English Secretaires

This antique English oak secretaire from the late 18th/early 19th century is a real eye-catcher. It has oak fronts, a stepped interior, beautiful original details and working locks. ...

Exceptional Antique 18th Century English George III Mahogany Secretary Bookcase with Secret Drawer.

Handsome 19th century campaign chest secretary handcrafted in mahogany in a two-piece construction featuring a pull-out leather top secretary ...

Lovely 19th century English black lacquered Chinoiserie secretary. Beautiful painted Asian designs and many compartments. A true w...

A beautifully detailed and well appointed Georgian style secretary desk, made in England. The dovetailed drawers with brass hardware with a l...

Handsome 19th century British Colonial Campaign chest handcrafted in mahogany featuring a pullout desk in the top with drawers and niches, three storage drawers below, brass hardware...

Antique English mahogany glass front Bureau bookcase with Fitted Interior, circa 1830.

An English Chinese Chippendale style tall bamboo secretary from the 19th century, with slanted lift-top writing table, doors and drawers. Created in England during the 19th century, this bamboo secretary charms us with its slender proportions and exquisite Chinese Chippendale influence. The overhanging desk opens...

Antique English Regency Mahogany Secretary bookcase, Circa 1890.

With architectural broken pediment cornice over a pair of mirror doors opening to a fitted interior, the base with hinged slant lid with red leather surface opening to a fitted inter...

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...

With double arch top over a pair of mirror doors opening to an elaborately fitted interior, the base with two candle slides and hinged slant lid writing ...

With double arched top over a pair of arched mirror doors opening to a red interior fitted with drawers and shelves, the base with slant lid des...

This highly important secrétaire-cabinet was crafted for and specially ordered by King George I for the British Ambassador to Russia. From its craftsmanship and materials to its exceptional artistry, it is a work of royal and historic significance that exudes power in each and every detail. The broken pediment at its apex features the simplified royal coat of arms bearing the king’s crown, while the interior is adorned by portraits of the British Royal Family. Placed within the ambassador’s St. Petersburg home, this entirely unique piece of furniture would have been a potent reminder of England's grandeur and political importance. Relations between England and Russia during this period were at an all-time high. Peter the Great had traveled to England in 1698 as part of his widely known “Grand Embassy” tour, wherein he attempted to gain foreign support against the Ottoman Empire. He spent a period of nearly four months there, meeting with King William III and his court on numerous occasions. Noted academic Arthur MacGregor wrote concerning the impact of the trip, “For two decades following Peter's visit, British influence in Russia reached a peak. It manifested itself in social custom, in craft practice and in ships and naval organization... it reached a significant sector of the population before relations cooled once again and the two nations pulled back from this era of unprecedented cordiality.” First and foremost, however, it is a reminder of British might and influence. By the reign of King George I, England had come into its own as a world power. Unique in its design, this cabinet is a reflection of the country’s might. It is crafted from the highest-quality solid walnut and burr walnut adorned by gilded lock plates and engraved hinges. The presence of ormolu at its apex and lining the doors was a rarity for this period, and its addition makes manifest the importance of the design. The outer doors open to reveal multiple interiors, including fifteen separate drawers around a central cupboard; the cupboard doors each bear mezzotint portraits of George I and his father, Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover. An etching after the portrait of George I dating to circa 1716 is in London’s Royal Academy. A second, inner pair of doors are adorned by mezzotints of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later Queen Caroline and George II), which are both after portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller dated 1716 in the Royal Collection. A final portrait is revealed on the very interior of the cabinet, where a mezzotint of Frederick, Anne, Amelia and Caroline, children of the Prince of Wales, resides. An etching (circa 1715-1720) after this portrait can be found in the National Portrait Gallery (London). Apart from its abundance of royal portraiture, the cabinet features stunning painted decoration, including floral designs as well as clouds, birds and trees in a bucolic motif reminiscent of Eden. Its lower portion is a study in both form and function, featuring a fitted secrétaire-drawer above three additional drawers for storage. The cabinet appears in The Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture by R. Edwards from 1964, a text that is regarded as the bible of British furniture design. Edwards describes it as a “writing cabinet...given by George I to the British Ambassador at the Russian court.” The cabinet was likely made for the 18th-century German diplomat and writer Friedrich Christian Weber, who represented English interests at the Russian court from 1714 until 1719. Although Weber’s tenure as ambassador was relatively short, while in St. Petersburg, he authored his account entitled Das veraenderte Russland (The Present State of Russia), which was published in three volumes in 1721, 1739 and 1740. It may, however, also have been made for George Douglas, 2nd Earl of Dumbarton, who served as ambassador alongside Weber in 1716. Diplomatic relations ceased between the two countries in 1721. In 1928, the cabinet appeared for sale at the International Exhibition of Antiques & Works of Art in Olympia. It had previously been in the collection of the Woltner family of Bordeaux, the celebrated vintners who owned the estate Château Laville Haut-Brion and produced wine of the same name. According to the family, Monsieur Woltner was given the cabinet as a gift from an aunt who lived in Russia for many years. After leaving the Woltner collection, the cabinet was acquired by William Berry...

