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Secretaires For Sale
Period: 19th Century
Period: 1950s
French 19th Century Inlay Lady’s Desk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This is a darling petite lady’s writing desk from France circa 1850. Sleek and uncluttered design, typical of its Louis XVI style. A wonderful white marble top is encircled by an ele...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Stone, Marble, Metal, Brass
Unique Venetian Italian Paint Decorated Secretary Desk with Bookcase Circa 1890s
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
For customers that require professional insured delivery we are proud to have teamed up with a nationwide professional delivery company that will assist with coordinating your delive...
Category
1890s Italian Neoclassical Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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
Important Napoleon III Cylinder Secretary
Located in BARSAC, FR
Magnificent and very imposing Napoleon III cylinder secretary made of burl walnut and solid walnut.
Mounted on plinths, it has eight drawers in f...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Biedermeier Writing Desk Chiffonier Secrétaire Cabinet Swedish Ormolu Detail
Located in LONDON, GB
Swedish antique Biedermeier writing desk chiffonier secrétaire cabinet in highly quilted golden birch veneers and finished in the Classic light h...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch
Edmondo Palutari Teak Highboard, Made by Dassi Mobili Iterni, 1960s
Located in Wolfurt, AT
This sideboard is made of teak and finished with brass details. It can also be used as a secretary through the door on the right side of the closet. The versatile sideboard offers pl...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Ornately Carved English Oak Library Bureau Bookcase Lion's Head Brass Handles
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare and highly collectable, ornately carved, circa 1860 Jacobean revival, Antique Library Bureau bookcase
Please note the delivery fe...
Category
1860s English Jacobean Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Ladies Desk, Secretaire En Pente, Bureau De Dames, France, 19th Century
Located in Greven, DE
Antique ladies' desk - Bureau des Dames - Secretaire en Pente.
France
second half of 19th century
Dimensions: H x W x D: 99 x 92 x 49 cm
Description:
Impressively beautifu...
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
François Linke, Ormolu and Mahogany Secretaire After Riesener
Located in BARSAC, FR
Large Louis XVI style secretaire in mahogany marquetry in frames of light wood and ebony fillets, rich ornamentation of very finely chiseled gilt bronze such as flower garlands, inte...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Very Fine 19th Century French Louis XVI Marquetry Secretaire Abattant by Diehl.
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine 19th century Louis XVI marquetry inlay secretaire A Abattant by Charles Diehl. Kingwood, satinwood and tulipwood inlay with fine gilt bronze ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Regency Ebony Inlaid Secretaire Bookcase
Located in Greenwich, CT
Very fine Regency period mahogany bookcase cabinet with secretary drawer, the molded cornice with ebonized ball drops over two astragal glazed doors over satinwood fitted pull out se...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ebony, Mahogany, Satinwood
American Block Front Dropdown Mahogany Secretary Desk
Located in New York, NY
American (18/19th Century) block front mahogany secretary desk with a slant top drop front over 3 drawers supported on ogee bracket feet.
Category
19th Century American Country Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Monumental Antique Victorian Eastlake Walnut Secretary Desk & Bookcase Cabinet
Located in Dayton, OH
A massive towering Victorian era Eastlake secretary writing desk and bookcase, circa 1870s. Made from Walnut with a slant front desk over three draw...
Category
1870s Eastlake Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Walnut
Mid 19th Century Mahogany Roll Top Writing Desk
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
Roll bureau or roll secretary. Mid 19th century. Solid mahogany and veneered on oak.
Standing on 4 twisted turned table legs with 5 long frame d...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Oak
French Provincial Walnut Desk / Commode with Drop Down Front
Located in Essex, MA
A stunning French solid walnut commode with a fold-down secretary desk housed in its top drawer. The secretary is decorated with satinwood inlays throughout. The two drawer fronts have elegant brass pulls and decorative escutcheons. The top drawer/desk front...
Category
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Secretaires
Materials
Satinwood, Walnut
Late 19th Century Military Campaign Chest of Drawers, Secretary, Victorian, 1890
Located in Greven, DE
Antique ship's or captain's secretary, so-called Military Campaign Chest of Drawers
England
Mahogany, brass
Victorian around 1890
Dimensions: H x W x D: 135 x 92 x 52 cm
D...
