Secretaires
7
758
to
172
408
338
758
758
758
62
45
31
28
25
22
22
13
11
5
2
1
1
1
1
1
376
706
571
96
101
315
72
21
6
16
27
32
52
98
27
13
5
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
725
220
211
133
126
640
213
121
106
105
8
5
5
2
2
Secretaires For Sale
Period: 19th Century
Period: 1950s
Antique Early 20th Century Mahogany Biedermeier Drop Front Secretary Desk from G
Located in Round Top, TX
Rich dark wood and stately lines define this handsome Biedermeier drop front secretary from Germany. Note the concave curve of the upper cabinet door and beautiful mahogany grain pat...
Category
Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
Italian Mahogany Secretaire Cabinet, 1950s
Located in Meda, MB
Precious cabinet secretaire produced in Italy in the 1950s,
The whole cabinet is veneered in mahogany with a fine solid wood carving in the center of the two doors representing two b...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Maple
Antique Fine Quality Inlaid Burr Walnut Bonheur De Jour Desk Writing Table
Located in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
Antique fine quality inlaid burr walnut Bonheur de Jour bureau desk writing table 19th Century. Veneer on mahogany construction, very heavy and strong.
Drop well...
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique English Walnut Glass-Front Secretary Bookcase, Circa 1880-1890
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English walnut glass-front secretary bookcase, circa 1880-1890.
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Walnut
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
19th Century German Black Forest Chip-Carved Suite Desk with Drawer and Chair
Located in Vero Beach, FL
19th century German black forest chip-carved suite desk with drawer and chair.
Impressive and extremely rare Black Forest desk and chair. The rectangul...
Category
19th Century German Black Forest Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
19th Century Spanish Wooden Cabinet with Original Foot, Door and Drawers
Located in Marbella, ES
19th Century Spanish Wooden Cabinet with Original Foot, Door and Drawers
Category
Early 19th Century Spanish Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Diminutive George III Walnut Block Front Slant Front Bureau Bookcase Cabinet
Located in Germantown, MD
A mid 19th century, fully professionally restored Diminutive George III Walnut And Block Front Slant Front secretary Bureau Bookcase Cabinet in great vintage condition. Restored thro...
Category
Mid-19th Century American George III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Walnut
Liberty & Co A Moorish Walnut Desk with Angular Design & 4 Opposite Side Drawers
Located in London, GB
Liberty & Co.
A Moorish Walnut Desk with Mushrabia turnings to the upper shelf, just below to the turned uprights there are dowel holes which I have shown in the images, they are the...
Category
1890s English Moorish Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique secretary from around 1880, Northern Europe.
Located in Chorzów, PL
An antique secretary from the end of the 19th century (circa 1880s)
Produced in Scandinavia, in mahogany wood.
Furniture in preserved in very good ...
Category
1880s Swedish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
English Mahogany Secretary Desk, 19th Century
Located in Southampton, NY
English Mahogany secretary desk, 19th century
Three pieces: Crown, upper drawers and lower cabinet. Lowest draw pulls out as a secretary desk.
Measures: 21" deep x 46.5" wide x 80....
Category
19th Century British Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Antique Gustavian Secretary Cabinet
Located in New York, NY
Antique Gustavian drop-front secretary cabinet, hand-crafted in the early 19th Century in Sweden. It has a warm, light gray painted exterior with hi...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century French Gothic Walnut Secretary, Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Gothic walnut secretary ~ Cabinet is a superlative example of the mastery of furniture making during the middle to late 1800s ...
Category
1870s French Gothic Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Architectural Form 19th C. Swedish Birch Biedermeier Barrel Roll Secretaire
Located in St. Louis, MO
Strong Architectural Form, early 19th Century elegant Swedish Biedermeier Secretaire with book matched flame birch veneer, pyramidal top, locking upper storage compartments, barrel roll desk with pull out tilting writing surface with hidden compartments, internal desk compartments...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch
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
19th Century Transforming Table, Ladies Desk, Secretaire, Walnut, France ca 1860
Located in Greven, DE
Small antique secretary, lady's desk
France
Walnut
around 1860
Dimensions: H x W x D: 90 x 59 x 53 cm
Description:
Quite extraordinary small piece of transforming furniture...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Wooden Secretary Rustic with Flap 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
This desk is composed of a cupboard and an openable drawer. Very nice piece of ironwork in metal trim. This little « Bureau de pente » is in solid wood.
