Secretaires
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Secretaires For Sale
Period: 19th Century
Period: 1910s
Fine Sevres Style Porcelain Mounted Secrétaire, 19th Century, After Henry Dasson
By Henry Dasson
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality late 19th century French side cabinet with a marble top, a fall front secrétaire, having wonderful hand painted Sevres...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Porcelain, Mahogany
Beautiful French 19th Century Hand-Painted Secretary Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful French 19th century hand-painted secretary desk, the patina is so much beautiful in person, it has a little repair on one side, see...
Category
1880s French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Georgian Oak Secretary
Located in Sheffield, MA
Very handsome Georgian lowland oak secretary with walnut trim.
Category
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Walnut
Northern Italian Walnut Two-Part Secretary
Located in Newport Beach, CA
Stunning, c. 1820, solid walnut, two-tier, fall-front scriviana from the Piedmont district of Northern Italy. The paneled doors in the upper cabinet bordered by relief carved acanthu...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Aesthetic Movement Bonheur du Jour Secretary Desk Cabinet
Located in Pasadena, TX
Bonheur du Jour secretary desk cabinet,
circa late 1880s.
Dark walnut with finial accents and turned legs. The hinged writing surface opens...
Category
Late 19th Century North American Aesthetic Movement Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century French Louis XV Style Floral Marquetry and Gilt Bronze Writing Desk
Located in Miami, FL
A very fine and well-proportioned 19th century French Louis XV style ladies desk. The case is veneered with marquetry decoration and embelli...
Category
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Dutch Walnut Miniature Secretaire Bookcase, 18th Century
Located in Southall, GB
An 19th century Dutch walnut secretaire bookcase with undeniably striking colours. Several shelves open up to various platforms to provide a beautiful interior with a lock and key me...
Category
19th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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
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
19th Century Antique Louis Quatorze Napoleon III Boulle Meuble Secretary Bronzed
Located in Berlin, DE
Gilt bronze are distinctive and of exceptionally good quality. Ebonized solid oakwood with brass inlays Boulle technique. The top are two wide doors with an ...
Category
19th Century French Louis XIV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Mahogany Two-Door Secretaire Bookcase
Located in Cheshire, GB
Victorian mahogany secretaire - bookcase, the ogee cornice above a pair of arched glazed doors, enclosing four adjustable shelves, the pr...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Early 19th Century American Sheraton 2 Part Secretary of Mahogany & Tiger Maple
Located in Stamford, CT
Early 19th century American Sheraton two part secretary of mahogany and tiger maple from coastal new England. Brasses replaced and a few age appropriate cracks. Most panels are origi...
Category
Early 19th Century American Sheraton Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
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
Louis Phillipe North German Fall-Front Secretary in Flame Mahogany, circa 1855
Located in Miami, FL
A captivating one of a kind Louis Phillip secretary in book-matched, flame mahogany with shaped, curvi-linear drawer fronts and faux drawer fronts on the fall-front and the sides. Of...
Category
Mid-19th Century German Louis Philippe Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
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
Regency Mahogany Gillows Secretaire à Abattant
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Regency fiddleback mahogany secretaire à abattant in the manor of Gillows, with a black slate top. A cantilevered fall front, having typ...
Category
19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble
19th Century Louis XV Style French Marquetry and Bronze Ladies Secretaire Chest
Located in Darmstadt, DE
"Secrétaire à abattant" - a so called ladies secretaire from the time around 1870-1890 in the style of Louis XV. Fruitwooad and nutwood as well as pr...
Category
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Two-Piece English Butler's Secretary
Located in Asheville, NC
This two-piece secretary is constructed of oak with contrast mahogany banding, the compartmented fall front desk forms the top drawer of the base cabinet when closed, the upper cabin...
Category
19th Century American Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
French Napoleon III Ebonized Secrétaire with Inlaid Brass, circa 1860
Located in Staffordshire, GB
French Napoleon III ebonized secrétaire with inlaid brass, circa 1860
Brass trim supports the grey marble top and features throughout as a delicate ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
French Mid-19th Century Louis XVI St. Secrétaire in Arbalette Shape
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A French mid 19th century Louis XVI st. tulipwood Secretaire. The secretaire has a fine quarter veneered tulipwood marquetry on the front and sides, ornamented with pierced ormolu mo...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century English Mahogany Glazed Secretaire Bookcase
Located in Staffordshire, GB
19th century English mahogany glazed secretaire bookcase
circa 1870.
19th century mahogany glazed secretaire bookcase with 4 glazed cabinet doors ab...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Biedermeier Style Cuba-Mahogany Secretary
Located in Berlin, DE
Classicist secretary, circa 1800-1810.
