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Secretaires For Sale
Period: Mid-20th Century
Period: 1940s
Danish Modern Walnut Secretary Desk
Located in Pasadena, TX
Danish Modern Walnut Secretary Standing Desk
Pull down cabinet that can serve as standing desk
One shelf
Four solid walnut tapered legs
Category
1960s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Teak
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
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
Kai Winding Bureau / Secretaire Produced by Cabinetmaker P. Jeppesen in Denmark
By Kai Winding
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Very rare bureau / secretaire designed by Kai Winding. Produced by cabinetmaker P. Jeppesen in Denmark.
Dimensions (W x D x H): 100 x 46.5 (83) x 104 (68) cm.
Category
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
Tiger Maple Secretary Chippendale Style
Located in New York, NY
Mid century tiger maple secretary hand made by renowned cabinet maker Kurt Richeburg Hanover MA. Signed on back LeFort - Kurt Richenburg Hanover ...
Category
1960s American Chippendale Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Maple
Gilbert Rohde Paldao Secretary Display Case for Herman Miller
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bookcase with drop-front secretary desk and storage drawers in paldao wood. Glass dividers separate storage compartments, and cork-lined back. Retains Herman Miller tag. Great origin...
Category
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Paldao
20th Century Inlaid Wood French Bureau Desk, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
French bureau with high leg from the 20th century. Furniture finished for the center veneered in walnut, rosewood, mahogany and fruitwood adorned with floral inlay. Bureau equipped w...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Art Deco Bar Trolley in Style of Jacques Adnet with Original Mirror France 1930s
Located in Ulm, DE
Art Deco bar trolley in style of Jacques Adnet
Real wood veneer
Handles and wheels in copper
To open on one side with double doors
Tabletop with old mirror (blind spots)
New m...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Copper
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
Mid Century Glazed Cabinet, UP Závody, Czechoslovakia, 1960´S
By Up Závody
Located in Prague 8, CZ
Multi-purpose glazed cabinet, made for ÚP Závody in the 1960s. Made in a combination of ash, elm, maple, walnut, birch and poplar wood. Glazed upper part. It...
Category
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Ash, Birch, Elm, Maple, Poplar, Walnut
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
Italian Olive Burl Wood Bombe Secretary Vanity with Display Top & Matching Chair
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous Italian bombe drop front secretary cabinet in olive wood with the matching chair. Bookcase top with Two drawers with brass hardware and exquisite cabriole legs. Expert craft...
Category
1940s Italian Baroque Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
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
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
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
Fully Restored Midcentury Sideboard U-452 by Jiří Jiroutek, 1960´s, Czechoslova
Located in Prague 8, CZ
Midcentury sideboard-cabinet with sliding doors, catalogue No. U-452, designed by Jiri Jiroutek. It´s made of beechwood, veneer, plywood and laminate. In excellent condition, fully r...
Category
1960s Czech Scandinavian Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Laminate, Wood, Beech, Plywood
Art Deco English Compact Walnut Writing Desk, 1930s
Located in Devon, England
For your consideration is this lovely and totally original walnut desk dating from the 1930s. Compact in size this little desk is perfect if the space available is limited and of con...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
André Sornay Secretaire, circa 1930
By Andre Sornay
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Andre´ Sornay secretaire, circa 1930
Signed.
Restored.
Certificate of authenticity from Thierry Roche, French expert for Andre´ Sornay.
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Unique Symmetrical Art Deco Desk French Style
Located in Oakland, CA
Unique Art Deco desk has truly unusual and lyrical lines. The undulating base opens to reveal secret storage along with the two drawers on both sides. We like those square drawer pul...
Category
1930s Argentine Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Burl
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
In the Manner of Jean Pascaud, Art Deco Drop Front Secretary, France, circa 1935
By Jean Pascaud
Located in New York, NY
Art Deco drop front secretary in the manner of Jean Pascaud. Made in France, circa 1935. Sycamore with a giltwood base, mahogany interior...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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 single drawer & a white marble top. (stamped: JANSEN)
Category
1940s French Louis XVI Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
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
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
Rare Lajos Kozma Bar Cabinet or Secretary
By Lajos Kozma
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Stunning and rare 1930s marquetry starburst front bar cabinet or secretary by Hungarian architect Lajos Kozma. The cabinet is in wonderful original condition with very few signs of age.