Stately Mahogany inlaid leather top secretary desk, London England 1860-1875 by Cabinetmakers Edwards and Roberts. Moulded cornice over arched glazed panel doors with green fabric lined interior above a rolled front inlaid fan, shell and scroll decoration. Pull out embossed green leather writing surface above graduated drawers on narrow feet: stamped "Edwards and Roberts" on top drawers edge. Famous cabinetry makers. The firm Edwards and Roberts were among the best English antique furniture cabinet makers of the second half of the nineteenth century. The company was founded in 1845 and by 1854 was trading as ‘Edwards and Roberts’, 21 Wardour Street, ‘Antique and Modern Cabinet...

This secretaire is inlaid throughout with boxwood line inlay with two satinwood fans in the broken arch crest. The top half has two fixed shelves. There are some shrinkage separation...

Lamb of Manchester. An Aesthetic Movement walnut and leather writing desk with a bank of four graduating drawers to the left and a large upper drawer to the right with turned and flu...

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...

Early 19th century Georgian style walnut and burr secretary desk, vanity or chest with four drawers and two interior drawers in the desk.

We are delighted to this stunning circa 1880 light mahogany library bookcase with secrétaire desk A well made and collectable library bookcase. The top s...

Magnificent William IV, mahogany abbatant of unusually slim proportions, having original brass gallery above a pair of panelled cupboard doors and fall front which open to reveal ori...

Presenting a stunningly gorgeous and outstanding early 18th century English George I Secretary. This is one of the finest old English Secretary’s...

English Mahogany George II secretary, has raised serpentine panels. The interior features a prospect door with a geometric inlaid star of ebony and...

Very handsome English walnut giltwood secretary. Myriad drawers, pigeon holes and cupboards fill the well-appointed interior. Very functional as well as beautiful.

This exquisite desk, made by the celebrated partnership, is of the highest quality. The glazed upper section is perfect for the display of objet d'art, the cylinder top which is open...

19th century English 3-drawer oak bureau office desk with bronze hardware.

An antique English Adam decorated drop-front desk offers satinwood construction with slant front having neoclassical reserve of woman and cherub in co...

This is an extremely handsome, well-carved secretary bookcase in fine condition. It will not fail to please.

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...

A superb quality late 18th century Georgian mahogany secretaire cupboard having well figured and banded top over one secretaire drawer to frieze, enclosing attractive satinwood in...

This classic slant front desk or bureau was made in England in the early 19th century. It was made in the finest quality watered European oak. The secretary is elevated on bracket feet. It features four drawers fitted with the original brass ajour cut bat-wing period swing grip handles. The bureau has a beautiful and elegant interior that features 6 small drawers, six pigeonholes, and a compartment with a small door. The door has crossband inlay panels...