Cuba mahogany on solid softwood partly ebonized. High-right, architecturally designed body on conical legs. In the front three drawers. Straig...
Category
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Softwood, Wood, Mahogany
Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Mounted Inlaid Marquetry Bureau a Cylindre
Located in New York, NY
An exquisite late 19th century Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted inlaid marquetry and parquetry bureau a cylindre
The stepped rectangular top with pierced three quarter gallery ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Louis XV Style Dore Bronze Mounted Boulle Marquetry Secretary Desk or Cabinet
Located in New York, NY
A gorgeous Louis XV style French dore bronze mounted Boulle Marquetry secretary desk or cabinet. With a cylindrical form in ebonized veneer a...
Category
1830s French Louis XV 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
Secretaire Writing Cabinet in Antique Biedermeier Style Mahogany veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
High quality rosewood veneer on solid conifers. Conical body on profile frames. Base in the front, between four drawers, straight flap with shield-shaped filling. Behind it is a richly divided compartmental division of a bent temple-shaped central compartment with mirrored full columns, flanked by star-starved drawers. Over cantilevered profile cornice flat gypsum, stepped with oval cover plate. Front. All drawers and backboard made of solid wood. So-called pyramid furniture...
Category
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Early 19th Century George l Style Secretary
Located in WEST PALM BEACH, FL
This is a charming George l style walnut diminutive secretary. The domed cornice over a conforming cabinet door has a mirror plate. The bottom section contains a drop-front opening t...
Category
Early 19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Walnut
French 19th Century Transitional St. Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fine 19th century French transitional cabinet/ secretaire. The whole is raised on cabriole legs with ormolu sabots below two quarter veneered tu...
Category
19th Century French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Regency Brass-Inlaid Rosewood Secretaire Cabinet
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Regency brass-inlaid rosewood secretaire cabinet, the rectangular top with a pierced galleried shelf with trellis work on the sides, above a secretaire drawer, banded with brass pa...
Category
1810s English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Birch Biedermeier Secretaire
Located in New York, NY
Constructed of solid birch and fir and veneered with hand-cut Nordic birch veneers, the secretary features an upper locking drawer which rests upon a fitted desk area hiding behind a...
Category
19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch, Fir
English Sheraton Mahogany Secretary
Located in New York, NY
English Sheraton style (19th century) mahogany inlaid secretary with 2 lattice doors.
Category
19th Century Sheraton Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
English Hepplewhite Secretaire
Located in Wilson, NC
The top of this English Hepplewhite secretaire has two drawer fronts that drop down to reveal the secretary interior. There are six small and two l...
Category
Early 1800s English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Neoclassical Roll-Top Desk, Austria, circa 1800
Located in Greding, DE
Large roll-top desk out of solid cherry wood. The base with seven drawers stands on tapered legs. The top has one very slim pullout and a low arcade balustrade on three sides. The in...
Category
Early 1800s Austrian Neoclassical Antique Secretaires
Materials
Cherry
English Georgian Mahogany Secretary
Located in New York, NY
English Georgian mahogany secretary cabinet with a bottom section with drawers and an upper section with 2 lattice glass doors.
Category
19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
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
Rare Cabinet Chest of Drawers with Marble in the antique Biedermeier Style
Located in Berlin, DE
Maple root on solid conifers. Single-door cabinet in cylindrical shape. Corpus on corresponding frame. Gering marble top surface with light-grey grain. Partially ebonised. Interior s...
Category
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birdseye Maple
French Boulle Escritoire
Located in Wilson, NC
This French Boulle escritoire has profuse brass inlays with arabesques and brass ornamental mounts throughout. The wooden background is ebonized. The dra...
Category
1890s French Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique Biedermeier Secretary in Cuban Mahogany, Copenhagen, circa 1820
Located in Miami, FL
An exquisite Biedermeier secretary in very fine Cuban/ West Indies mahogany with all of the original appointments which include the hardware, pulls and keys. The cabinet's joinery, a...
Category
Early 19th Century Danish Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in Mt Kisco, NY
A lovely architectural form secretary with marquetry inlay doors.
Category
19th Century English Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique Specimen Cabinet, French Oak Cupboard, Secretaire, Desk, circa 1850
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique specimen cabinet, a French, oak cupboard offering a secretaire desk dating to the late 19th century, circa 1850.
In a de...
Category
Mid-19th Century French French Provincial Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
19th Century Charles X Dutch Mahogany Secretaire, 1830s
Located in Roma, RM
Fantastic Dutch secretaire in mahogany veneer. Rich decoration of inlays with motifs of urns, flower loops and horse carpets. Front with fold-down writing...
