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Secretaires For Sale
Style: Modern
Style: Rococo
18th Century French Lady's Secretaire Rosewood Veneer
Located in Münster, DE
Ornamental lady's secretary, France around 1770, rosewood veneered, leather overlay, brass edging and metal appliques, 3 drawers, shellac-wax polish
height: 75 cm, width: 94,5 cm, d...
Category
1770s French Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Period Danish Rococo Front Slant Secretaire
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Period Danish desk with a slant front that opens to a workspace.
Below are three serpentine drawers for useful storage.
Repainted in soft black, with a green/grey interior.
Category
18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th c. Swedish Rococo Secretary with Library in Original Paint
Located in Wichita, KS
A rare, early 19th century Swedish Rococo style slant-front secretary from Fryksdalen in Värmland with arched cornice, circa 1820. The paint has been hand-scraped down to the origina...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
18th C. Swedish Rococo Period Two-Part Painted Secretary with Library
Located in Santa Barbara, CA
Swedish secretary with library from the late Rococo period, circa 1780. The upper section has two library shelves with glass doors. The lower body is shaped to provide slant desk r...
Category
Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood, Paint
Modernist Secretary Showcase, Tubular Steel, Lacquer/Veneered Wood, Customizable
By GMD Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Modernist secretary showcase made of chrome plated tubular steel and lacquered or veneered wood. Customizable, production time: 9-10 weeks.
Category
2010s German Modern Secretaires
Materials
Metal
Swedish Rocco Style Secratery Hutch
Located in Hollywood, FL
This is a Swedish Rocco Style Secratery Hutch . its been restored and repainted with Milk Paints "Oyster White"
Category
1970s Swedish Rococo Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Black Painted Rococo Secretary from Denmark circa 1760-1800
Located in Round Top, TX
This pine rococo secretary reflects the grace and class of Swedish styling in the early 1800's.
The dramatic serpentine drawers with curvaceous front and carved skirt resting on cabr...
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wrought Iron
Yellow Painted Oak Secretary, Denmark circa 1760-80
Located in Round Top, TX
This oak secretary reflects the grace and class of European styling in the early 1800's with four serpentine drawers and curved skirt.
The traditional interior with 12 small drawers ...
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Oak, Paint
Swedish Rococo Style Chapeau de Gendarme 1820s Gray Painted Tall Secretary
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Rococo style tall secretary from circa 1820 with gray painted finish, chapeau de gendarme bonnet top, two doors, slant-front desk and four d...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Secretary With Drawer by Mylene Niedzialkowski
Located in Geneve, CH
Secretary With Drawer by Mylene Niedzialkowski
Dimensions: W 59 x H 160.
Materials: Solid oak and solid steel.
A rotating secretary with engaged curves on a solid steel axis. Combin...
Category
2010s French Modern Secretaires
Materials
Steel
Swedish Rococo Secretary Hutch
Located in Hollywood, FL
Desk 32 inches high, 43 inches open
Upper cabinet 12 inches deep, bottom 25 inches deep.
Category
1780s Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Faux Bamboo Rattan Enamel and Decorated Slant Top Secretary Desk
Located in Germantown, MD
An Exquisite hand-crafted Faux Bamboo Rattan, hand enamed and Decorated Slant Top Secretary Desk with open bottom lower tier and high knee cle...
Category
Late 20th Century Philippine Modern Secretaires
Materials
Enamel
Early 19th Century Stunning Swedish Gustavian Secretary
Located in San Angelo, TX
Here is a stunning early 19th century Swedish Gustavian secretary. This secretary features a newer, professionally applied white and gray e...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Modernist Secretary Cabinet, Lacquered Wood, Chrome-Plated Metal, Customizable
By GMD Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
German modernism free-standing secretary cabinet designed and manufactured by GMD Berlin. Wood lacquering in various colors and finish. Available on request in different amounts.
Category
2010s German Modern Secretaires
Materials
Steel
18th C. Swedish Rococo Period Writing Desk in Original Paint
Located in Wichita, KS
A period Rococo writing desk from the 18th century in original painted alder wood with period key hole fittings, circa 1760. There are two smaller drawers behind the writing surface ...