France 19th century.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Antique High Gloss Secretary Desk, Scandinavia, circa 1950s, Restored
Located in Chorzów, PL
ANTIQUE-UNIQUE. Impressive secretary from the mid-19th century in Biedermeier style. Antique furniture with a more beautiful form will add elegance to any interior. A representative ...
Category
1850s Scandinavian Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
Early 19th century French Louis XVI secretary was fashioned from hand-selected indigenous oak to emulate the styles set forth by the most re...
Category
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Napoleon III French Travel Fall Front Desk in Rosewood and Boxwood Veneer 1860s
Located in New York, NY
Napoleon III French travel fall front desk in rosewood and boxwood veneer 1860s.
With inset leather fall front. Small compartment in top. Cut outs to interior for ink wells
& paper organizing...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique 19th Century Danish Biedermeier Mahogany Secretary Desk
Located in Round Top, TX
This stunning Biedermeier secretary was crafted in Denmark during a peak era known for high quality furniture craftsmanship. Enlarge photos to appreciate the beauty of the wood, note...
Category
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
19th Century Biedermeier Chest of Drawers/ Writing Commode, Austria, ca. 1830
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Remarkable 19th century nutwood chest of drawers/ writing commode from the early Biedermeier era in Austria around 1830. Impressing with an absolute outstanding looking grain which r...
Category
Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique Diminutive Renaissance Revival Walnut & Burl Cylinder Secretary, c1880
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Renaissance Revival diminutive cylinder desk offers walnut and burl construction with upper case having carved cartouche over double glass door bookcase...
Category
Late 19th Century European Renaissance Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut, Glass
19th Century Italian Painted Secretary, Bookcase
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century Italian painted secretary ~ bookcase is a fanciful and marvelous expression of the unique stylistic flair that originated in Ven...
Category
1890s Italian Baroque Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Oakwood Secretary Cabinet - Baroque Revival, Austria ca. 1870
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Extraordinary hand-carved oakwood secretary cabinet from the Baroque revival period in Austria. A real unique, perfect sized bureau cabinet/ secretary made of solid oakwood and stain...
Category
Late 19th Century Austrian Baroque Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Peter & Molgaard Hvidt Rosewood Secretary
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Handsome, masculine 6-drawer dresser with recessed pulls, topped with drop-front desk fitted with drawer and storage cubicles. On enameled metal legs with rosewood block feet. Retain...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Steel
CIRCA 1880 VICTORIAN GREEN MAN HiGH QUALITY CARVED OAK BUREAU
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this charming Victorian solid oak bureau, writing desk. This bureau has exceptional colour and patina. The drawers are carved with green man handle...
Category
1880s European High Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Napoleon III Boule 20 Cardboards Cabinet, France, 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
Rare, large and tall notary cardboard boxes cabinet, Napoleon III period around 1870, with rich ornamentation of gilded bronzes such as high and low drops, ingot molds, rosettes, key...
Category
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Late 19th Century Spanish Walnut Bureau Bookcase ‘Secretaire’
Located in Miami, FL
A late 19th century Spanish Walnut Bureau bookcase ‘secretaire’ with fretwork open swan neck pediment, centred by a shaped finial, above a pair of doors, slant front enclosed writing...
Category
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Regency Rosewood Secretaire Side Cabinet/Chiffoneer
Located in Folkestone, GB
A superior quality and unusual Regency rosewood Side Cabinet, the top drawer with fold-down, leather-lined front, fully fitted with drawers and pigeon holes. below are a pair of silk...
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood
Directoire Style Desk with Cylinder Top, France, 19th Century
Located in Belmont, MA
Directoire style desk with cylinder top, France 19th century
Mahogany veneer with satinwood inlays. This elegant little desk is perfect for a small working space. The writing top fo...
Category
1860s French Directoire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Satinwood
Louis XV Gold and Bronze Desk, 1950s
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Small desk with drawers. Finely decorated with gold and fake turtle, Boulle style. handles and details in gilded bronze.
Packaging with bubble...
Category
1950s Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Fine Biedermeier Walnut Secretaire. Vienna, c. 1820-25.
Located in Vienna, AT
Hello,
This elegant and truly exceptional early Viennese Biedermeier Secretaire was made in Vienna circa 1820-25.
The Secretaire is an example of beautiful, rare and refined design ...
Category
Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
A W N Pugin Attri, Gothic Revival Oak Davenport with Linenfold & Floral Carving
Located in London, GB
A W N Pugin attributed,
A Gothic Revival Oak Davenport with finely executed carved gallery to the top and a sloping writing area opening to reveal storage...
