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Secretaires For Sale
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier Secretaire made of walnut and rootwood with brass hardware. Fall front writing surface with interior drawers above three large exterior drawers.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
$13,500 Sale Price
58% Off
Vintage desk cabinet 1960s Sweden
Located in Lemmer, NL
Vintage desk cabinet 1960s Sweden
Period 1960s
Design Unknown Sweden
Condition Good Minor signs of wear
Dimensions 100 x 78.5 x 39 cm (H x W x D)
Details Teak; Brass;
It...
Category
1960s Swedish Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Fine Gillows George III Period Satinwood Secretaire Cabinet
Located in Lymington, GB
An exceptional English Sheraton-period satinwood secretaire cabinet. Attributed to Gillows.
Late-18th century, George III, ca 1790.
Measures:
H 59 1/2’’ (151 cm)
W 30’’ (76 cm)
D 19’’ (49 cm).
This small, beautifully-proportioned, and sophisticated antique writing cabinet...
Category
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Satinwood
English Regency Period Goncalo Alves and Gilt Brass Secretaire Bookcase
By John Mclean
Located in London, GB
A Regency period secretaire bookcase attributed to John Mclean of London.
Constructed in a well figured goncalo alves, with extensive use of gilt brass accents. Rising from compressed ball brass feet, the lower section consists of two blind cupboard...
Category
19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
Secretary with Flap, 1950
Located in Marseille, FR
Secretary shelves 1950 with crosspiece, with an indoor lamp of dimension height 186 cm for a width of 130 cm and a depth of 50 cm.
Style: Scandinavian.
Category
20th Century Secretaires
Biedermeier Revival Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier Revival Secretaire made of blond burl with ebonized columns. Upper section with exterior drawers and cubby hole. Lower section with fall fron...
Category
Early 20th Century Secretaires
$7,200 Sale Price
67% Off
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier secretaire in walnut, root wood and ebony with fall-front writing surface; interior drawers and secret compartments.
Category
19th Century Austrian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ebony, Walnut
$8,094 Sale Price
40% Off
Early 18th Century French Petite Secretaire or Bureau with Projecting Cabinet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 18th-century French dark wood secretary or fall-front bureau cabinet with charming proportions. Featuring a carved projecting cornice and arched front, original glass mirr...
Category
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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 III circa 1760 English Oak Thomas Chippendale Carved Bureau Bookcase
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer absolutely stunning hand made in England George III circa 1760-1780 Bureau bookcase with Thomas Chippendale carvings
This is a true piece of classic Engl...
Category
1760s English George III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Italian Secretaire, circa 1930s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian secretaire circa 1930s, featuring beautiful walnut and maple inlaid.
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Maple, Walnut
19th Century Ebony and Thuya Wood Bonheur Du Jour
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
For sale is a 19th century amboyna and ebony cabinet, with three quarter balustrade gallery, above two panelled doors set with Paris porcelain portrait ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Amboyna
Russian Empire Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Russian Empire Secretaire made of solid birch blond-wood and veneer. Elegant and compact design with weight bearing dolphins and arrows. Lower section ...
Category
19th Century Russian Antique Secretaires
$19,500 Sale Price
58% Off
Portuguese Secretaire of the 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Portuguese Secretaire
of the 19th Century, in mahogany wood with inlays. Bottom with two drawers.
Elevation with two shelves.
Small defects Dim.: 105 x 89 x 56 cm.
very good condition
Category
19th Century Portuguese Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Bureau à Cylindre Possibly by François Linke
By François Linke, Adam Weisweiler
Located in Long Island City, NY
A Superb Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Louis XVI Style Bureau à Cylindre Possibly François Linke for Maison Krieger
In the manner of Adam Weisweiler, Possibly by François Linke for Maison Krieger
Cajou, platane trellis-parquetry, ébène and buis stringings, the rounded corner marble top above three small drawers, the cylinder front opening to a gilt-tooled leather lined writing slide and five small drawers, the frieze fitted with three drawers, the central drawer, with spring-loaded secret release, is decorated with an ormolu relief plaque which depicts a group of putti at play, the two side drawers with hidden key...
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
$44,000 Sale Price
20% Off
Early 19th Century Dutch Floral Marquetry Bureau Display Cabinet
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
The moulded cornice above two shaped glass panelled doors opening to shelves, the lower part with a hinged sloping fall front opening to reveal a fitted interior with a central door ...
Category
19th Century Dutch Neoclassical Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
$7,669 Sale Price
51% Off
Verni Martin secrétaire abattant , circa 1880
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th Century French Louis XVI style secretaries abbattant, having bombe shaped sides, gilded rococo style scrolling ormolu mounts. Wonderful hand painted Ver...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
$9,122 Sale Price
20% Off
1980s Spanish Bamboo Six-Drawer Chest
Located in Marbella, ES
1980s Spanish bamboo six-drawer chest.
