Secretaires
17
1,654
89
7
to
353
929
780
1,750
1,677
1,703
177
112
110
92
80
73
69
56
29
27
26
26
14
9
4
3
1
1
376
703
574
96
101
316
72
21
6
16
27
32
52
98
27
13
5
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
1,672
495
399
350
337
1,429
401
296
261
220
21
13
13
11
9
Secretaires For Sale
20th Century Walnut, Burl, Beech, Mahogany and Fruitwood English Trumeau, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
English trumeau of the 20th century. Double body furniture in walnut, burl, beech, mahogany and fruitwood. Lower body equipped with two smaller parallel drawers and two larger lower ...
Category
1960s British Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Beech, Fruitwood, Walnut, Burl
W029 Cabinet, Citronnier Wood & Marble with Gilt Bronze & Gold, Zanaboni
By Zanaboni
Located in MEDA, IT
W029 is a masterpiece cabinet in citronnier, with 46 marble “Bianco B” elements, crystal bowls, 70 Kg of brass details finishing gold 24 Kts, bas-relief in marble, inlaid in mother o...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Vintage Rosewood Secretary Style of Koloman Moser Portois & Fix, 20th Century
Located in Vienna, AT
The extraordinary vintage secretary/cabinet in the style of Koloman Moser, Carl Otto Czeschka and Portois & Fix is a top quality furniture piece, which was designed and made in the 2...
Category
20th Century Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Rosewood, Mother-of-Pearl, Ebony
Outstanding Early 18th Century English George I Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a stunningly gorgeous and outstanding early 18th century English George I Secretary.
This is one of the finest old English Secretary’s...
Category
Early 18th Century English George I Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Satinwood, Walnut
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
Maison Jansen French Louis-XVI Style Ebonized Secretary Desk
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI-style (1940s) ebonized & bronze trim abbatant form desk with a drop front interior above 3 drawers and below a narrow drawer with a bronze design panel. (stamped: JA...
Category
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
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
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
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
Scandinavian Minimalist Style Wood Desk
Located in Paris, FR
Great Nordic style compact desk made of solid wood, oak or walnut (chosen by the buyer) offering storage solution with one drawer. Great lines, elegant designer's creation, made in a...
Category
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Walnut
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
Guillerme et Chambron, Secretaire in Blackened Oak, circa 1970
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Guillerme et Chambron, Secretaire in blackened oak, Edition Votre Maison, circa 1970.
Category
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Oak
George II Walnut Slant Front Bureau Bookcase / Secretary
Located in Woodbury, CT
George II walnut and walnut burl slant front bureau bookcase / secretary with original hand beveled mirrored doors on bracket feet. Upper cabinet with candle slides conceals book she...
Category
18th Century British George II Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut, Burl
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
18th Century Walnut Scriban Secretary
Located in Marseille, FR
Secretary scriban walnut 18th century Provençal work in used condition.
Category
18th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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
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
Art Deco Modernist Partners Desk, circa 1930
Located in Devon, England
For your consideration is this superbly stylish 1930s Partners desk. The base wood is Mahogany and veneered in a Bombay Walnut veneers which has a ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Secretaires
Materials
Chrome
Swedish Modern Bureau by Otto Schulz for Boet, 1940s
By Otto Schulz, Boet
Located in Karlstad, SE
Very rare bureau by Otto Schulz for Boet, circa 1940.
This bureau is covered in cream white vinyl attached with pearl nails, significant for the designer. The skewed front is made o...
Category
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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
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
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
Saturne Wall Desk
By Elise Fouin, Drugeot
Located in Courbevoie, FR
When Saturne becomes half-moon: with a beautiful decorative panel in oak, Saturne highlights the beauty of solid wood. The LED ribbon behind makes it an original wall lamp. Lifted in...
