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Secretaires For Sale
19th Century Empire Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant, Chest France
Located in Miami, FL
Secretaire a abattant, France circa 1820, Biedermeier period. The outside with fall front and two drawers flanked by two ebonized columns shows a beautiful oak veneer design. The woo...
Category

Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Antique 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

19th Century American Federal Secretary, Seymour School, Boston
By John & Thomas Seymour
Located in Essex, MA
Important American Federal Period Secretary. School of John and Thomas Seymour, Boston, circa 1820. Mahogany and Mahogany Veneered Case on Pine Secondary Wood. Two Gothic Fenestra...
Category

Early 19th Century American Federal Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

Vintage Thomasville Georgian Flame Mahogany Blockfront Secretary Desk
Located in Germantown, MD
This Georgian style traditional block front secretary desk is matched flame grain mahogany is signed Thomasville Original finish in fine c...
Category

Late 20th Century Georgian Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

French 19th Century Walnut Secretary
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A wonderful walnut secretary desk. The desk can be separated into two bodies: the lower writing surface, and the upper glass-front cabinet. The writing surface is covered in beautifu...
Category

19th Century French Other Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Antique Victorian Mahogany Spinet Piano Style Flip Top Secretary Writing Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Victorian Mahogany Spinet Piano Style Flip Top Secretary Writing Desk. Item features 3 drawers, pull out writing surface, flip top, very nice vintage desk. Circa Early 20th ...
Category

Early 20th Century Victorian Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

English Georgian Style Oak Marquetry Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Distinctive English Georgian fall front or drop front secretaire desk crafted from oak. The secretary features lovely marquetry inlay on the slanted front and the drawer fronts. The ...
Category

20th Century English Georgian Secretaires

Materials

Oak, Satinwood

Biedermeier Secretaire, Cherry Veneer, Ebonized, Brass, South Germany circa 1820
Located in Regensburg, DE
Straightened early Biedermeier Secretaire or Drop-Front Secretary / Writing Desk in Cherry Veneer from South Germany around 1820. Neoclas...
Category

Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass, Iron

Italian 18th Century Walnut Slant-Front Secretaire with Ash Inlay and Marquetry
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian walnut and ash slant-front secretaire from the 18th century with three drawers and star shaped marquetry. This exquisite 18th-century Italian slant-front secretaire, craft...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Ash, Walnut

Late 18th Century Secretaire with Architectural Marquetry, Italy, circa 1770
Located in Greven, DE
Antique top secretary Italy various precious woods second half 18th century Dimensions: H x W x D: 219 x 89 x 50 cm Description: Slender and well-proportioned secretary with architectural marquetry. Two-piece piece of furniture standing on slightly curved stud feet. The three lower drawers are veneered diagonally and mirrored starting...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Two Part Pine Bureau, Scandinavian Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A 18th - 19th Century, dark-grey antique Swedish Gustavian two part bureau with a writing flap made of hand crafted painted pinewood, in good condition. The Scandinavian secretaire i...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Metal, Bronze

18th Century French Folding Secrétaire in Walnut Veneer, Époque Directoire
Located in Sofia, BG
19th century folding secretary in walnut veneer and flamed mahogany opening to a drawer in the upper part and three drawers in the lower part, the fluted uprights resting on small sp...
Category

Late 18th Century French Directoire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Marble

Fine Black Lacquer Chinoiserie Secretary
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A black lacquer chinoiserie secretary in two parts. The upper cabinet with two doors that open to reveal 2 shelves, 4 pigeon holes ...
Category

20th Century Chinoiserie Secretaires

Materials

Wood

1950 Compact Home Office Desk in walnut and Blond Wood
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
1950 compact home office desk in walnut 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

Sycamore, Walnut

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

Rare Northern Swedish Antique Pine Secretary Clock Desk
Located in Kramfors, SE
Rare Swedish antique clock secretary desk made around 1820 to 1840 in northern Sweden. The desk and body of the clock are made by hand in solid ...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Country Antique Secretaires

Materials

Pine

English Chippendale Kingwood Military Campaign Chest with Secretary, Circa 1780
Located in Charleston, SC
English Chippendale Kingwood Military Campaign graduated chest with an upper drawer fitted with a hinged fall front secretary revealing a central prospect door with a secret interior drawer, flanking pigeon holes with eight interior drawers, top edge carved with an egg & dart border, three graduated lower case drawers, original recessed brasses and escutcheons, and resting on a carved egg & dart rope skirt with the original bun feet. Late 18th Century Campaign...
Category