Category
18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Swedish 18th Century Rococo Secretary
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
18th century Rococo cabinet.
With a decorative carved pediment and two doors opening to storage. Below sits a fall front desk, opening to useful writing or computer space.
With two further small storage drawers...
Category
18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Portuguese Antique Desk Sec XVIII
Located in Castelo da Maia, PT
D. José paper chest, 18th century, in rosewood wood.
Corrugated box on the front, with two drawers and three large drawers of increasing Size, framed and flanked by two projecting p...
Category
Late 18th Century Portuguese Modern Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Italian Rococo Oyster Burl Secretary Cabinet / Desk
Located in New York, NY
Italian Rococo secretary desk / cabinet with an upper door that folds down to reveal a writing surface and 5 small interior drawers, over three drawers with serpentine fronts and orn...
Category
18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Brass
Modernist Secretary Showcase, Lacquered Wood, Chrome-Plated Metal, Customizable
By GMD Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
German modernism 'Dahlem' secretary showcase designed and manufactured by GMD Berlin. Wood lacquering in various colors and finish. Available on reque...
Category
2010s German Modern Secretaires
Materials
Steel
Cube Cabinet by Jean-Baptiste Van den Heede
Located in Geneve, CH
Cube cabinet by Jean-Baptiste Van den Heede
Signed and numbered
Dimensions: L 30 x W 30 x H 90 cm
Materials: Natural oakwood, nordic pine base
Cube cabinet, auxiliary furniture for bedside table, house entrance, bar cabinet or jewel cabinet...
Category
2010s Spanish Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Venetian Rococo Style Walnut Secretary Lacquered by Ira Yeager
By Ira Yeager
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fantastic late 19th century Italian secretaire cabinet or bookcase made in the Venetian Rococo taste. Crafted from walnut the two-part case features a speckled lacquer finish centered by a cartouche shaped window with a painted bust by artist Ira Yeager (American 1938-2022). The bureau cabinet has a bombe shaped dresser base with a drop front diminutive writing table. The drop front has two storage drawers and a small pigeon hole storage above. Below the desk are two small drawers and two large storage drawers with rocaille patinated brass pulls. The dresser is supported by small cabriole legs with scrolled feet. The dresser is surmounted by a bookcase with a painted door depicting a nobleman holding a chicken. The painting is painted on board titled "Venezia" and signed by Yeager with a fictitious date of 1725. The door opens to a three-shelf bookcase. The case is topped with a pediment having a cartouche shaped window and corniced top. The entire secretary is speckled with a mustard yellow tone over a taupe background. This whimsical cabinet...
Category
19th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
National Trust John Locke Secretaire
Located in Asheville, NC
This very rare Kindel reproduction is part of The National for Historic Preservation Collection, The Cliveden desk and bookcase is truly a masterpiece. An outstanding example of the Rococo style, the Cliveden desk and bookcase is English, circa 1750, and part of the collection on display at Cliveden Mansion in Germantown, PA. Kindel Furniture Company was selected as licensee to the National Trust to make a faithful reproduction of this secretary desk. This reproduction has all of the outstanding qualities of the original. Made of select mahogany, the bookcase has a "broken molded pediment" with decorative frieze and a superb hand-carved bust of John Locke...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Rococo Secretaires
Swedish Rococo Period 1790s Painted Two-Part Secretary with Slanted Front Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Rococo period painted wood two-piece tall secretary from the late 18th century, with bonnet top, two doors, slanted front desk and drawers on bracket feet. Created in Swede...
Category
Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Wood
1980s Custom Sectioned Storage File Case Rustic Wood Wrapped in Brass
By Paul Evans
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Modern Vintage Sectioned Storage Case Custom made.
Wood Wrapped in Brass
Fabulous open organizer cabinet.
Measures: 42.25 tall x 11.75 D x 43 W.
...
Category
1980s Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Impressive 18th Century Italian Venetian Walnut Secretaire
Located in San Francisco, CA
An impressive and unusually tall Venetian black walnut and burled walnut secretary. The mirrored top cabinet doors opening to reveal a multi dr...