Category
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th Century Louis Philippe Secretary Desk
Located in Opole, PL
We present you a Louis Philippe secretaire from the mid-19th century.
There are three bottom drawers, a removable board flush with the rest, and a narrow drawer with a concave-conve...
Category
1850s French Louis Philippe Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Antique English Regency Mahogany Secretary Bookcase, Circa 1890
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English Regency Mahogany Secretary bookcase, Circa 1890.
Category
Late 19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
Early 19th Century Swedish Folk Art Country Secretary Desk
Located in Kramfors, SE
Northern Swedish folk art secretary desk from the early 19th century, 1810 to 1820. The secretary is a genuine Swedish country house furniture in pine. The surface is very distressed and the wood and its structure shines trough the paint. The surface of this furniture sets it apart and gives that antique character that can’t be replicated.
A secretary is also a multipurpose furniture...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Folk Art Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Antique 19th Century Secretary Simulated Chiffonier, Napoleon III Period
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Antique 19th century secretary simulated chiffonier, Napoleon III period
A magnificent secretary simulated chiffonier. It is created with gre...
Category
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century English Chinoiserie Ladies Secretaire Writing Table
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Extraordinary 19th century English ladies secretaire desk or writing table. The two part desk was made in the Chinoiserie revival period of Europe ...
Category
19th Century English Chinoiserie Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique Swedish Secretary Cabinet 19th Century
Located in Houston, TX
19th Century Swedish Secretary Desk with open book shelves above the fall front desk and bottom cabinet doors. The desk section has multiple sma...
Category
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Swedish Country Empire Pine Secretaire
Located in Kramfors, SE
Unusual country secretaire from the empire period Northern Sweden, 1820 to 1840. Painted with the original faux paint and in original condition. The secretaire is made in Swedish pin...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Swedish Gustavian Green Dry Scraped Bureau
Located in Staffordshire, GB
circa 1800
Swedish Gustavian green dry scraped Bureau
(vat qualifying)
Measures: W 114 x D 57 x H 98cm.
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Vintage Walnut Bookshelf and Secretaire by Claudio Salocchi for Sormani, Italy
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1950s - 1960s.
This bookshelf and secretaire features a walnut frame with nickel-plated brass handles and black varnished metal feet, which are not original. As a matt...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Brass, Nickel
19th Century Georgian Bleached Pine Breakfront Bookcase
Located in Essex, MA
Wonderfully presented Georgian bleached pine breakfront bookcase. George II carved egg and dart in upper and middle moldings. Raw pine and finish may be original with cleaning over t...
Category
19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Empire secretaire à abattant, France around 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Secretary in mahogany veneer with two-door bottom part as well as dark marble shelf and fire-gilded fittings. Behind the writing flap with brown leather there are more drawers and co...
Category
1810s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Mid 19th Century French Louis Philippe Carved Walnut Secretary Cabinet, 1890s
Located in Miami, FL
Beautiful walnut secretary from the 19th century, it has a top drawer with a key, it also has a central folding door that hides three drawers (2 small and one larger) when opened, and a leather-upholstered desk...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Heavily Carved Oak Desk Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand carved in northern France circa 1860, the "secretaire a abattants" is both stylish and functional. The writing desk is crafted from solid oak wood and stands on cabriole legs en...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Oak
Curved Secretary, Rosewood and Lemon Tree, circa 1835-1840, Biedermeier Period
Located in CRÉTEIL, FR
Imposing curved secretary called "tulip" in rosewood and lemon marquetry decorated with arabesques and acanthus leaves.
It opens with two drawers in the upper part, a flap in the ...
Category
19th Century Restauration Antique Secretaires
Materials
Fruitwood, Rosewood
Antique Moroccan Desk or Escritoire
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Important 19th century Moroccan escritoire or desk crafted in mahogany with strong aesthetics movement influences. Featuring Moorish architectural references, floral and geometric bone inlays...
