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Secretaires For Sale
Style: Mid-Century Modern
Style: Empire
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
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
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
Gordon Russell Bureau Desk, 1938, Stunning Original and Unique Piece
Located in London, GB
Gordon Russell, c. 1938
Bureau (desk, secretaire)
Walnut with brass and chrome fittings.
Original metal label to rear.
This is a rare item and a superb example of the best of B...
Category
1930s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Walnut, 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
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
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
Poul Hundevad Rosewood - Drop Desk - Wall Unit Bookcase
Located in Wallkill, NY
Stunning rose wood book case or desk. Sliding door on the bottom with file draw and shelving. Two pieces. Top is shelves with a locked drop down desk on...
Category
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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
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
Antonino Gorgone Midcentury Secretaire / Desk Cabinet, Italy, circa 1950
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Italian midcentury writing desk / secretaire in Italian cherry. It has an extractable writing leaf.
Designer: Stabilimenti Napoli
Manufacturer: Antonino Gorgone...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Cherry
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
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
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
1960s Danish Modern Tall Wardrobe / Entry Piece / Hall Stand in Rosewood
Located in Berkeley, CA
Origin: Denmark
Designer: Unknown
Manufacturer: Unknown
Era: 1960s
Dimensions: 35.5? wide x 12.5? deep x 71? tall
Condition: In excellent original condition with some light vi...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood
Paolo Buffa from Cav. Arrighi Serafino Mobili d'Arte Cantu Bookcase, 1950s Italy
By Cantu, Paolo Buffa
Located in Lucca, IT
Bookcase Trumeau by Paolo Buffa from Cav. Arrighi Serafino Mobili d'Arte Cantu, 1950s, Italy.
Rosewood and legs and handle in original brass. It bears the mark of origin in brass ins...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
20th Century Swedish Birchwood Secretaire by A.B. Svenska Moebel Fabrikerna ‘SMF
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A vintage Mid-Century Modern Swedish secretary desk signed by the A.B. Svenska Moebel Fabrikerna (SMF), one of the largest furniture manufacture...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Materials
Birch, Jacaranda
Secretary Desk Attributed to Gio Ponti
By Gio Ponti
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Wonderful Italian pear wood secretary featuring a reverse painted glass top supported by compass like legs ending in heavy brass sabots. Above the desk are book shelves and an off c...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Tall Mid-Century Highboy Drop Front Secretary
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Unique highboy dresser with burl wood drop font writing surface with fitted insert. Additional storage drawers above and below. Please confirm item location (NY or NJ) with dealer.
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Walnut, Burl
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 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
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
1940s Osvaldo Borsani Secretaire
Located in Hanover, MA
Rare and very unusual piece of Italian modern design.
Vintage 1940s Italian bow-fronted secretary in walnut with seven drawers with brass ring pulls, attributed to Osvaldo Borsani.
T...
Category
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Walnut, Goatskin
Lacquered Wood Desk by Stilka, Argentina, circa 1970
By Stilka
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Lacquered wood desk by Stilka, Argentina, circa 1970.
Category
1960s Argentine Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood
1950 Compact Home Office Desk in Oak and Blond Wood
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
1950 compact home office desk in oak and blond wood
Interesting desk storage.
Measures: 115 x 87 x 54 cm closed.
115 x 175 x 70 cm open.
Category
1950s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Sycamore
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
Mid-Century Modern Secretary Cabinet, Walnut, Flap Door, Secret Drawer - France
Located in Girona, ES
Walnut secretaire cabinet with a flap door and a secret drawer, French polish.
France, circa 1940.
Category
1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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
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
Italian mid-century wood archive stand, 1940s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century wood archive stand, 1940s
Walnut archive dresser from forties, made in Italy. 28 drawers, with brass handles, were used to manage months and months of job, and st...
Category
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
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
Large Robsjohn-Gibbings Dresser Secretary w Bookcase
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-century modern Robsjohn Gibbings walnut multifunction cabinet.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
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
1950 Compact Home Office Desk in Mahogany and Blond Wood
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
1950 compact home office desk in mahogany and blond wood.
Original lamp.
Interesting desk storage.
114 x 82 x 53 cm closed.
