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Secretaires For Sale
Style: Regency
Style: Empire
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
Mahogany Architects Table by Jean-Joseph Chapuis, 1810
Located in Hellouw, NL
Beautiful Empire mahogany architects table by Jean-Joseph Chapuis (1765-1864).
Jean-Joseph Chapuis (born in Brussels) was a famous furniture maker. He obtained a master craftsman ti...
Category
Early 1800s Belgian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique French Empire Mahogany Gilt-Bronze Mounted Marble-Top Abattant Secretary
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Imported French Empire Flame Mahogany Gilt-Bronze Mounted Marble-Top Abattant Secretary Desk
This 19th-century French Empire-style secretary desk is a true work of art. Craf...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
Antique Danish Louis Philippe Empire Style Mahogany Secretary Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Danish Louis Philippe Empire Style Mahogany Secretary Desk
This exquisite 19th-century secretary desk beautifully combines the influence of the Louis Philippe and Danish Emp...
Category
Late 19th Century Danish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Metal
French Secretaire Cartonnier, Transition , wood leather
Located in Valladolid, ES
A sensational and unique French PP S XIX cartonnier, Transition style from Louis XV to Louis XVI, high quality, mahogany, mahogany palm and leather. The cartonnier rises on a solid m...
Category
Early 1800s French Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Metal
Empire Style Secretary Made In Mahogany & Intarsia From 1820s
Located in Lejre, DK
This impressive Empire style secretary from the year 1820 is a true masterpiece of craftsmanship and aesthetic beauty. Hand-polished mahogany wood gives the secretary an elegant and ...
Category
1820s Danish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Secretaire "a Abbatant" Napoleon III Empire, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Title: Secretaire "a Abbatant"
Date/Period: 19th century
Dimension: 147cm x 105cm x 51cm.
Material: Mahogany wood
Additional Information: Secretaire "a Abbatant" French, Empire Style...
Category
Early 19th Century European Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Baker Furniture French Empire Burl Wood Secrétaire á Abattant With Brass Ormolu
Located in South Bend, IN
An outstanding French Empire or Neoclassical style drop front secretary desk
By Baker Furniture
USA, Circa 1980s
Gorgeous burl wood, with ebonized columns, and original brass hard...
Category
1980s American Empire Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Empire Secretaire à abattant, Vienna circa 1810
Located in Greding, DE
Empire secretary adorned with flanking caryatids around the flat writing flap, top drawer, and a two-door base cabinet. The caryatids are elegantly ebonized and gold-patinated, compl...
Category
1810s Austrian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Secretary Desk
Located in Bradenton, FL
A very handsome late American Empire Mahogany Secretary Desk. Very good condition overall with an old refinished surface exhibiting a beautiful color and patina to the figured Mahoga...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
French Empire Secrétaire á Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A handsome 19th century Empire secrétaire à abattant made of rich bookmatched and figured walnut. This desk has a black fossil marble top resting above a drawer, accessible with a hidden pull. Below is a fold front door revealing a fitted interior with a functional writing surface, inset with worn green leather with gold tooling. The interior has an open storage shelf flanked with empirical styled columns over a set of six drawers of varying sizes. The writing surface is supported with rounded brass hinges. Below are three easy to use drawers...
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
Empire Secretaire, Ebonized Wood, Maple, Ink Painting, Vienna circa 1815
Located in Regensburg, DE
Very fine neoclassical Empire Secretaire or writing cabinet from Austria, Vienna around 1810/15.
Ebonized hardwood body, veneered on oak. Pilaster columns with gilded capitals. All g...
Category
1810s Austrian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Iron, Gold Leaf
Empire Secretary à abattant, France early 19th century
Located in Greding, DE
French Empire secretary à abattant with a two-door base, two wide drawers and a flat writing flap surrounded by smooth full columns with fire-gilt bronze capitals and bases. The bure...
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Mahogany, Maple
c1810 French Empire Flame Mahogany Secretary
Located in Opa Locka, FL
c1810 French Empire Flame Mahogany Secretary. Opens to reveal lovely storage space. There are nooks, shelves, a pull out writing surface. There are gilt bronze adornments and there a...
Category
1810s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Russian Antique Veneered Mahogany Secretary by Heinrich Gambs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique Russian secretary with a writing flap made of hand crafted shellac polished, partly veneered Mahogany, designed and produced by Heinrich G...
