Secretaires
16
1,666
89
7
to
314
927
794
1,762
1,689
1,716
174
118
109
93
79
74
69
56
30
28
26
25
14
9
4
4
1
1
379
713
573
96
99
319
72
18
7
17
28
31
54
99
27
13
5
Height
to
Width
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Depth
to
1,685
500
403
350
338
1,444
406
303
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21
13
13
10
9
Secretaires For Sale
Italian Empire Neoclassical Walnut and Parcel-Gilt Secretary
Located in New York, NY
Italian Empire neoclassical walnut and parcel-gilt secretary Handsome masculine Empire campaign desk on stand with pivoting dressing mirror below balustraded cornice with ball finial...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Giltwood, Walnut
Rene Drouet Attributed, Art Deco walnut and Thuya Burr Cabinet
By René Drouet
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Rene Drouet attributed, Art Deco walnut and thuya burr cabinet.
Ivory and interior in sycamore veneer.
Secret drawers, original bronzes.
Fully restored. F...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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 Walnut Secretary
Located in Hudson, NY
Biedermeier Walnut Secretary Chest, Biedermeier walnut secretary with cabinet below. Desk has four small drawers and a letter shelf. Cab...
Category
19th Century Czech Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Italian early 18th century Baroque Walnut Secretary-Bookcase
Located in Troy, NY
Italian secretary with beautiful, thick walnut radica veneer, wonderful color, ebonized moldings, most likely retaining the original mirror plates. The two upper doors open to reveal a fitted interior, the lower part has a fitted desk compartment...
Category
Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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
T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Tall Dresser for Widdicomb
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautifully detailed and functional dresser cabinet with ample storage and unique pull out workspace. By T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb.. Please confirm item location (NY or NJ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
American Tiger Maple and Cherry Fall Front Chest
By A. Belokopytoff
Located in Hollywood, SC
American Tiger maple and Cherry fall front chest with interior fitted desk, turned bulbous columns, graduated drawers, original wooden knobs, and ...
Category
19th Century American Antique Secretaires
English Mahogany Estate Managers Desk, circa 1830
Located in Charleston, SC
Mahogany estate managers desk with fitted top. The center lock will release upper doors to reveal a fitted interior.
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Italian 18th Century Rococo Secretary with Mirrored Doors and Lacca Povera Décor
Located in Palm Desert, CA
An Italian Rococo period lacca povera tall secretary from the 18th century, with bonnet top, mirrored-doors and slant-front desk over drawers. This exquisite 18th century Italian Roc...
Category
18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Paper, Mirror, Wood
Blue Painted Swedish Secretaire
Located in Washington, DC
A blue painted Swedish Drop Front Secretaire with decorative painting inside the doors.
Category
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
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
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
American Mahogany and Stenciled Secretary with Bookcase. NY Circa 1825
Located in Hollywood, SC
American mahogany stenciled and painted foliage secretary bookcase with fitted inlaid birds eye maple interior, shelving, fall front desk, lower cabinet doors, and terminating on scr...
Category
19th Century American American Empire Antique Secretaires
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
Early George III Period Bureau Bookcase with Swan Neck Pediment
Located in Atlanta, GA
An early George III period bureau bookcase with fretwork swan neck pediment, 30-paned bookcase, slant front enclosed leather writing surface, fitted...
Category
1760s English George III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
English Scarlet Gilt and Polychrome Japanned Secretary
Located in Stamford, CT
A marvelous 18th century scarlet gilt and poly chrome secretary later Japanned. This English secretary has a double domed cornice over a pair of mirrored doors opening to fitted inte...
Category
18th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
British Colonial Secretary
Located in Stamford, CT
A British Colonial secretary, probably Anglo-Indian, in Campaign form with burl wood and ebony and bone inlay.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bone, Ebony
Italian Walnut Drop-Front Bombe Secretary in Louis XV Style
Located in Chicago, IL
Italian drop front Louis XV style bombe secretary/chest with three drawers. Brass Rococo pulls and escutcheons with a pair of keys that function. Dr...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Baroque Tabernacle / Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Baroque Tabernacle made of walnut, maple, plum and ebonized wood in very rare "S-design" Maria Theresia style. Lower section with fall front writin...
Category
18th Century and Earlier Austrian Antique Secretaires
French Louis XVI Style Inlaid Secretary
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI-style (19th Century) parquetry inlaid drop front secretary abattant with gilt bronze trim and ring hands with 4 drawers below a fitted interior with a leather writin...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Gold Leaf
Dutch Bureau/Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Dutch Bureau/Desk polychrome painted with elaborate scrolls, dutch harbor and country scenes. Fall front writing surface with interior drawers and compar...
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretaire Abattant Secretary Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique French Empire Period two Part Flame Mahogany Drop Front Abattant. Item features beautiful tapered capitol, brass hardware, mother of pearl keyhole covers, inlaid interior wit...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
Biedermeier Bureau/ Commode
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier Bureau/ Commode made of oak,walnut, fruitwood and maple. Fall front writing surface with interior drawers above three large drawers.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Ramsay French Mid-Century Dark Green Lacquered Secretary
Located in New York, NY
French Mid-Century (1940s) dark green lacquered drop front secretary with bronze dore rope design and trim (signed RAMSAY )
Category
1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Italian Walnut Secretary
Located in Hollywood, SC
Italian Walnut slant front secretary / cupboard with carved pinwheel motif ending on fluted legs.
Category
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Secretaires
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
Antique English Period Oak Mahogany-Banded Bureau
Located in Port Chester, NY
This slanty-top chest is a good example of the style that was so popular in the 18th century when a gentleman needed such a piece for letters and rent collection records. The age of ...