Category
Late 20th Century Spanish Secretaires
Materials
Bamboo
Escritorio de madera de nogal tallado a mano con cajones años 1950
Located in Marbella, ES
Escritorio de madera de nogal tallado a mano con cajones años 1950.
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
20th Century Petite Secretary in Biedermeier Style
Located in Berlin, DE
20th century Petite Secretary in Biedermeier style
Mahogany partially blackened, on solid softwood. Rectangular body on flattened ball feet. In the...
Category
20th Century German Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Privé" secrétaire by Jürgen Lange for Rosenthal Germany 1987
Located in Renens, CH
"Privé" writing desk or secrétaire by Jürgen Lange for Rosenthal Germany 1987.
This is an extremely well thought and crafted desk. While standing on a small footprint it offers amaz...
Category
1980s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Fruitwood
French gilt bronze and marquetry writing secretaire
Located in London, GB
French gilt bronze and marquetry writing secretaire
French, late 19th Century
Height 132.5cm, width 91cm, depth 66cm
This elegant secretaire, or writing desk, is a fine piece of nin...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Antique Traditional Secretary Wood Desk with Shelf, FR-1062
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Antique Traditional Secretary Wood Desk with Shelf
The secretary desk with shelf originates from France. The wood desk has a warm, worn black fi...
Category
Early 20th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Louis XVI Style Secretaire Cabinet
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality 19th century French Louis XVI style satinwood marquetry inlaid secretaire cabinet, with wonderful inlaid decoration to the fall front, opening to reveal a fitted inter...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Satinwood
$19,392 Sale Price
20% Off
Swiss Early 19th Century Empire Bureau Cabinet, Signed Hirschgartner
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
This fine Empire drop-front secretary (secrétaire a'abattant or secrétaire en armoire) with a writing and standing desk is signed M. Hirschgartner. Hans Martin Hirschgartner (1766-18...
Category
19th Century Swiss Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Northern Italian Walnut Two-Part Secretary
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning, c. 1820, solid walnut, two-tier, fall-front scriviana from the Piedmont district of Northern Italy. The paneled doors in the upper cabinet bordered by relief carved acanthu...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
$36,000 Sale Price
50% Off
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Bureau Secretaire, Biedermeier. Walnut, birdseye, rootwood, intarsia, secret compartments.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
$11,500 Sale Price
57% Off
French, 19th Century, Transitional Style Tulipwood and Kingwood Secretary
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant French 19th century Transitional st. Kingwood, Tulipwood, ormolu, and Rouge Royale marble Secretary. The one door seven drawer secretary is raised by fine cabriole leg...
Category
Secretaires
Louis XVI Style Parquetry, Gilt-Bronze and Lacquer Mounted Petit Secretaire Cabi
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Fine Louis XVI Style Parquetry, Gilt-Bronze and Lacquer Mounted Petit Secretaire Cabinet, Attributed to Maison Beurdeley.
Stamped to the reverse of the bronze mounts to the botto...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
English Regency Walnut and Ebony Secretaire-Chest
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Very handsome English Regency walnut and ebony secretaire-chest with four drawers with pull-out secretaire with ebony in-set central writing sur...
Category
19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ebony, Walnut
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier Secretaire made of walnut, root wood and ebony with a fall front writing surface, inside drawers and mirrored cubby hole.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ebony
$12,600 Sale Price
47% Off
vintage secretary wall cupboard 60s Sweden
Located in Lemmer, NL
vintage secretary wall cupboard 60s Sweden
period 60's
design unknown Sweden
condition good light signs of use veneer traces on the back
size 186 x 95 x 42 (hxwxd)
detail...
Category
1960s Swedish Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
$1,411 Sale Price
20% Off
Louis XVI Cylinder Secretary
Located in Brussels, BE
Louis XVI cylinder secretary.
Category
Mid-18th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Italian 18th Century Style Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
Ebonized and burl walnut 18th century style secretary with panel doors that are mirrored inside and out so can display open or closed. The upper cabinet has been lined with fabric wh...
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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
$3,020 Sale Price
20% Off
Biedermeier Secretaire Napolean Style
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier Secretaire Napolean Style with fall front writing surface, interior drawers and secret compartments.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birdseye Maple, Walnut
$11,500 Sale Price
64% Off
Empire Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Empire Secretaire made of walnut and root wood with brass capitals and hardware. Three exterior drawers. Fall front writing surface w/five interior drawers and mirrored cubby hole. ...
Category
19th Century Austrian Antique Secretaires
$18,000 Sale Price
54% Off
18th Century German Burr Elm and Walnut Secretary, with Ebonized Trim and Inlaid
Located in North Miami, FL
18th Century German burr elm and walnut secretary, adorned with ebonized trim and inlaid decorations and patterns. A pair of paneled doors over three small cupboards with beautiful details, over a pull-out writing surface with fitted interior, the base with three small drawers over two sets of three drawers. High quality and incredible hand-carving, one of the most expensive...
