaires For Sale
Style: Louis XV
Style: Empire
Secretary with Height, French, Louis XV Style, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Secretary with height French, Louis XV style, 19th Century Different woods with bronze applications. Signs of use. Dim.: 151 x 81 x 55 cm Good conditions.
Category

19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

20th Century French Louis XV Walnut Marquetry Secretary Chest with Marble Top
Located in Dallas, TX
Place this elegant, antique "Secretaire a Battant" in an office or a bedroom. Crafted in Paris circa 1920, the tall fruitwood secretary stands on cabriole legs ending with bronze sabots feet over a scalloped apron. The cabinet features intricate marquetry and parquetry decor, decorative bronze mounts, and is topped with a black marble top. The cabinet has classical and straight lines, and many useful compartments, including four large drawers across the front (one at the top, three at the bottom). The cabinet has a center door decorated with floral motifs, which pulls down to reveal a fully outfitted inside theater. The inside has five drawers, (including a large one at the top and bottom), and a wide open niche for books and letters...
Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XV Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

French Empire Brass Mounted, Light Walnut, & Ebonized Secretary, 1stq 19th Cen.
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a rectangular top above a conforming case housing three drawers, one faux drawer, and a fall front desk with a leather writing surface and interior shelving and secret drawers...
Category

1810s French Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

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

Museum Essay / Tabernacle Around 1810, Walnut
Located in Berlin, DE
Museum essay/tabernacle around 1810, walnut. Extremely rare and high-quality tabernacle with very elaborate and rich inlaid marquetry in walnut/root veneer on fir wood. High construction consisting of 3 elements. The tabernacle has many drawers...
Category

Early 19th Century Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut, Fir

Elegant French Louis XV Period Secretary Writing Desk with Hidden Compartment
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Louis XV period Rococo secretary with hidden compartment, circa 1760. This antique French writing desk features a slant-leaf front...
Category

Early 18th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

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

19th Century Louis XV Style Scriban
Located in London, Park Royal
Louis XV Style Scriban, in solid oak. Hand-carved with Provincial carving and hand-painted in an aged ecru on the outside with a dark midnight blue patina on the inside writing section.
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

18th Century, Italian Walnut Wood Bureau Chest of Drawer
Located in IT
18th century, Italian walnut wood bureau chest of drawer This bureau chest of drawer was made in Emilia, in Italy, at the beginning of the 18th century. The structure is entirely paved in the precious wood essence of walnut and walnut root. The upper portion has a door that opens to the fore to show inside a compartment divided into six drawers. There is also a secret, which is fulfilled by running the support plan. The front then has three drawers equipped with door locks and handles in chiseled bronze. The cabinet rests on a band that front is interrupted to create two feet, a feature that gives elegance and lightness to the compositional line. The walnut veneer is applied playing on the different designs of the wood and this gives the furniture a refined chromatic effect of great decorative. This flap is suitable to be inserted in different environments of your home is combined with antique furniture in...
Category

Early 18th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

Small Swiss Louis XV Secretaire, Walnut, Writing Chest, circa 1760
Located in Greven, DE
SmallLouis XV or Baroque Secretary Switzerland (Bern) Walnut Baroque around 1760. Dimensions: H x W x D: 109 x 93 x 60 cm Description: Writing furniture standing on a ...
Category

Mid-18th Century Swiss Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Early 20th Century Italian Louis XV Style Cabinet with Writing Desk
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Elegant Italian Louis XV Style cabinet with desk 1910s. This cabinet is characterized by a refined veneer in fine rosewood. The veneer is laid using the grain of the wood as a decora...
Category

1910s Italian Louis XV Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Original French Louis XV Secretary Desk, Paris 1760
Located in Belmont, MA
This French Louis XV secretary desk dates back to around 1760 and comes from Paris. This exquisite piece stands out for its beautiful kingwood ...
Category

1760s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Kingwood, 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

19th Century Louis XV Style Burlwood Ormolu Mounted Lady’s Desk
Located in Vero Beach, FL
French 19th century Louis XV style Burlwood Ormolu Mounted Lady’s Desk. Elegant French burlwood and ormolu mounted Lady’s cylinder desk. The single door cabinet is raised by slend...
Category

19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Ormolu

Louis XV Secretary Desk, France 18th Century
Located in Belmont, MA
This original 18th century Louis XVI Secretaire has a stunning veneer and marquetry. The elegant unique slant-top desk or "secretaire en pente" combines different walnut veneer grains with maple and bird's-eye maple as well as satinwood. The secretaire has three drawers on the outside. The inside of the writing compartment has six small drawers, several open compartments and a secret compartment. This gorgeous and remarkable desk is in very good original condition and has its original patina. It ships from Europe...
Category

1750s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Maple, Walnut, Birdseye Maple

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 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

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

Louis XV Style Walnut Secretary by Baker Furniture
Located in Atlanta, GA
20th Century Collector's Edition secretary cabinet by Baker Furniture Company in the French style of Louis XV. The secretary is made of upper and lower cabinets made of carved walnut with working locks and keys. The upper cabinet features an arching crown centered by a heavily carved cartouche. The beautifully paneled doors with brass decorative hardware open to reveal a shallow finished interior having a pair of adjustable display shelves. The abattant, or slant front desk, of the lower cabinet hinges...
Category

Late 20th Century North American Louis XV Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

20th Century Inlaid Wood Italian Louis XV Style Trumeau Desk, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Italian trumeau from 20th century. Louis XV style furniture nicely inlaid in walnut, maple and fruitwood. Double body trumeau equipped with two drawers and fall-front in the lower pa...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XV Secretaires

Materials

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

Louis XV Style Chinoiserie Slant-Top Desk
Located in Pembroke, MA
A stunning, petite French slant-top desk or "bureau de pente" in the Louis XV style, turquoise and gold polychromed with Chinoiserie detailing, and red under-body. Desk opens to rev...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

