Rococo Secretaires
ROCOCO STYLE
Rococo was an aesthetic movement in the fine and decorative arts in the 18th century that found its inspiration in nature and fostered an overall lightness and delicacy of form, construction and ornament in interior design. Rococo furniture, while greatly influenced by trends in Italy and Germany, is often called Louis XV style — the movement having reached its best expression during that sybaritic French king’s reign.
The term “rococo” is thought to be a portmanteau of the French words rocaille and coquilles — “rock” and “shells” — organic motifs frequently used in architecture and design of the style.
When it comes to authentic Rococo furniture's characteristics, it is above all sensuous and social. The furniture of earlier eras in Europe had been heavy in every sense; the Rococo period saw the appearance of light-framed upholstered armchairs, side chairs and occasional tables that could easily be moved to form conversational circles.
The signal detail of Rococo furniture design is the gently curved cabriole, or S-shaped chair-, table-, and cabinet-leg. It imitates the bend of a tree limb or a flower stem. In a further reference to nature, furnishings were often asymmetrical and painted white, or in soft, pastel shades. Rococo has become a timeless style, and as the furniture pieces presented on 1stDibs demonstrate, its playful, sculptural forms can provide visual excitement to contemporary, clean-lined spaces.
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Style: Rococo
19th c. Swedish Rococo Secretary with Library in Original Blue 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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
18th Century Black Swedish Oak Bureau - Antique Drop Front Secretary
Located in Kvidinge, SE
Fold-down flap with hidden drawers, secret compartment and writing interior
Four larger drawers on the lower part of the front.
Beautiful brass fittings, working lock and keys inc...
Category
Late 18th Century Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Early Swedish 19th Century Rococo Secretary
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Early 19th Century Rococo secretary.
With a decorative carved pediment with two doors opening to storage. With a fall front desk opening to writing space.
With drawers below two sh...
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Kingwood, Tulipwood, Satinwood, Mahogany
Majestic Blue painted Rococo Bureau / Secretary
Located in Kastrup, DK
A Rococo secretary desk with a cabinet or bookcase top, beautifully painted in blue with a black-painted interior.
This piece consists of two sections: Upper section consists of a c...
Category
Mid-18th Century Danish Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Brass
Superb Period 1780s era Italian Tombstone Paint Decorated Secretary Desk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a superb, absolutely stunning antique Italian Rococo secretary desk that's from the 1780s-1810s era. The piece is elaborately painted and has wonderful lines. The piece needs...
Category
1780s Italian Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Mirror, Walnut
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood
20th Century Inlaid Wood Rococo Style Lombard Trumeau Desk, 1960s
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. Doubl...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique Dutch Rococo Inlaid Marquetry Walnut Bombe Secretary Desk Bureau 1780
Located in Portland, OR
A fine 18th century Dutch Rococo walnut inlaid marquetry bombe shaped desk, circa 1780.
The desk top is inlaid with a satinwood panel and having corresponding panels to the sides, th...
Category
1780s Dutch Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Fruitwood, Walnut, Ebony, Satinwood
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 Vintage Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Pine
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood, Paint
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Fir
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Charles IV Secretaire with Drawers with Inlaid Work. Spain, 18th Century.
Located in Madrid, ES
A very rare cabinet or secretaire with a chest of drawers in solid walnut wood, inlaid with fruitwood in a neoclassical style. The central lid can be folded down, turning into a writ...
Category
18th Century Spanish Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Walnut
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Italian Rococo Oyster Burl Secretary Cabinet / Desk
Located in Queens, 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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Brass
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Travel Secretary Rococo
Located in New York, NY
A travel secretary with position. Made in Sweden during the Rococo period 1750-1775. Made from oak. Three drawers, a writing disc and compartements. Later painted and later fittings.
Category
Mid-18th Century Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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 Antique Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Paper, Mirror, Wood
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
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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.
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Large luxury antique English oak secretary from the 18th century
Located in Harderwijk, NL
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Antique Italian Hand Painted Secretary
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H 56.7 in W 32.29 in D 14.57 in
Antique 19th Century Dutch Oak Drop Front Bombe Secretary
Located in Charleston, SC
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Previously Available Items
19th Century Gray Painted Secretary Bureau from Denmark
Located in Round Top, TX
This pine secretary reflects the refined grace and style of early 1800's Denmark. Note the rococo curves of the drawers.
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Black Painted Oak Secretary, Denmark circa 1920
Located in Round Top, TX
This oak rococo secretary reflects the grace and class of Danish styling in the early 1900's.
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Secretary Hutch Swedish Rococo
Located in Hollywood, FL
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Period 18th Century Swedish Rococo Secretary
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
18th Century Swedish secretarie.
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Elm Secretary Bureau With Inlaid Starburst Pattern, Denmark circa 1780-1820
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Italian 1850s Rococo Style Tall Secretary with Slanted Desk and Original Paint
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Swedish Rococo Period 1790s Painted Two-Part Secretary with Slanted Front Desk
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H 87.25 in W 43.75 in D 21.75 in
Rare Bright Green Italian Venetian Painted Rococo Secretary Desk Circa 1940
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a superb green and yellow splash of elegance and color disguised as a secretary desk. The desk is in two pieces and dates to the 1940s era and is in good vintage condition wi...
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H 84.5 in W 35.5 in D 19 in
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.
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19th c. Swedish Rococo Secretary with Library in Original Blue Paint
Located in Wichita, KS
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Rococo secretaires for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Rococo secretaires for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 18th Century and Earlier, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage secretaires created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, brass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Rococo secretaires made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for secretaires differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $18,000 and tops out at $60,000 while the average work can sell for $39,000.