Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Late 18th Century Danish Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany, Fruitwood
Late 18th Century Danish Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Brass
1790s German Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Brass
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Walnut
1750s French Louis XV Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Birdseye Maple, Maple, Walnut
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany
18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Leather, Cherry
18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Leather, Cherry
18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Cherry, Leather
18th Century and Earlier French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Leather, Cherry
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Kingwood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Ormolu, Bronze
Mid-19th Century European Louis XIII Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Brass
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble, Ormolu
Late 18th Century Danish Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany, Satinwood
Mid-19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Brass
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Ormolu
Late 18th Century Danish Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Brass
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Bronze
1880s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble, Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Satinwood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble, Ormolu
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
18th Century French Louis XV Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Bronze
Late 18th Century Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Wood
Late 18th Century European Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Wood, Rosewood, Walnut, Softwood
18th Century Spanish Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Walnut
19th Century European Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Walnut
Late 18th Century Danish Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Kingwood, Rosewood
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Cherry
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble, Bronze, Gold Leaf
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany, Satinwood
Late 18th Century Danish Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Brass
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Kingwood, Yew
1880s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Oak
1770s German Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Walnut
1780s German Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany
Late 18th Century European Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Oak
Early 1900s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Bronze
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Marble
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany
1920s French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Bronze
Late 18th Century Dutch Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Satinwood
1780s Italian Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Walnut
Mid-18th Century French Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Wood
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire
Mahogany
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Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Antique Louis Xvi Secretaire?
A Close Look at Louis-xvi Furniture
Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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.