Category
1930s Hungarian Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood, Walnut
Secretaire / Scriban Art Deco in Maple Veneer, circa 1950
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Secretaire / scriban art deco in maple veneer, circa 1950
Medium condition, small lack of wood, veneer, varnish to redo.
Category
1950s European Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Maple
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
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
Scandinavian Modern Teak Sideboard
By Bodafors
Located in New York, NY
A multifunctional piece, this piece was primarily used to hold the traditional and festive Smörgåsbord, the centerpiece of every holiday, as well as storing the dishes, table linens ...
Category
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Teak
Unique Secretary attributed to Rene Prou, 1950s
By René Prou
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique secretary or writing table attributed to French designer Rene Prou. In Sycamore with unusual curved facade and sides. Three drawers front with original mirrored hardware...
Category
1950s French Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Sycamore
French Art Deco Secretary Attributed to René Prou
By René Prou
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful French sycamore veneer secretary framed with gilded brass details, the fall front decorated with the original cafe au lait coloured leather, inside is the drawer and elegan...
Category
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Sycamore
20th Century Dutch Writing Cabinet, 1960s
Located in Den Haag, NL
Dutch writing cabinet hand built by a master craftsman, circa 1960s featuring ornate inlay work and numerous drawers and compartments. Very impressive piece and great quality.
Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Wood
French Art Deco Secretary in Mahogany and Parchment
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Tall Art Deco secretary in mahogany with dark stained border. Parchment door with gold leaf criss cross design opens to writing table with interior compartments. Three drawers with o...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Gold Leaf
Frank Brangwyn a Rare Desk Originally Designed for the 1931 Pollard Exhibition
By Frank Brangwyn, E. Pollard & Co
Located in London, GB
Frank Brangwyn. E Pollard and Co.
A rare desk originally designed for the 1931 Pollard Exhibition where it can be seen in a room setting in the original photographs from 1931. See ...
Category
1930s English Art Deco Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Sycamore
Secretary or Bar
By Aldo Tura
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
Commissioned painted parchment and rosewood drop front secretary or bar with mirrored shelves behind two doors above. Each panel signed by Carlor.
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Parchment Paper
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
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
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian Secretary in Rio Rosewood by Dyrlund
By Dyrlund
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian writing desk of rosewood, front with two drawers and folding top, behind which shelves and drawers. Manufact...
Category
1960s Danish Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood
Dutch Rococo Style Bombe Burled Walnut Secretaire
Located in Chicago, IL
Dutch Rococo style burled walnut bombe front secretaire with carved ball and claw feet. Three drawers with cast brass pulls and cast brass detailed key ho...
Category
1940s Dutch Rococo Revival Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Country French Walnut Baker Secretary with Drop Desk Mini Bar and Lattice Doors
Located in Asheville, NC
Marvelous walnut cabinets with dental moulding, rose floral trim, metal lattice doors, leather top drop desk with Baker key, brass hinges and handles. Mirror...
Category
Mid-20th Century English French Provincial Secretaires
Materials
Fruitwood
Danish Modern Ejnar Larsen & Aksel Bender Madsen Teak & Oak Hutch
Located in Minneapolis, MN
An older design by Aksel Bender and Ejner Larsen. This hutch is likely part of a series of modular cabinets. Ours has a lower set of drawers in oak with sculpted teak pulls. Upper ha...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Teak
Grosfeld House 1940s Secretary 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 sunburs...
Category
1940s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
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
20th Century Inlaid Wood Genoese Trumeau, 1930
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Elegant Genoese trumeau of the first half of the 20th century. Double body furniture of high-quality in kingwood, rosewood and burl. Lower body with bureau having three external draw...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Kingwood, Rosewood, Burl
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
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
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
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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