1780s English Campaign Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Vintage Cresent Queen Anne Style Cherry Secretary Writing Desk Bookcase Bureau
Located in Dayton, OH
Beautiful Queen Anne style secretary desk and bookcase by Cresent Manufacturing Company, circa 1970s. Made from cherry with a natural distre...
Category

1970s Queen Anne Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Glass, Cherry

19th Century Country French Louis XVI Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century Country French Louis XVI secretary is a truly astonishing work of the cabinetmaker's art! Hand-crafted from solid old-growth in...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires

Materials

Oak

Stunning Poul Hundevad Rosewood Secretary Cabinet , Denmark
Located in Buffalo, NY
Danish modern, two piece, book matched rosewood, bookcase secretary cabinet by Poul Hundevad ... Birch wood interior,,, features a 26 inch height bottom cabinet with sliding doors, a...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Birch, Rosewood

Louis XV Secretary Desk, France 18th century
Located in Belmont, MA
Exquisite 18th-Century Louis XV Secretary Desk This stunning Louis XV Secretary Desk, dating back to 1770, showcases the elegance of 18th-century Fr...
Category

1760s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Kingwood, Rosewood

French 19th Century Empire Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A statley 19th century mahogany secre´taire a` abattant from France, circa 1810. This desk has an exceptional charcoal marble top resting above a single drawer disguised into the apron. Just below the top drawer, the front of the desk folds forward to reveal a work area inset with vibrant red leather detailed with gold tooling. The leather is in great antique condition making this a comfortable place to work. When open, you can see the theatre is equipped with five drawers and a large, arched top cubby flanked with column forms. With the desk down the maximum depth is 32”; the writing surface is 28-½” heigh. The desk front...
Category

19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Marble, Brass

Italian Venetian Chinoiserie and Creme Paint Decorated Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a rare form of Louis XV style Italian-made secretary desk with chinoiserie painted cranes and various scenes in gold raised detail. The desk is in good condition and will sho...
Category

1950s Italian Louis XV Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Original 18th Century Venetian Secretary Desk Bookcase burled walnut with inlaid
Located in Vigonza, Padua
What makes this piece unique and special is its originali twist to the characteristic Secretaire, a must-have object among Venetian aristocratic families that could not be missing in...
Category

Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

English 19th Century Mahogany Secretary with Arched Pediment with Inlay
Located in Atlanta, GA
English 19th Century Mahogany Secretary with Arched Pediment with Inlay and Crossbanding
Category

19th Century English Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

Midcentury Secretary Desk in teak by Bernhard pedersen & Son , Denmark, 1960’s
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Midcentury Secretary Desk in teak by Bernhard pedersen & Son , Denmark, 1960’s Dimensions: Width: 106 cm Depth: 44 cm Height: 103 cm It is in good vintage condition, however, ...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Teak

A George I Style Burl Walnut Secretary Desk, England
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A beautifully detailed and well appointed Georgian style secretary desk, made in England. The dovetailed drawers with brass hardware with a l...
Category

20th Century English George I Secretaires

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Midcentury Cabinet or Highboard by František Mezulánik for UP Závody, 1960s
Located in Praha, CZ
Rare mid-century cabinet/highboard, made by František Mezulánik for UP Závody, in the 1960's. Made of wood. Cleaned, applied reviving oil, shows signs of age, overall in good shape. ...
Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Midcentury Danish vintage Secretary /Make up by Dyrlund, 1960s
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Midcentury Danish vintage Secretary by Dyrlund, 1960s Secretary of Dyrlund in teak. 4 drawers. Pulling out the first drawer opens the writing desk. Under the writing tablet is a mi...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Teak

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

19th Century Hand Painted Secretary with Hidden Drawers and Floral Decorations
Located in Sofia, BG
Secretary with "lacquered" decoration in the style of Coromandel lacquers decorated with chrysanthemums, flower vases and other beautiful objects. Rectangular, it opens with four dra...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Intarsia Secretary
Located in New York, NY
Handcrafted, this piece has been obviously been designed and created with love. Elegant intarsia inlays adorn the outside of this case piece. Inside hides a whimsical array of storag...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Birch