Category
18th Century and Earlier English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19c. French Parquetry Secretaire / Commode
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Secretaire, having notched marble top with 3/4 pierced bronze gallery, the top drawer opens to a writing surface and inside, an arrangement of pigeon holes and two central drawers; the case, of burlwood, has stringing and beautifully inlaid designs on front, bronze wreath ring...
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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
Cherry, Leather
English Mahogany Secretary With Mirrored Bookcase. Circa 1780
Located in Hollywood, SC
English mahogany secretary with mirrored bookcase. Secretary has a upper case broken pediment top with dental molding, original mirrored doors, c...
Category
1780s English George III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
German Biedermeier Mahogany Secretary
Located in New York, NY
German Biedermeier (circa 1820) mahogany secretary cabinet with Corinthian columns on top and bottom section and a centered drop front revealing a...
Category
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
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
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier Secretaire made of walnut, root wood and ebonized wood with fall-front writing surface, interior drawers and secret compartments.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
An American Chippendale Maple Slant Front Desk
Located in Sheffield, MA
An American Chippendale
Maple Slant Front Desk
Rhode Island
18th Century
The slant front opens to reveal ...
Maple Slant Front Desk
Rhode Island
18th Century
The slant front opens to reveal ...
Category
18th Century and Earlier American Antique Secretaires
Biedermeier Tabernacle/ Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier Tabernacle - walnut veneer and marquetry decorated in typical "Vienna Set-top Style". Fall front writing surface and 3 drawers in lower section. Eight drawers and a cen...
Category
19th Century Austrian Antique Secretaires
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
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Biedermeier secretaire made of walnut and cherry with fall front writing surface, nine interior drawers, mirrored cubby hole and three exterior drawers. Germany circa 1840.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Cherry, Walnut
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
French Deco Ladies Secretary, Chest in Wood Circa 1930
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Secretary, chest with a drop front and two lower doors that open to reveal a polished mahogany interior. Images five, six, and seven show the piece's interior drawers and shelves.
Category
1930s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Hollywood Regency Secretaire
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Great 1950's small scale breakfront bookcase display cabinet. Regency styling includes pediment top and antique brass grill at upper cabinet. Bread board pull out writing surface wit...
Category
1950s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Ultra Rare Wall Secretary
Located in Munich, DE
Designed by Bruno Mathsson in 1938 and made by Karl Mathsson. There is a common version in birch. This one is in masur birch!
Located in hamburg.
Category
1930s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Petit 19th c. Walnut Secretary
Located in New Orleans, LA
Lovely Walnut Six Drawer Chest with Desk
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century Italian Cherrywood Drop-Front Desk Secretaire with Inlay
Located in San Francisco, CA
A cherrywood drop front desk with four small drawers fitted in the upper interior and three drawers below.
Handsomely detailed inlay work, lovely patina and Fine quality workmanship...
Category
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Cherry
Italian Venetian Secretary, 18th Century
Located in CH
An early 18th century Italian Venetian walnut and burl walnut veneered secretary with serpentine base and mirrored upper door.
Category
18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Edwardian Satinwood Bonheur du Jour by Edwards & Roberts
Located in Montreal, QC
This exquisite desk, made by the celebrated partnership, is of the highest quality. The glazed upper section is perfect for the display of objet d'art, the cylinder top which is open...
Category
19th Century English Edwardian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Satinwood
Early 19th C. Swedish Empire Style Secretaire
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mahogany, architectural upper section with demi-lune drawer, dentil frieze below and full drawer, drop-front fitted interior with marquetry drawers and doors, two side columns with g...
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Bureau Secretaire, Biedermeier. Walnut, birdseye, rootwood, intarsia, secret compartments.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
German Biedermeier Slant-Front Desk
Located in Hudson, NY
A very good German slant front desk with a lower case of drawers. The writing surface very nicely finished veneers with interior drawers having inlay ...
Category
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Art Deco Secretaire in the Manner of Ruhlmann
Located in Bridgewater, CT
An exceptional quality Art Deco Secretaire in the manner of J.E. Ruhlmann in Ebene de Macassar with galuchat (shagreen) interior, circa 1930.
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Macassar
Empire Secretaire
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful classic piece.
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Queen Anne Bureau Bookcase in Inlaid Walnut, c. 1710
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine Bureau Bookcase of the Queen Anne period. The frame constructed in walnut, with inlaid elm designs.
The slanted fall-front opens to reveal a herringbone-inlaid arrangem...
Category
Early 18th Century English Queen Anne Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique French secretaire Napoleon 3
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful French napoleon 3 secretaire, it has a beautiful inlaid, made of rosewood,
ALL SALES ARE FINAL, STORE CREDIT OR EXCHANGE ONLY
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Raymond Loewy Secretary Desk for Mengel Furniture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oak secretary desk by Raymond Loewy for Mengel Furniture c.1950s, USA. This drop front oak desk features three cerused front oak drawers. The interior of the desk has drawers and she...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Oak
20th Century Inlaid Wood and Gilt Bronze French Bureau, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
French bureau from 20th century. Furniture with high leg, pleasantly inlaid with floral decorations in rosewood, palisander, mahogany, maple, tulipwood and fruitwood. Bureau finished...
Category
1960s French Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Biedermeier Secretary with Secret Compartment, Germany circa 1830
Located in Greven, DE
Antique standing secretary
North Germany
Biedermeier around 1830
Dimensions: H x W x D: 151 x 99 x 49 cm
Description:
Writing desk standing on lion's paws with a protruding plinth...
Category
1830s German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Maple, 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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