Category
Early 19th Century Russian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Brass
Rare North German Altona Empire Secretary, circa 1810-1815
Located in Handewitt, DE
Beautiful and rare original North German "Altona" Secretary, circa 1810-1820. Fine cuba-mahogany, Birch and elmwood veneer. Inlays in different woods. Original fittings in bronze and...
Category
1810s German Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
20th Century Biedermeier Style Napoleon Secretaire
Located in Berlin, DE
Bird’s-eye maple root veneer on solid pinewood. Gilded chimeras. Finely engraved bronze fixtures.
(L-Sam-252).
Category
20th Century Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Circa 1810 Empire Period Secretaire à Abatant
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Empire period, c.1810, Secretaire à Abatant, French. Walnut. Demi-columns with bronze dore mounts. Bronze dore pulls & escutcheons. Chic black marble top with white-grey figure. Grea...
Category
1810s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
English Regency Style Mahogany Bookcase Cabinet In Two Parts
Located in Bridgeport, CT
An English Regency style mahogany bookcase cabinet with the upper part having fretwork enhanced glass doors with two adjustable wood sh...
Category
19th Century Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Early 19th Century French Mahogany, Oak & Marble Secretaire with Ormolu Mounts
Located in Middleburg, VA
Important Secretaire a Abattant, Paris, Empire, circa 1805. Mahogany on oak, marble top, ormolu mounts. Caryatides, trophy weapons, fasces, antique Roman and Egyptian ornamentation a...
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Rare North German Altona Empire Secretary, C. 1810-1815
Located in Handewitt, DE
Beautiful and rare original North German "Altona" Secretary, circa 1810-1820. Fine cuba-mahogany, Birch and elmwood veneer. Inlays in different woods. Original fittings in bronze and...
Category
Early 19th Century German Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Early 20th Century Secretary with Drawers and Marquetry and Brass Details
Located in New York, NY
This early 20th century secretary has two drawers and a flap, with storage behind the flap. The flap opens by key, which is included. The ...
Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Regency Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique Secretary, Scandinavia, Around 1870, After Renovation
Located in Chorzów, PL
Antique secretary from the end of the 19th century.
Furniture in very good condition, after professional renovation.
Dimensions: height 210 cm ...
Category
1870s Norwegian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Empire Style Walnut Dressing Table
Located in Pasadena, TX
Empire Style Walnut Dressing Table
Empire style dressing table in burl walnut with 2 drawers. Venetian glass pulls. The flap reveals a large origina...
Category
Late 19th Century Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
English Regency Style Wood and Brass Leather Top Campaign Desk
Located in New York, NY
English Regency-Style (20th century) Campaign / kneehole desk with two cabinet columns with four drawers each having square inset brass drawer pulls and ebonized trim, and a central ...
Category
20th Century European Regency Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Brass
Early 19th Century Biedermeier Empire Secretary, Germany, Prussia, C. 1815
Located in Greven, DE
North Germany / Prussia
Birch
Biedermeier / Empire around 1815
Dimensions: H x W x D: 174 x 102 x 55 cm
Description:
Very exclusive secretary from the Prussian North German Biedermeier period around 1815.
Piece of furniture standing on pointed legs with two drawers at the bottom, the writing flap above, another drawer above and a hidden head drawer at the very top.
The piece of furniture is veneered in exciting grained birch wood. Due to the different color hangings within the wood and the interplay of hues associated with it, we also refer to it as "flamed" birch.
The beautiful wood is complemented by blackened moldings and beautiful fire-gilded bronze hardware in beautiful quality.
The interior of the writing compartment is veneered in apple tree.
We see a stair-like rise to a central door flanked by pilasters. Drawers of different sizes and two large compartments with dividers for letters and papers complete the secretary part.
Looking at the piece of furniture from above, we see an old shipping label. According to it, the secretary was loaded onto the train at the station "Odertor" in Wroclaw. The destination was probably Berin. Corresponding mmarkings we find on the back panel.
Piece of furniture made in wonderful quality craftsmanship. A true testament to the high quality of Prussian furniture...
Category
Early 19th Century German Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch, Fruitwood
Antique Empire Cylinder-Top Secretary with Bookcase in Burled Ash
Located in Miami, FL
An exceptional Empire secretary bookcase in fine burl ash wood. Denmark or North Germany, circa 1800. The bookcase features a tiered bonnet w...