Antique Victorian Painted Grain Dragon Griffon Secretary Library Writing Desk
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Early 20th Century Victorian style secretary writing desk featuring painted grain finish and dragon / serpent / griffon carving. The desk opens to large writing surface with...
Category

Early 20th Century Victorian Secretaires

Materials

Hardwood

18th Century Grey Swedish Gustavian Pine Two Part Bureau - Antique Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A 18th Century, light-grey, white antique Swedish Gustavian two part bureau made of hand crafted painted Pinewood, in good condition. The Scandinavian secretaire is composed with two...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Metal

Mid 19th Century French Semainier or High Chest with Secretary Compartement
Located in Greven, DE
Antique pier chest of drawers with secretary compartment - so-called Semainier Galbé France Rosewood circa 1870 Dimensions: H x W x D: 128 x 81 x 42 cm Description: Lavishly decor...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires

Materials

Rosewood

18th Century Swedish Slant Front Desk, Circa 1780, in Soft Grey Paint
Located in Atlanta, GA
An elegant 18th-century Swedish slant front desk, circa 1780, featuring a classic Gustavian form and later painted surface. The exterior has been repainted in a soft grey tone, lendi...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Secretaires

Materials

Pine

Modernist Pander Cabinet
Located in Dronten, NL
Beautiful Mid-Century Modern cabinet made by Pander & Zonen, renown Dutch manufacturer of high-end furniture in the first half of the 20th Century. Pander worked with important inter...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Secretaires

Materials

Ash

Biedermeier Secretary Desk, South German, 1820
Located in Belmont, MA
Biedermeier secretary desk, South German 1820. This unique and very beautiful secretary desk dates back to the early phase of the Biedermeie...
Category

1820s German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Elm, Walnut

Late 19th Century Italian Walnut Burl Inlaid Louis XIV Secretary Drop Leaf Desk
Located in Encinitas, CA
Late 19th Century Italian Walnut Burl Inlaid Louis XIV Secretary Drop Leaf Desk. Trim three-drawer bureau chest featuring secretary drop lid with lock and key revealing small drawers and compartments. Beautiful walnut veneers and solids with rosewood inlaid detail. Handsome hardware, hinges and pulls. Lock and key. Due to the curved shape of the desk and components, some measures are a close approximation. Exterior measures of the desk: 39" W x 20.5" D x 40.75" H 99.1 cm W x 52 cm D x 103.5 cm H Opened drop lid desk...
Category

Late 19th Century Italian Louis XIV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

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

Rhode Island Empire Butler's Chest of Drawers with Desk in Mahogany, circa 1825
Located in Miami, FL
A beautiful example of an early American Empire chest with full-column front and stand-up butlers desk. Provides ample storage as a chest of drawers, and doubles as a secretary with ...
Category

1820s American American Empire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Louis XVI Fall Front Desk
Located in Westwood, NJ
Crafted from mahogany and morado, and delicately line-strung for contrast, this secrétaire à abattant, disguised as a Semanier dresser, is a masterful expression of late 18th-century...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Louis XVI Secretaires

Materials

Brass

Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in New York, NY
A strong, elegant piece to keep you perfectly organized! Crafted of hand-hewn fir and ash and veneered with thick hand-cut ash veneers, this chest offers storage for everything. A lo...
Category

1850s Swedish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires

Materials

Ash

Danish Modern Rosewood Secretary Desk
Located in Fulton, CA
A Danish Modern drop-front or secretary desk with 3 drawers and writing surface. Beautiful rosewood grain with a deep and rich patina. Desk retains its original finish and is in exce...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Secretaires

Materials

Rosewood

Louis XVI Secretary with Cylinder Top & Tambour Front Northern Europe circa 1800
Located in Miami, FL
A Louis XVI secretary desk in mahogany with satinwood inlays. Offers a cylinder top that opens to reveal a series of small drawers surrounding...
Category

Early 19th Century European Louis XVI Antique Secretaires

Materials

Leather, Mahogany, Satinwood

Bright and Beautiful Italian-Made Rococo Paint Decorated Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a stunning and absolutely charming bright creme and green trimmed paint decoration. The interior reveals cubbies and a nice patina from age to both the case, the interior and...
Category