Category
Late 19th Century Moroccan Moorish Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
French Louis XVI Secretaire Abattant / Secretary desk, circa 1800
Located in Lucenec, SK
The secrétaire à abbatant or fall front desk is nearly identical to the desk 5th President James Monroe brought back from France in 1797. These desks are ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Danish Late Empire Mahogany With Inlay Bureau / Secretair
Located in Kastrup, DK
Rare Danish early 19th century secretary or slant front bureau.
Exquisitely crafted from mahogany with fabulous marquetry decoration in black n...
Category
Early 19th Century Danish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bone, Mahogany, Satinwood, Walnut
19th Century English Bonheur Du Jour Attributed To Gillows Of Lancaster
Located in Dublin, IE
A very fine 19th century Burr walnut, ebonised , ormolu and porcelain Bonheur du jour, the superstructure with pierced brass galleries above an open compartment with mirrored interio...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Antique French Marble Top Bombe Secretaire Chest
Located in London, GB
A stunning antique bombe shaped French secretaire chest with an original rouge marble top and pull down writing surface. This was made in France and dates from around the 1890-1900 p...
Category
1890s French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
19th Century George III Hepplewhite Cylinder Top Secretary Bookcase
Located in Essex, MA
Period Mahogany George III Hepplewhite Cylinder Top Secretary Bookcase. Tapered Legs. Maple inlaid top. Interior reveal leather writing surface and pigeon hole compartments. Beau...
Category
Early 19th Century English George III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Maple
19th Century Dutch Marquetry Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Generously scaled and proportioned with elaborate inlays inside and out -
- both figural and floral. Quality bombe' form.
The desk is raised upon paw feet.
A visually dramatic piece.
Category
19th Century Dutch Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th Century, French, Wooden Secretaire Vitrine
Located in High Point, NC
A vintage wooden vitrine from 19th century France. A gentle giant, this glass display case stands tall, emitting a powerful yet inviting ambienc...
Category
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Writing Desk Secretary
Located in San Angelo, TX
This beautiful and unique 19th century Swedish Gustavian writing desk is perfect for any room or hallway. The colors are amazing with th...
Category
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Pine, Paint
A Rare and Fine Early 19th Century William IV Irish Secretaire Bookcase
Located in Dublin, IE
A rare and fine early 19th Century William IV Irish flame mahogany secretaire bookcase, beautifully hand carved with a rich patina. The pediment with a stunning centred scallop shel...
Category
Early 19th Century Irish Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
Midcentury Studio Craft Small Dresser Top Jewelry Box 6-Drawer Walnut Brass
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Mid century studio craft small chest of drawers in solid walnut construction with wide detailed joinery. Very high quality construction with brass pulls. Custom made for top of dress...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
English 19th Century Black and Gold Secretary Bookcase with Chinoiserie Décor
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English black lacquer secretary bookcase from the 19th century, with glass doors, drop-front desk and gold Chinoiserie décor. Created in England during the 19th century, this secr...
Category
19th Century English Chinoiserie Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood
English Regency Style Mahogany and Satinwood Inlaid Carlton House Desk
Located in Vero Beach, FL
English Regency style mahogany and satinwood inlaid Carlton house desk.
Circa 1880 rare Carlton House desk, typical for the Regency period, is a beautiful piece of furniture. It i...
Category
19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Swedish Karl Johan Biedermeier Chest of Drawers with Pull Out Secretary in Birch
Located in Miami, FL
A very handsome birch Karl Johan Biedermeier chest of drawers with a drawer front fold down secretary. The drawer-front opens to an ample and beautiful ebonized and faux mahogany interior offering two letter drawers...
Category
1820s Swedish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch
Special 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Inlaid Parquetry Secretaire a Abattant
By Jean-Henri Riesener
Located in New York, NY
A Special Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Inlaid Parquetry Secretaire a Abattant
The shaped marble top above a long center frieze drawer with a large central bronze plaque of putti at play, the beautiful parquetry drop-down door centered with an elliptical gilt bronze panel depicting ”A Sacrifice to Love”, a classically dressed woman presenting an infant to Cupid, who stands on a pedestal, the plaque has ribbon tied flowers, the inside centered with a mirror surrounded by drawers and pigeonholes, the fall-front itself provides a black leather writing surface, the bottom doors opening to two more drawers and a shelf, the sides decorated with similar parquetry designs.