114 x 164 x 50 cm open.
Category
1950s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Sycamore
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
Early 19th Century French Empire Flame Mahogany Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in Miami, FL
Classic antique French Empire drop front "abattant" secretary desk made with magnificent high quality flame mahogany adorned with bronze doré mounts and its original gray marble top....
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Hollywood Regency Secretary Desk Secretaire Bookcase w/ Chinese Motif
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Hollywood Regency secretary desk secretaire bookcase with hand-painted Chinese motif featuring a breakfront cabinet with a small secretary ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Flame Mahogany and Gilt Bronze Commode with Rouge Griotte By Molitor
By Molitor
Located in Stamford, CT
A superbly crafted French Empire commode with Rouge Griotte marble top by Molitor. A pair of these commodes were acquired by King Jerome between 1809 and 1812 and listed in the i...
Category
Early 1800s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Rare Colored Italian Dry Bar Cabinet and Secretary Mid-Century Modern
Located in Rome, IT
Particular dry bar cabinet in wood covered with formica, Italy, circa 1950.
The left upper cabin contains a mirror which lights up at the opening.
The left lower cabin is composed ...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Étagères by Paul McCobb for Calvin Furniture
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A well scaled Mid-Century Modern étagère in bleached walnut designed by Paul McCobb. The cabinet or shelf set is constructed in solid walnut wood and brass and features two separate ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
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
Extremely Decorative Secretary Empire Style with Dummies Books
Located in Berlin, DE
Noble veneer on solid softwood. Rectangular body on chiseled bronze claw feet. Architecturally structured front with dummy and brass framed brass frames. Slightly conical pilasters o...
Category
20th Century Empire Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Antique North German/Danish Empire Cylinder-Top Secretary with Bookcase, c. 1815
Located in Miami, FL
From the Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany, once part of Denmark, a very handsome Empire secretary with bookcase in ash with inlays and marquetry silhouettes of neoclassical Roman images. Cylinder top opens to a pull-out desk which offers a felt-lined lectern or writing surface flanked by sliding storage compartments, as well as a series of small drawers and a central cabinet. Above desk, are three cupboards and below, there are three long drawers. Northern Germany or from the Danish Jutland region, circa 1815.
Note: Green baize on writing surface can be replaced with leather.
Measures: 46" wide x 21" deep x 83" high (With desk top open...
Category
Early 19th Century German Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ash
Unique Austrian Empire Secretary/Writing Desk, Material Mahogany, Wien 1820-1829
Located in Horomerice, CZ
Empire secretary or writing desk, (Cylinder)
Material: Mahogany.
Completely restored, Shellac polish.
Period: 1820-1829
Source: Austria, Wien.
We guarantee safe a the cheapest air ...
Category
1820s Austrian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
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
James Mont Cinnabar Lacquered Secretaire
By James Mont
Located in Hanover, MA
Extremely rare, possibly one of a kind, secretary cabinet with bookcase by the godfather of exotic modernism, James Mont, circa 1950. Hand rubbed cinnabar lacquered...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
19th Century French Empire Walnut Fall-Front Secretaire
Located in Southampton, NY
Grey marble top above a single long drawer, two columns with gilded detailing on either side of fall-front desk enclosing six small drawers surrounding one larger drawer and original...
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Walnut, Giltwood
1950s Secretaire Troumeau Desk, by Permanente Mobili Cantù, Gio Ponti Style
By Gio Ponti
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Midcentury precious, refined and treated in detail three drawers with flap on top, from Cantù, in blonde hand carved walnut, Gio Ponti style. Excellent patina, polished to wax
Measu...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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
Antique Mahogany Empire Secretary with Extraordinary Inlay, circa 1810-1820
Located in Round Top, TX
Extraordinary antique Empire secretary desk circa 1810-1820 from Denmark or N. Germany. The cabinet is made in three sections and covered...
Category
Early 19th Century Danish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
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
Russian Mahogany Secretary Bookcase
Located in New York, NY
Russian (18th Century) mahogany secretary bookcase with brass gallery pediment and trim with 2 front doors revealing 3 drawers and shelves ...
Category
Late 18th Century Russian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
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
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
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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