Category
1860s English Gothic Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
19th C. Spanish Leather-Wrapped Secretary Cabinet on a Custom Iron Base
Located in Atlanta, GA
A 19th century Spanish secretary desk, on custom iron base. This antique case piece from Spain has a leather-wrapped exterior which is adorn in ...
Category
19th Century Spanish Antique Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Wood
19th Century Louis XV Style Burlwood Ormolu Mounted Lady’s Desk
Located in Vero Beach, FL
French 19th century Louis XV style Burlwood Ormolu Mounted Lady’s Desk.
Elegant French burlwood and ormolu mounted Lady’s cylinder desk. The single door cabinet is raised by slend...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Antique White Oak Secretary with Carved Details
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique antique secretary with a whitewash aged finish to the white oak.
Two large glass doors at the top with adjustable shelves.
Decorative carving in the doors.
This piece ha...
Category
Early 19th Century English Neoclassical Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Late 19th Century Spanish Walnut Bureau Bookcase ‘Secretaire’
Located in Miami, FL
A late 19th century Spanish Walnut Bureau bookcase ‘secretaire’ with fretwork open swan neck pediment, centred by a shaped finial, above a pair of doors, slant front enclosed writing...
Category
Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Fine George III Flame-Figured Mahogany Secretaire Cabinet
Located in New York, NY
The arched pediment centered by paneled roundel, over two glazed doors with pointed astragals opening to a chartreuse silk-lined interior with shelves; the lower part with a pullout ...
Category
Early 1800s English George III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th Century Ebony and Thuya Wood Bonheur Du Jour
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
For sale is a 19th century amboyna and ebony cabinet, with three quarter balustrade gallery, above two panelled doors set with Paris porcelain portrait ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Amboyna
19th Century Empire Walnut Secretary
Located in Houston, TX
French first Empire period Secretaire à Abattant, also known as a drop-front secretary, fall front or cantilevered desk. Under the dark grey marble top is a secret, entablature drawe...
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Secretaire. Vienna, c. 1825.
Located in Vienna, AT
Hello,
This elegant and truly exceptional walnut Viennese Biedermeier Secretaire was made in Vienna circa 1825.
The Secretaire is an example of beautiful, rare and refined design an...
Category
Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Maple, Walnut
19th Century French Grand Louis XVI Cylinder Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French grand Louis XVI cylinder desk is the perfect answer to all your modern office needs! Designed on a larger scale than is typ...
Category
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Rare Antique Federal American Mahogany Secretary Writing Desk Gothic Bookcase
Located in Dayton, OH
A fine and impressive Federal Period Mahogany secretary and bookcase, circa 1830s. The bookcase features an eighteen pane gothic arched cabinet fro...
Category
Early 19th Century Federal Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
Unusual Swedish Antique Tall Country Secretary Desk in Painted Pine
Located in Kramfors, SE
Rare Swedish secretary desk dated 1847 and monogrammed. The secretary desk is made in painted pine and has the original finish. Original paint w...
Category
Mid-19th Century Swedish Country Antique Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Circa 1880 Solid Oak & Brass Military Campaign Chest of Drawers Secrataire Desk
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this very fine, highly collectable solid oak with over sized brass fittings Military Campaign chest of drawers with mahogany lined & brown leather ...
Category
1880s English Campaign Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique English Secretaire / Sideboard, 19th Century
Located in Ely, GB
A beautiful English antique secretaire cabinet or sideboard. circa 1820 - 1880.
Made from mahogany and of high quality, the cabinet has g...
Category
1820s British Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Large French Empire Napoleon III Bureau Plat Desk
Located in Miami, FL
A fine large sized flat desk otherwise referred to as a "bureau de ministre" or ministers flat desk.
In mahogany and mahogany veneer flamed on all sides, beautiful ornamentation of...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Rare English Secretary Navy from the 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Rare English secretary navy.
from the 19th century,
in camphor wood, yellow metal hardware, top covered in leather.
Dim.: 80 x 135 x 76 cm
good conditions.
Category
19th Century English Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Empire Mahogany Bureau Secretary with Bookcase
Located in Miami, FL
A very fine Empire secretary in West Indies mahogany, also known as Cuban mahogany, considered to be among the finest mahoganies because of its beautiful grain and color, Denmark, circa 1820.