This piece is a copy of the 18th century Secretaire by Jean-Henri Riesener which is presently in the Wallace Collection...
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Swedish antique rustic Gustavian Secretary with Original Paint
Located in Boden, SE
A Swedish antique rustic Gustavian slant front secretary from early 19th century that is perfect for any home.
This originalpainted features a slanted top that pulls down to make a ...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Very Fine Amboyna Italian Secretaire Bookcase
Located in Seaford, GB
A superb piece of 19th Century Furniture, made in Italy predominantly from Amboyna wood but also Ebony. The 2 urns on top are bronze as are the mounts. The 2 top doors doors are fitted with plate glass and open to reveal 3 fully adjustable shelves, under this is the bureau section with drop down flap and leather writing surface, small drawers and pigeon holes. In the base a 2 door storage...
Category
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Amboyna
Italian 1850s Rococo Style Tall Secretary with Slanted Desk and Original Paint
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian Rococo style two-part secretary from the mid-19th century, with slanted desk, mirrored doors and original paint. How not to fall head over heels in love with this Rococo s...
Category
Mid-19th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Folk Art Writing Bureau or Secretaire
Located in Kramfors, SE
Painted writing bureau or secretaire from Sweden made during the early 1800s, 1810 to 1820. The bureau is a folk art furniture from the area Hälsingland in Sweden and is made in gustavian style. The bureau is a prime example of the Swedish gustavian period with clean, elegant lines and a timeless expression. A fun detail is the secret compartment hidden in the middle of the interior, see picture. This bureau is a solid antique furniture...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Large Secretaire With Flap In Marquetry, Late 19th Century
By Jean-François Oeben
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Massive secretaire with flap in marquetry of cubes on the doors and sides and bronzes (partly gilded): the flap covered with leather inside opens on...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Antique Painted Gustavian Grey/White Secretary with Fall-Front & Birch Interior
Located in Miami, FL
A very lovely Louis Philippe fall-front secretary in pine with a light Gustavian-grey/white painted finish, and original French-polished birch wood interior. Features a carved bonnet...
Category
Mid-19th Century German Louis Philippe 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
Walnut Directory Secretary
Located in Madison, MS
This directory secretary was crafted in 1810, yet the condition of this desk seems practically new. The dark wood color is a beautiful stained walnut. There are two big lower drawers...
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century Swedish Country Folk Art Writing Bureau
Located in Kramfors, SE
Country home writing bureau in folk art from northern Sweden. The bureau is from around 1820 to 1830 and has a writing desk with interior drawers with brass drawer pulls. Underneath ...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Country Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
French Empire Brass Mounted, Light Walnut, & Ebonized Secretary, 1stq 19th Cen.
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a rectangular top above a conforming case housing three drawers, one faux drawer, and a fall front desk with a leather writing surface and interior shelving and secret drawers...
Category
1810s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century "Secretaire Abattant" Style Standing Drop Front Desk
Located in Madrid, ES
A striking 19th century "Secretaire Abattant" style standing desk with a drop front writing surface. A handsome and functional piece of furniture with copious storage space. It features dramatic wood grain patterns, and fine geometric marquetry fillets of alternating light and darker woods. The interior has ample slots and shelving for display of personal items, and the original leather writing pad...
Category
19th Century British Antique Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood
Swedish Secretary Bureau
Located in South Salem, NY
A late 19th century Swedish secretary bureau with a drop front writing surface. Two over three drawers sits atop ogee bracket feet. Later paint.
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Set of Two Cees Braakman Cu07 Cabinets
By Cees Braakman, Pastoe
Located in Meulebeke, BE
Set of two cabinets designed by the Dutch designer Cees Braakman in 1958 for Pastoe. This pair of the Japanese series is made of teak wood , a blac...
Category
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Metal
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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