Category
18th Century German Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Walnut, Burl
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier secretaire made of walnut, rootwood and ebonized wood. It has a fall front writing surface with interior drawers and a cubby hole. Lower section with exterior drawers.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$7,500 Sale Price
51% Off
charming secretary circa 1960 in solid walnut, gilded metal base.
Located in Mouscron, WHT
charming secretary 1960 in solid walnut, gilded metal base.
The leather is stained
Category
1960s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Metal
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier secretaire made of walnut, root wood and ebony with a fall front writing surface, interior drawers and secret compartments.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
$11,500 Sale Price
60% Off
19th Century Two-Piece English Butler's Secretary
Located in Asheville, NC
This two-piece secretary is constructed of oak with contrast mahogany banding, the compartmented fall front desk forms the top drawer of the base cabinet when closed, the upper cabin...
Category
19th Century American Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th Century Gilt Bronze and Sèvres Style Porcelain Mounted Parquetry Cabinet
By Adam Weisweiler
Located in Long Island City, NY
A beautiful late 19th century Louis XVI style gilt bronze and Sèvres style porcelain mounted parquetry cabinet.
A marble top above a single door adorned with Sèvres style porcelain plaques, the large plaque...
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
French Mid-19th Century Louis XVI St. Secrétaire in Arbalette Shape
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A French mid 19th century Louis XVI st. tulipwood Secretaire. The secretaire has a fine quarter veneered tulipwood marquetry on the front and sides, ornamented with pierced ormolu mo...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze-Mounted Cartonnier / Secretaire by Antoine Krieger
Located in Long Island City, NY
A rare late 19th century Louis XVI style gilt bronze-mounted cartonnier or secretaire
By Antoine Krieger
The upper section containing seven deep tooled leather veneer drawers, abov...
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Italian Bureau Bookcase, Two Doors over Slant Front Fitted Desk
Located in Buchanan, MI
Italian bureau bookcase, two doors over slant front fitted desk.
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
French 19th Century Transitional St. Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fine 19th century French transitional cabinet/ secretaire. The whole is raised on cabriole legs with ormolu sabots below two quarter veneered tu...
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Louise Semainier Secretaires in Smooth Copper by Paul Mathieu by S Odegard
Located in New York, NY
“Semainier” refers to a French piece of furniture with seven drawers (Fr. Semaine = week). It is part of the Louise Collection designed by renowned designer Paul Mathieu. A remarkabl...
Category
2010s Indian Other Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Sheet Metal
Louise Semainier Secretaires in Smooth White Bronze by Paul Mathieu
Located in New York, NY
“Semainier” refers to a French piece of furniture with seven drawers (Fr. Semaine = week). It is part of the Louise Collection designed by renowne...
Category
2010s Indian Other Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Sheet Metal
Louise Semainier Secretaires in Fine Hammered Copper by Paul Mathieu
Located in New York, NY
“Semainier” refers to a French piece of furniture with seven drawers (Fr. Semaine = week). It is part of the Louise Collection designed by renowne...
Category
2010s Indian Other Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Sheet Metal
Louise Semainier Secretaires in Fine Hammered Brass by Paul Mathieu
Located in New York, NY
“Semainier” refers to a French piece of furniture with seven drawers (Fr. Semaine = week). It is part of the Louise Collection designed by renowne...
Category
2010s Indian Other Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Sheet Metal
Antique Napoleon III Desk and Bookcase, circa 1860-1870
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique Napoleon III desk and bookcase, circa 1860-1870. This museum quality antique has fine briarwood and wonderful ormolu throughout.
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
1980s Pair of Secretaire Furniture with Shelves with Bookcase Design
Located in Marbella, ES
This stylish pair of shelved secretaire furniture is designed to simulate a classic bookcase, with decorative spines that add a sophisticated and unique touch. The top features a hin...
Category
1980s English Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Copf Style Cherry Inlay Secretaire Cabinet, ca. 1800
Located in Budapest, Budapest
Early 19th century hutch, (combination of a writing secretaire and a glass cabinet) in Copf-Style. The pine corpus has a cherry veneer, and has fine...
Category
Early 19th Century European Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Cherry, Pine
1940s French Abatant with Original Vellum Drop Front
Located in Dallas, TX
1940s French abatant with original vellum drop front facing. Faux volumes of books create a decorative door facing with key lock. Bronze scroll detail on base. Beautiful chevron vene...
Category
1940s French Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Mahogany Furniture to Keep Paintings, Plans and Special Documents
Located in Marbella, ES
Mahogany furniture to keep paintings, plans and special documents. It can be oriented in different positions.
Category
Late 20th Century English Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier Secretaire made of walnut, mahogany, ebony, intarsia. There are 2 doors, 2 drawers, 2 glazed doors, shelves with secret compartments.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ebony, Mahogany
$12,600 Sale Price
58% Off
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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