1950s Italian Rococo Revival Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Chest of Drawers / Secretary in Dutch Style Marquetry Holland Design
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Chest of drawers in Dutch style from the beginning of the century. Entirely inlaid with floral decoration, with brass handles and a lion paw shaped base. The upper part consists of...
Category

1910s Dutch Dutch Colonial Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Wood

Gillows of Lancaster Bonheur Du Jour.
Located in Batley, GB
An early 19th century Gillows Ladies writing desk or Bonheur de Jour. Raised on 4 reeded legs and waterfall open shelves to the upper with faux bamboo supports. The single drawer ret...
Category

Early 19th Century British Georgian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Mengel Drop Front Secretary Desk by Raymond Loewy
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome vintage Mid-Century Modern Mengel drop front secretary desk by Raymond Loewy. Comprised of an oak case, cerused oak drawer fronts, and blac...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Secretaires

Materials

Metal

Antique French Louis XVI Inlaid Rosewood Secretaire Abattant Desk Dresser, 1880
Located in Portland, OR
A good quality antique French inlaid marquetry Rosewood secretaire abattant, circa 1880. Made from the finest rosewood and of serpentine or bombe shape, with a Carrara marble top, th...
Category

Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires

Materials

Marble

English secretary bookcase Arts&Crats 1910
Located in Meulebeke, BE
This English secretary bookcase in arts & crafts style is a beautiful piece of furniture that expresses both elegance and functionality. The secretary bookcase was made around 1910 i...
Category

1910s English Arts and Crafts Vintage Secretaires

Materials

Copper

Secretary Cabinet by Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann
Located in Lyndhurst, NJ
A Macassar ebony secretaire side cabinet with a rectangular stepped top above an open recess and a fall front enclosing a fitted interior, flan...
Category

Early 20th Century Secretaires

Materials

Macassar

Antique Tall Davenport, English, Walnut, Bureau Cabinet, Victorian, Circa 1860
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a fine antique tall Davenport. An English walnut, boxwood and rosewood bureau cabinet, dating to the mid Victorian period, circa 1860. A strikingly decorative and practical w...
Category

1860s British Victorian Antique Secretaires

Materials

Boxwood, Rosewood, Walnut

Antique Italian or Dutch Small Rococo Bombe Secretary Desk w/ Marquetry, c 1870
Located in Miami, FL
An exquisite 19th century Rococo secretary in mahogany with bombe front & sides, with floral & foliate inlays in tulipwood, kingwood & satinwood on the top, front panels of the drawe...
Category

Mid-18th Century Dutch Rococo Antique Secretaires

Materials

Mahogany, Satinwood, Kingwood, Tulipwood

17th Century Spanish Vargueno with Decoupage Exterior on Baroque Style Base
Located in Milford, NH
An exceptional Spanish vargueno or collector cabinet with a sophisticated assemblage of decorated drawers and cabinets on the interior with columnar accents. The exterior with except...
Category

17th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Secretaires

Materials

Wrought Iron

Fantastic Paint Decorated Faux Marble Interior Venetian Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is an extraordinary secretary desk in the Venetian style. The interior is done in faux marble paint decoration and the exterior is done in a floral and green combination. The de...
Category

Early 1900s Italian Louis XV Antique Secretaires

Materials

Walnut

Large Italian Bureau 18th Century Inlayed Walnut Chest of Drawers with Flap
Located in Milano, MI
An Italian monumental sized bureau with flap dating back to the second half of 18th century. Three deep drawers and a fall-front opening to reveal a fitted interior with six small dr...
Category

1770s Italian Directoire Antique Secretaires

Materials

Cherry, Maple, Walnut

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

Danish Teak Secretary Desk with Hidden Vanity Mirror
Located in Oakland, CA
Danish teak secretary desk crafted of teak with book-matched grain across the drawers. The secretary features a pull-out writing surface over three drawers. A pair of sliding glass c...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Secretaires

Materials

Glass, Teak

Hollywood Swank Faux Gator Highboy Secretary Desk Combination by Michael Amini
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Elevate your workspace with the Hollywood Swank Faux Gator Highboy Secretary Desk by Michael Amini. This luxurious piece combines faux gator skin tex...
Category

1990s Chinese Modern Secretaires

Materials

Chrome

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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