Category
Mid-19th Century Dutch Charles X Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Napoleon III French Secretary Chest of Drawers Mahogany Rosewood Inlaid
Located in Brooklyn, NY
19th century Napoleon III French secretary (secretaire) chest of drawers in fine mahogany rosewood Inlaid marquetry. It has a grey marble top complete with its original in gilt bronz...
Category
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood
Pair of French Early 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany Bonheurs Du Jours
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A magnificent pair of French early 19th century Louis XVI St. Bonheurs du Jours, which literally means, the joy of the day. A type of writing desk introduced in Paris by renowned int...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Carrara Marble, Ormolu
Very Rare Italian Hardwood Cylinder Bureau Bookcase Desk with Must See Pictures
Located in GB
We are is delighted to offer for sale this very fine 19th century Italian cylinder top Bureau bookcase with ornately inlaid internals
This is one of the finest flamed mahogany cyl...
Category
1820s English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood
Early 19th Century Regency Secretary Bookcase
Located in Essex, MA
Period Regency mahogany secretary bookcase. Carved neoclassical elements. Pediment with carving and carved hairy pay feet. Drop down interior to reveal original compartments in satin...
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Satinwood
19th Century Large German Baroque Style Secretary a Deux Corps
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
Large German Provincial Baroque secretary a Deux corps from the Eifel region. Probably a one-off production from the 19th century.
Solidly handcrafted from different types of wood (i...
Category
Early 19th Century German Baroque Antique Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood, Maple, Pine, Oak
19th Century Biedermeier Walnut Small Secretaire
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Beautiful little Secretaire from the time of the late Biedermeier, circa 1840. The Secretaire is covered outside with walnut and root walnut veneer on a pine body. The inner part is...
Category
Mid-19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch, Pine, Walnut
Empire or Biedermeier Secretary Mahogany, 1815
Located in Berlin, DE
Very well preserved conical secretary with stepped head
Front with multiply mirrored pyramid mahogany
entire surface with original shellac hand polish
high-quality cabinet part with thread intarsia and leg buttons
very elaborate workmanship and rare furniture...
Category
19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Flamed Mahogany Secretaire
Located in Bronx, NY
Late 19th century flamed mahogany secretaire.
Category
19th Century American Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
20th Century French Drop-Front Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant
Located in Miami, FL
Secretaire a abattant, Spain circa 1900. The outside with fall front and one high drawer and one low door with compartment, beautiful marquetry oakwood . The wood inside opens to a c...
Category
Late 19th Century French Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Petite Queen Anne Style 1880s Walnut Slant-Front Desk on Cabriole Legs
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A late 19th century Queen Anne style small walnut mini slant front desk on stand resting on graceful cabriole legs ending in pad feet. The slant drop front, topped with a Chippendale...
Category
Late 19th Century Queen Anne Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century French Standing Secrétaire / Dry Bar with Tambour Doors, Marble Top
Located in Madrid, ES
A 19th century, French secrétaire with beautiful feathered woodwork, eucalyptus fillet inlay with Louis XVI style detailing. The wood grain veneer is artfully arranged in geometric p...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Dutch 19th Century Oak Secretaire
Located in Delft, NL
A Dutch 19th Century oak secretaire
A Dutch 19th century oak secretaire on claw legs and a copper balcony rack.
The secretaire consists of various drawers and a hidden drawer.
...
Category
19th Century Dutch Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak
German Birchroot Biedermeier Abbatant With Architectural Pediment
Located in Charleston, SC
This monumental Berlin Biedermeier Secretaire is one of the finest examples with its Classical Architecture of Doric Pediments, Columns, and Dental Moldings. The main structure of the Secretaire has a majestic architectural superstructural cabinet resting on top, representing a temple. The Biedermeier Abbatant is veneered in Birchroot with a fall front writing desk...
Category
Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch, Burl
19th Century Cuban Mahogany Wood Bargueno Desk
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This Bargueno desk is hallmarked Garcia & HN Monte #122 Habana. It is embellished with a carving scene from the book of Don Quixote de la Mancha bordered...
Category
Late 19th Century American Renaissance Revival Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Louis XVI-Style Mahogany and Marble-Top Secretaire Abbatant, Early 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
Louis XVI-Style Mahogany and Marble-Top Secretaire Abbatant, Early 19th Century. The inset variegated white marble top with a three-quarter pierced brass gallery and turreted corne...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
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
French Napoleon III Rosewood Pedestal Desk with Pull Out Secretary, circa 1865
Located in Miami, FL
This exceptional desk with secretaire dating from 1865, during the time of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French (1852-1870), displays an extraordinary level of craftsmanship & is a di...
Category
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood
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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