Category
Early 19th Century Scandinavian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Ash, Burl
Rare Antique English Regency Rosewood Davenport with Spring-Loaded Pen Drawer
Located in Charleston, SC
This wonderful early 19th century Antique English Rosewood and ebonized Davenport or Ship Captain's Desk is one of the finest we've had in recent years. Davenports or Ship Captain's Desks are so-named originally for a Captain Davenport...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Rosewood
Empire Secretaire with Writing Desk, Richly Inlaid Wood. Italy Late 18th Century
Located in Torino, IT
"Empire" cylinder writing desk, secretaire with pull-out top, internal drawers and four external drawers.
Origin
Italy
Period
Late eighteenth century
Model
Cylinder writing des...
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Walnut
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
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
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
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
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
Regency Mahogany Secretaire, circa 1800
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Regency period mahogany secretary circa 1800 of very good quality and small proportion from England
Very beautiful secretary composed of 4 drawers as well as a theater.
This good q...
Category
Late 18th Century British Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
French Empire Mahogany Drop Front Secretary "Secrétaire à Abattant"
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Early 19th century French mahogany wood Empire style drop front secretary with a removable black marble top. The secretary features two front side columns with bronze mounts detail w...
Category
1810s French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
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
20th Century Viennese Biedermeier Style Lyre Secretaire
Located in Berlin, DE
Ebonize, partially bird’s-eye maple root veneer on solid Pinewood. Moulded Lions Masks with grisp rings. This so called lyre secretaire is the crowning...
Category
20th Century Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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
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
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
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
Royal Writing Desk/ Bureau Plat in Empire Style After J. Desmalter, Maple Root
Located in Berlin, DE
Writing table/ bureau plat in Empire style after Jacob Desmalter
Maple Roots with thread intarsia on solid Pinewood, partially carved and handpainted. Cutted out pedestal on profile...
Category
20th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Rare Antique Regency Quality Mahogany Secretaire Sideboard
Located in Suffolk, GB
Rare Antique Regency quality mahogany secretaire sideboard having a pleasing shaped gallery back with a quality mahogany drop well bow fronted top. The fall ...
Category
19th Century European Regency Antique Secretaires
Materials
Other
19th Century Scandinavian Birch Empire Bureau Secretary with Bookcase, c. 1820
Located in Miami, FL
A very fine Scandinavian Empire/Biedermeier secretary in beautiful birch wood with mahogany interior, Denmark, circa 1820. The highly sculptural form makes this piece an outstanding ...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Birch
19th Century French Empire desk Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Beautiful upright secrétaire from the French Empire period. The desk is made of oak with burr walnut veneer, decorated with bronze ormolu elements. These are typical of the French Em...
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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
19th Century Empire St. Mahogany, Ormolu, Bronze & Fruitwood Secretary
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most handsome Continental mid 19th century Empire st. mahogany, ormolu, patinated bronze and ebonized fruitwood drop front secretary. The secretary is raised by four square tapered...
Category
19th Century Unknown Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century, Empire Secretaire, Mahogany Feather, Gilded Bronze
Located in PALERMO, IT
Empire secretaire, veneered in mahogany feather wood, and adorned with applications in finely chiseled bronze, and gilded with mercury. Upper top in marble.
Category
19th Century French Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Empire Secrétaire Bottega Maggiolini Walnut Italy 19th Century
By Giuseppe Maggiolini
Located in Milano, IT
Secrétaire consisting of drawer under the plan, tilting door, with cabinet and two drawers at the bottom. Veneered in pedulle walnut and inlaid in various woods. The secrétaire is bi...
Category
19th Century Italian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
French Secretaire à Abattant, First Empire Period
Located in Montreal, Quebec
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, Bronze
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
Unique Austrian Empire Secretary/Writing Desk, Mahogany, 1820s Austria
Located in Horomerice, CZ
Empire secretary or writing desk, (Cylinder)
Material: Mahogany.
Completely restored, Shellac polish.
Period: 1820-1829
Source: Austria, Wien.
Category
1820s Austrian Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Mahogany, Lacquer
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
Antique Danish Late Empire Secretary Bureau
Located in Kastrup, DK
Late empire secretary bureau in mahogany veneered oak with beautiful grain.
In 2 parts.
Desk top offers three bowed doors. A concave door in the mid...
Category
Early 19th Century European Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Oak
Empire Drop Front Desk, Kopenhagen, 1820
Located in Belmont, MA
Empire drop front desk, Copenhagen 1810-20.
This unique Danish secretary desk is embellished with mahogany veneer. The lower part has three cur...
Category
1810s Danish Empire Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
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 lea...
Category
19th Century French Empire 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
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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