This beautiful antique English secretaire is not only a stunning decorative piece but also highly practical and versatile. You can use it as a writing desk, or it can serve excellent...

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...

When you choose to bring a piece of furniture like this into your home, you're selecting timeless charm, versatile usability, and sustainable quality. This beautiful English oak secr...

Fine quality small late 19th century Queen Anne revival walnut bureau . The bureau is a fantastic colour with a good grain . It has a nice fitted interior with four small drawers and...

Antique George III mahogany slant front secretary bookcase with molded cornice, glazed doors with geometric mullions, fall front writing surface with leather top. The desk interior f...

18th century English painted oak writing bureau with original brass handles. Good fitted interior. 1780. Height to the underside of fall front is 30.5" (77.5cm). Code: 8680 Dimens...

18th century English painted oak writing bureau with a nice fitted interior. 1780. Height to underside of fall front is 29.5" (75cm). Code: 8681 Dimensions: W: 34.5" (87.6 cm) H: ...

Fine Queen Anne walnut bureau bookcase circa 1710 . This fine walnut bureau bookcase case has a desirable double dome top with mirrored doors . the top is fitted with drawers cubby ...

A robust mahogany secrétaire made in England, circa 1820. The secretary’s upper body features glass front doors in an arched window formation, opened by a working lock and key. Insid...

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...

For sale is a very good quality antique burr walnut Queen Anne style escritoire, having a secret drawer in the top, above a fall front opening to a fully fitted interior and writing ...

A stunning English Georgian bureau. This bureaux is from the Georgian era, just after 1800. Fabulous color and patina to the solid oak finish. The whole piece of furniture is made of...

Pair of impressive marble, porcelain, and ormolu mounted Victorian secretaires English, 19th Century Height 126cm, width 77cm, depth 37cm This stunning pair are a showcase of Engl...

Elegant Edwardian Cylinder Roll Top Secretary Desk, French Walnut with Marquetry & Parquetry Inlay– English Craftsmanship Step back in time with this exquisite Edwardian cylinder ro...

This is a mid-century Chinese Chippendale style carved pine secretary. It is purported to be English, and it has glass shelves. The drawers do have dovetail construction, and it is t...

Pretty 18th century narrow painted bureau with a fitted interior and working lock and key. The interior features a hidden well and a lovely original chinoiserie lacquer. 1790. Heigh...

Antique English Rustic Secretary Desk makes the perfect choice for a cozy office, a student's desk, or just a great place to catch up on correspondenc...

Rare 18th-century English Georgian-style secretary or butler chest, never restored with original patina, three drawers with secretary in top drop drawer, original hardware, dove tail...

George III mahogany secretary with original glass. Outstanding patina with original brasses and bracket feet. Two pieces. Mahogany and...

English 19th Century Mahogany Secretary with Broken Pediment, Ebonized Inlay and Splayed Feet

A fine large English period George I cabinet on chest of patinated walnut from the 18th century. Featuring burr walnut-figured veneers and attractive brass hardware throughout. The...

18th century English painted oak bureau with a fitted interior, featuring a hidden well and hidden drawers. 1760. Height to the underside of the fall front is 73cm. Code: 8523 Dim...

Bold 18th century masculine painted oak bureau with a good fitted interior and hidden compartments. 1780. Height to the underside of the fall front is 78cm. Code: 8515 Dimensions:...

Late 18th century English painted oak bureau with a good fitted interior. 1780. Height to the underside of the fall front is 73cm. Code: 8514 Dimensions: W: 35" (88.9 cm) H: 40.5"...

Beautiful antique Davenport bureau in burl walnut. Light brown leather inlay with gold profiling. Under the writing surface there is 1 small drawer and 2 false drawer fronts. On the...

A fine English period George I large secretary bureau escritoire - or scriptor - of patinated walnut from the 18th century. Featuring burr walnut-fig...

English 19th Century Mahogany Secretary with Dental Moulded Flat Cornince and Splayed Feet