Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
19th Century English Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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18th Century Swedish Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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19th Century English Georgian Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Early 19th Century English Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Early 18th Century English Queen Anne Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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18th Century and Earlier English Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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18th Century and Earlier British Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
18th Century and Earlier English Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Late 19th Century Swedish Rococo Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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18th Century Swedish Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Late 18th Century European Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Early 20th Century Chippendale Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Mid-19th Century Greco Roman Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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19th Century British Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
Pine
19th Century English Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
19th Century English Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
Mahogany, Satinwood, Glass
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
19th Century Swedish Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
Wood
19th Century English Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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19th Century English Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Mid-19th Century American American Classical Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
19th Century French Antique Secretary With Glass Doors
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Antique Secretary With Glass Doors For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Antique Secretary With Glass Doors?
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.
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