Secretaire Antique
19th Century Austrian Secretaire Antique
Ebony, Walnut
19th Century Secretaire Antique
19th Century Secretaire Antique
Ebony, Walnut
19th Century Secretaire Antique
19th Century French Secretaire Antique
19th Century Secretaire Antique
Wood
19th Century Secretaire Antique
Wood
19th Century Secretaire Antique
Ebony
19th Century Secretaire Antique
Ebony, Mahogany
19th Century Secretaire Antique
19th Century Secretaire Antique
Cherry, Walnut
19th Century Austrian Secretaire Antique
1850s Swedish Biedermeier Secretaire Antique
Ash
19th Century French Secretaire Antique
Walnut
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaire Antique
Wood, Paint
1790s English Secretaire Antique
Brass
Early 20th Century Secretaire Antique
Early 1800s English Secretaire Antique
Brass
19th Century Russian Secretaire Antique
1810s Scandinavian Biedermeier Secretaire Antique
19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Secretaire Antique
Birch, Fir
19th Century Secretaire Antique
19th Century Austrian Secretaire Antique
18th Century and Earlier Austrian Secretaire Antique
Late 19th Century Italian Secretaire Antique
Wood
18th Century Secretaire Antique
Kingwood
Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Secretaire Antique
Marble
1880s Swedish Victorian Secretaire Antique
Walnut
Mid-19th Century English Regency Secretaire Antique
Rosewood
Mid-17th Century Italian Secretaire Antique
Walnut
Early 19th Century Russian Neoclassical Secretaire Antique
Ormolu
Early 1900s German Art Nouveau Secretaire Antique
Birdseye Maple, Pine, Cherry
19th Century Secretaire Antique
Late 18th Century Swedish Secretaire Antique
Wood, Paint
19th Century Secretaire Antique
Birdseye Maple, Walnut
19th Century American Victorian Secretaire Antique
Mahogany, Maple
18th Century and Earlier Austrian Secretaire Antique
Walnut
19th Century English Country Secretaire Antique
Wood
1820s Baltic Biedermeier Secretaire Antique
Pewter
19th Century English Other Secretaire Antique
Brass
18th Century English Chippendale Secretaire Antique
Brass
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Secretaire Antique
Brass
19th Century French Empire Secretaire Antique
Marble, Brass
1770s French Louis XV Secretaire Antique
Kingwood
19th Century English Georgian Secretaire Antique
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Secretaire Antique
Wood, Lacquer
19th Century Dutch Secretaire Antique
Oak
19th Century English Victorian Secretaire Antique
Wood
19th Century Dutch Secretaire Antique
Oak
18th Century European Baroque Secretaire Antique
Walnut
19th Century French Charles X Secretaire Antique
Marble
Mid-18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaire Antique
Bronze
1770s French Louis XV Secretaire Antique
Kingwood, Satinwood, Walnut
19th Century French Secretaire Antique
Brass
19th Century French Secretaire Antique
Bronze
19th Century Hungarian Biedermeier Secretaire Antique
Walnut, Burl
1810s Austrian Empire Secretaire Antique
Bronze
1830s English William IV Secretaire Antique
Mahogany
18th Century German Baroque Secretaire Antique
Softwood
Mid-18th Century Swiss Baroque Secretaire Antique
Oak, Yew
- 1
- ...
Secretaire Antique For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Secretaire Antique?
Finding the Right secretaires for You
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.
Read More
The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home
Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.
What Exactly Is a Secretary Desk, and What Is It Used For?
The furniture equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, it's the multifunctional piece you didn't know you needed.
This Shelving System with Oxidized Brass Tubes Is Retro and Futuristic at Once
Italian studio DimoreMilano mustered great ingenuity when crafting these sculptural shelves, which are built without any screws.
28 Cheerful Home Bars, Where Everybody (Literally) Knows Your Name
Simple or sophisticated, equipped with console, cart or custom cabinetry, these stylish bar areas deserve a toast.
Ask an Interior Designer: Work-from-Home Edition
Leaping into a design project, whether it's refreshing the bedroom or redoing the whole house, can be overwhelming. Luckily, we know more than a few interior designers. You asked questions on Instagram, and now they're answering.
Collected and Eclectic, ‘Wunderkammern’ Are Back in a Big Way
Introduced nearly 500 years ago, curiosity cabinets are finding new fans among today's collectors and designers.
Meet the Incredible Woman Transforming Fallen Trees into Sleek Furniture
In the hands of New York Heartwoods cofounder Megan Offner, unwanted local trees become works of design art.
These New York Architects Love a Complicated Project
From Brooklyn townhouses to Maine campgrounds, Trattie Davies and Jonathan Toews relish a challenge, like transforming a former warehouse space into the new 1stdibs Gallery.