Cylinder top opens to a pull-out desk which offers an adjustable baize-lined lectern or writing surface flanked by sliding storage compartments, as well as a series of small interior drawers around a central cabinet. Above the desk, are three cupboards with bowed doors, the central one featuring a pediment top. Below the pull-out desk drawer, there are three long storage...
Category
Mid-19th Century Danish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Biedermeier Secretary, Northern Europe, circa 1850
Located in Chorzów, PL
Secretary Biedermeier, Northern Europe, circa 1850.
Currently under renovation.
Wood: Mahogany
Dimensions: height 214 cm width 123 cm depth 57 cm.
Category
1850s Scandinavian Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique French Secretary
Located in Malibu, CA
This early 19th-century drop-leaf secretaire features the traditional Biedermeier ebony accents, columns, and matched woodgrain pattern. Unlike the h...
Category
Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Other
Louis XVI Style Secretary by H. Dasson, France, Circa 1880
By Henry Dasson
Located in PARIS, FR
A very fine Louis XVI style upright secretary, executed in veneered wood, finely decorated with painted medallions representing mythological scenes. Fine chiseled and gilded bronze m...
Category
1880s French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Renaissance Revival Secretary
Located in New York, NY
Design details indicate that this secretary was made at the end of the Biedermeier period as interest in historical periods bloomed. The uppermost drawer is curved in the classic Biedermeier/Louis Philippe design, favored between 1830-1860, as does the raised display platform resting on the top surface of the piece. The choice of carefully selected French walnut veneers...
Category
1850s Swedish Renaissance Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique Anglo Indian Rosewood Secrétaire Bookcase
Located in EDENSOR PARK, NSW
Top glass cabinet had two shelves with two drawers, the trimming around the glass is copper. Middle drawer opens up to a desk with six small drawer, there is a centre section the doo...
Category
19th Century Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Copper
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
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
Davenport Desk in Walnut, 19th Century
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Superb Davenport in walnut and burl walnut from England from the 19th century V
ery elegant small travel desk in walnut and burl walnut which has a very elegant base
The right side...
Category
19th Century British Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique, New and Vintage Secretaires
Your antique, new or vintage secretary desk has become the (chic) saving grace of the "new normal" at home.
Simply put, a secretary desk is a multifunctional piece of furniture with a hinged writing surface that folds open or drops down. When the leaf is folded out, small inner storage compartments — pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers — are revealed.
Traditionally, a secretary is composed of two parts — a chest of drawers on the bottom and a cabinet with shelves on the top. Taking its name from the French word for the piece, secrétaire, the secretary desk dates back to the 18th century, when Paris-based cabinetmaker Jean-François Oeben, known for his exquisite marquetry and clever mechanical desks, is thought to have invented the secrétaire à abbattant, or drop-leaf desk.
While the defining drop-down feature of the secretary desk has remained constant, the materials used, as well as its configuration, size and style have evolved over time.
At first, secretaries were typically made from exotic woods, like rosewood, tulipwood and kingwood; later, hardwoods like cherry, maple, oak and mahogany were more common. The desks also became lighter, with space carved out of the lower half for the writer’s feet or with drawers replaced by legs — making them more table-like.
When open, the secretary is a dynamic, versatile Wunderkammer. When closed, it’s a sophisticated, space-saving piece of furniture.
“A fine secretary with a good provenance adds stature and credence to its owner — it is a cornerstone piece,” says antiques dealer Stanley Weiss, who specializes in 18th- and 19th-century English and American furniture. “In this disposable world, fine furniture is always passed on and speaks to who its owner is.”
No matter what style or period you choose, and no matter how you decide to use it, the timeless, flexible secretary desk is bound to become an indispensable part of your daily routine.
Browse a range of antique and vintage secretary desks on 1stDibs, including mid-century modern secretaires, Georgian secretaires and others.
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Antique English Bureau
English Secretary
Antique Cubby Cabinet
Slant Front Desk With Drawers
Swedish Cabinet Secretary
Oak Drop Front
Drop Front Cabinet Small
Antique Wood Secretary Desk
Secretary Furniture Antique Antique Secretary Desks
Antique Desk Wood Desks And Secretaries
Antique Wood Desk Desks And Secretaries
Vintage Writing Secretary Desk
Vintage Writing Desk Desks And Secretaries
Drop Front Secretary Desk
Antique Secretaire Chest
Secretary Desk And Bookcase
Secretary Desk Bookcase
19th Century Mahogany Secretary