Category
2010s French Secretaires
Materials
Oak
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
W052 Italian Jewel Cabinet Inlaid in Wood and Mother of Pearl by Zanaboni
By Zanaboni
Located in MEDA, IT
Not just a simple piece of furniture, the W052 is a true work of art, a representation of one of the most fascinating phenomena of life, the metamorphosis. The radical change of form is an extremely powerful phenomenon that has always fascinated and inspired the minds of entire generations; Zanaboni has researched, analyzed and studied it for this new masterpiece. A combination of nature, in which metamorphosis is the process by which a caterpillar becomes a magnificent butterfly, the geometry featured in the tessellation, a top evenly divided by shapes that leave no space unfilled, skilled craftsmanship evident in the use of more than fifteen different kinds of materials and an artistic style that gives a simple instrument a touch of magic. W052 handmade cabinet with silver and bronze engraved bronze base, a Makassar ebony interior fitted with drawers, glass shelves and cigar humidifier...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Large French Directoire Period Traveling Secretary Desk
Located in Pembroke, MA
This French Directoire traveling secretary is made of walnut. Its large size is unusual and would make an impressive statement in a study. The top sec...
Category
Late 18th Century French Directoire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Iron, Brass
Amanuense Secretary Desk by Adolfo Natalini for Mirabili Limited Edition 2/99
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Limited edition release with metal tag indicating 2/99
"Part of a series of striking pieces designed by Adolfo Natalini, this secretary desk was entirely made in cherrywood with a dark finishing. The collapsible desk...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Secretaires
Materials
Cherry
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
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
1980s Spanish Bamboo Six-Drawer Chest
Located in Marbella, ES
1980s Spanish bamboo six-drawer chest.
Category
Late 20th Century Spanish Secretaires
Materials
Bamboo
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
Mid-Century Modern Wall Secretary Desk in Oak
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Wall secretary desk, model Odense. Oiled solid oak. Natural leather interior full grain untreated. Designed by Møbler Gallery. Made in France by ma...
Category
2010s French Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Walnut
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
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
Fine Antique 18th Century Rosewood Bureau Bookcase
Located in Suffolk, GB
Fine antique 18th century rosewood bureau bookcase having a magnificent top section with a shaped moulded swan neck pediment, two shaped doors both wi...
Category
18th Century English George III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood
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
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
Louis XVI Drop Front Desk, France 1780-1800, Walnut Root Veneer
Located in Belmont, MA
Exquisite Louis XVI drop front desk, France 1780, walnut root veneer with details in cherry, plum and boxwood veneer and Marquetry. The special so...
Category
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Boxwood, Cherry, Walnut
Grosfeld House Secretary Bookcase by Lorin Jackson
Located in Hanover, MA
Lorin Jackson for Grosfeld House 1940s cabinet bookcase in mahogany featuring a pull-out secretary with writing surface.
Distinctive Grosfeld "Glassic" Lucite ring pulls with sunbu...
Category
1940s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Donald Deskey Style Art Deco Skyscraper Design Secretary Wall Cabinet or Desk
Located in Westport, CT
In the style of Donald Deskey, Art Deco skyscraper design, cabinet/secretary desk, with draw compartments and desk, book shelf compartment. Functional dark mahogany wood, with nickel...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Secretaires
Materials
Nickel
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
Elegant Louis XVI Cherrywood Secrétaire Cabinet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant Louis XVI cherrywood secrétaire cabinet.
Category
18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Cherry
Antique Flap in Walnut, Desk with Chest, Used for Travel, 18th Century, Italy
Located in Cuneo, Italy (CN)
Antique brown walnut flap, used as a desk with travel chest of the time, precious hand carved material with figures of bambocci and caryatids, built in the 1700s by Italian craftsmen and masters.
Ideal in an elegant office corner...
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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
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
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
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
French Ormolu-Mounted Marqueterie Secretaire Abattant, Cabinet, 1775
Located in Rome, IT
Important French ormolu-mounted, kingwood, tulipwood and stained sycamore marqueterie and parquetry secretaire abattant with rectangular moulded white marble top, above a frieze draw...
Category
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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
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
Chinese Export Lacquer Bureau on Stand and Toilet Glass Dressing Table
Located in London, by appointment only
A Chinese export lacquer bureau on stand decorated with an unusual polychrome flower design
This Chinese lacquer bureau on stand was made in ...
Category
Early 18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antique Secretaires
Materials
Lacquer
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
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
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
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
“Elefantini” Secrétaire by Roberto Rida, Italy, 2016
Located in New York, NY
Palm wood drop-down secretary/vanity, comprising a console-base supporting a cabinet decorated with 120 bronze elephants. The inside features a drawer with a bone pull. A matching be...
Category
2010s Italian Modern 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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