Category
18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Walnut
20th Century Inlaid Wood Lombard Trumeau Desk, 1960
Located in Vicoforte, Piedmont
Lombard trumeau from the mid-20th century. Moved and rounded furniture in Rococo style richly inlaid in walnut, burl, maple, beech and fruitwood. Double body trumeau equipped with th...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Exceptional 18thc Painted Venetian Secretary Desk
Located in New Orleans, LA
Fantastic painted Italian secretary with original designs, paint and interior silk fabric.
Category
Mid-18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Lacquer, Wood
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
Wood, Glass
Amuneal's Loft 4 Post Work Suite
By Amuneal
Located in New York, NY
The loft work suite is a modular office system from Amuneal’s Loft shelving system. Posts in blackened steel are coupled with solid brass machined fitting...
Category
2010s American Modern Secretaires
Materials
Brass, Steel
Italian Rococo Style Walnut Secretary Cabinet
Located in Cypress, CA
Attractive Italian Rococo style walnut veneer secretary cabinet, early 20th century.
The top part of the cabinet over slant-front desk with w...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
John Stuart Vintage White Lacquered Campaign Wood Desk with X-Chrome Base
Located in North Miami, FL
This newly restored vintage John Stuart campaign 2 drawer desk and or writing desk is white lacquered over wood with chrome handles and 2 X-frame ...
Category
1970s American Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Chrome
Citronnier Wood and Marquetry Secretaire by Englander & Bonta, Argentina, 1950
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Citronnier wood and marquetry secretaire by Englander & Bonta, Argentina, 1950.
Englander & Bonta where two European designer that migrated to Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1930 and man...
Category
1950s Argentine Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Rare Sesamo Secretary by Frattini for Bernini
Located in Munich, DE
Designed by Gianfranco Frattini in 1981 and made by Bernini. Signed and in good condition.
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood
“Elefantini” Secrétaire by Roberto Rida, Italy, 2016
Located in New York, NY
Palm wood drop-down secretary/vanity, comprising a console-base supporting a cabinet decorated with 120 bronze elephants. The inside features a drawer with a bone pull. A matching be...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
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
Turn of the 18th -19th C. Swedish Rococo Style Slant Front Secretary w/ Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A late 18th century-early 19th century Rococo style slant front painted fir Swedish secretary with bonnet top, two doors and multiple drawers. The doors open up on inner shelves, inc...
Category
Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Fir
Rare Lajos Kozma Bar Cabinet or Secretary
By Lajos Kozma
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Stunning and rare 1930s marquetry starburst front bar cabinet or secretary by Hungarian architect Lajos Kozma. The cabinet is in wonderful original condition with very few signs of age.
Category
1930s Hungarian Modern Vintage Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood, Walnut
18th Century Louis XV Provincial Walnut Secretaire
Located in New York, NY
Of unusually large scale; the upper section with arched cornice over a pair of wire-inset doors opening to fabric lined interior fitted with shelves; the lower section with a slant f...
Category
Mid-18th Century French Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Italian 18th Century Rococo Secretary with Mirrored Doors and Lacca Povera Décor
Located in Palm Desert, CA
An Italian Rococo period lacca povera tall secretary from the 18th century, with bonnet top, mirrored-doors and slant-front desk over drawers. This exquisite 18th century Italian Roc...
Category
18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Paper, Mirror, Wood
Italian Venetian Secretary, 18th Century
Located in CH
An early 18th century Italian Venetian walnut and burl walnut veneered secretary with serpentine base and mirrored upper door.
Category
18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
White Swedish Oak Secretary Bureau, circa 1800-20
Located in Round Top, TX
This oak secretary or "bureau" reflects the grace and class of Swedish styling from the early 1800's.
The dramatic serpentine drawers and carved outer panel of the drop down desk add...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Swedish Rococo Period Slant Front Desk Painted in Black with Distressed Finish
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Rococo period two-part slant-front desk from the 18th century, repainted in black with a blue interior and later iron hardware. Created in Sweden during the Rococo period, ...
Category
18th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretaires
Materials
Iron
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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