18th Century French Secretary Desk
Located in Belmont, MA
This gorgeous Louis XV Secretary desk dates back to around 1750-60 and was made in France. The secretaire de dame has a kingwood veneer and a v...
Category

1750s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Kingwood

18th Century Louis XV Bureau Italian Genoese Walnut Marquetry Drop-Front Desk
Located in Milan, IT
An exceptional Italian Genoese walnut veneered and inlaid fall front bureau secretaire desk, dating back to the third quarter of 18th century, of Genoese origin. The fall opening to a fitted interior of six small drawers, pigeon holes and one central small door with an engraving. The waving, curved front of this antique Italian drop front bureau shows two short, small and convex drawers above two long and deep drawers; the scalloped lower front, the shaped apron is part of the lower drawer. Sides in solid walnut. The whole raised on curved cabriolet feet. The veneer is placed obliquely, in a herringbone pattern, within jutting frames and makes this antique Italian bureau...
Category

Late 18th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

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

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

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

19thc French Painted Secretary
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautiful 19thc Robin’s egg blue secretary/fall front desk.
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

19th Century, Empire Secretaire, Mahogany Feather, Gilded Bronze
Located in PALERMO, IT
Empire secretaire, veneered in mahogany feather wood, and adorned with applications in finely chiseled bronze, and gilded with mercury. Upper top in marble.
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Marble, Bronze

18th Century Italian Scriban
Located in London, Park Royal
18th century Italian scriban from Tuscany. Wax polished, walnut wood finish on the interior and a black lacquer patina with gilded highlights on t...
Category

18th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Louis XV Secretaire, France, 1770
Located in Belmont, MA
Louis XV secretaire, France, 1770. Beautiful walnut veneer with plum, satinwood and kingwood marquetry. Exquisite figural marquetry on the outside of the writing top. The writing ...
Category

1770s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Kingwood, Satinwood, Walnut

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

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

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

Antique Danish Late Empire 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

Mahogany, Oak

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

Extraordinary Signed Zwiener Ormolu Mounted Lady's Secretary
Located in Cypress, CA
Extraordinary Ormolu mounted marquetry kingwood lady's desk, signed Swiener, also dated 1902 and bearing an initial of the persons that it was made for (see attached photo). Meticulous attention has been given to every details. Jean-Henri Jansen (1854-1928) founded the famous interior decoration firm of Maison Jansen in 1880. Manufacturing revival and Nouveau furniture he became Fournisseur de la...
Category

Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Ormolu

18th Century Italian Verona Louis XV Walnut Marquetry Bureau Secrétaire, 1700s
Located in Roma, RM
Fantastic example of cabinet-making in Verona, we are faced with a work of art, a piece of furniture sinuous in shape, completely original in the wooden part; the handles alas have been replaced but it is permissible on a 270 years old piece of furniture! Made of precious walnut wood, this flap has a herringbone wooden game, surrounded by maple wood inlays that in addition to embellish it highlight the wooden games...
Category

1750s Italian Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Louis XV Style Folding Desk with One Drawer, 1950
Located in Miami, FL
Louis XV style folding desk with one drawer. An exceptional Louis XV style desk, made of early Italian antique oak wood. This piece screams high quality. Beautiful grain and patina....
Category

Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

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

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

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

19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

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

20th Century Italian Louis XV Style Inlaid Walnut Cabinet with Writing Desk
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Elegant cabinet in precious inlaid walnut 1930s. This cabinet is characterized by a refined inlay work with neoclassical decorations. The inlay is made using many different precious ...
Category

1930s Italian Louis XV Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

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

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

Italian Inlaid and Solid Walnut Wood Chest of drawers with Secretaire
Located in IT
18th century, Italian inlaid and solid walnut wood chest of drawers with secretaire This chest of drawers with secretaire was made in...
Category

Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

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 Louis XV Secretary, France, 1770
Located in Belmont, MA
Exceptional French Louis XV secretary with beautiful flower and bird marquetry. This extraordinary piece dates back to circa 1770. The insid...
Category

1770s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Kingwood, Satinwood

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

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

18th Century French Louis XV Transition Marquetry Gilt Bronze Desk Bureau Plat
Located in Berlin, DE
18th Century French Louis XV Transition Marquetry Gilt Bronze Desk Bureau Plat An 18th century gilt-bronze mounted double-face desk or bureau plat with herring-bone marquetry. The k...
Category

18th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

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

Louis XV Style Dore Bronze Mounted Boulle Marquetry Secretary Desk or Cabinet
Located in New York, NY
A gorgeous Louis XV style French dore bronze mounted Boulle Marquetry secretary desk or cabinet. With a cylindrical form in ebonized veneer a...
Category

1830s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

18th Century Dutch Trumeau Walnut with Maple Wood Inlays, Netherlands, 1760
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Dutch trumeau from the Mid-18th Century. Furniture of exceptional quality, richly inlaid in walnut and maple, the interior is covered in oak and the stru...
Category

1760s Dutch Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

18th century, Italian Solid Walnut Wood Trumeau
Located in IT
18th century, Italian solid walnut wood Trumeau Measures: height cm 239, width cm 122, depth cm 52, depth raised cm 30 Elegant Trumeau, made in piedmont, north of Italy, in th...
Category

Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Bronze

20th Century Burl Walnut Bombe Secretary Bookcase with Etched Glass Doors
Located in Savannah, GA
Italian Bombe secretaire with a distinct burl walnut grain. Highlights include the original wrought iron hinges, a hand carved decorative crown and etched mirrored panels featuring a...
Category

1920s Italian Louis XV Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Walnut, Burl, Mirror

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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