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Antique Limbert Arts
Crafts Mission Oak Drop Front Desk C1910
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Limbert Arts and Crafts desk offers oak construction with drop front opening to interior
Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks
Materials
Oak
Late 19th Century Highly Carved Gilt Venetian Drop Front Desk
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous desk with fantastic carvings, including a full body cherub dragons roaring lion drawer
Category
Antique 1890s Italian Rococo Desks
Materials
Walnut
Baker Signature Empire Style Drop Front Desk / Secretary with Cabinet
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Toledo, OH
half pilasters with brass hardware. Fall front tooled leather writing surface, 26.5" deep x 29.75" wide
Category
20th Century American Empire Desks
Materials
Mahogany
Swedish Gustavian Style Secretary Drop-Front Desk
Located in Manhasset, NY
black and white distress-painted, the molded top over a narrow drawer, atop a drop-front panel opens to
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Paul McCobb Planner Group Drop Front Desk with Sliding Door Credenza, Refinished
By Planner Group, Paul McCobb
Located in South Bend, IN
A rare and exceptional Mid-Century Modern drop front secretary desk cabinet with a lower sliding
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Brass
Antique Arts
Crafts Mission Oak Drop Front Desk with Leaded Bookcase, c1910
Located in Big Flats, NY
bookcase having leaded glass doors over drop front writing desk with shaped straps and over lower with
Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks
Materials
Oak, Glass
Paul McCobb Planner Group Drop Front Desk with Sliding Door Credenza, Refinished
By Planner Group, Paul McCobb
Located in South Bend, IN
A rare and exceptional mid-century modern drop front secretary desk cabinet with a lower sliding
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Grasscloth, Maple, Lacquer
French 19th Century Louis Philippe Mahogany Drop Front Desk with Marble Top
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This handsome mahogany Louis Philippe desk features a marble top and drop front that folds down to
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis Philippe Desks
Materials
Marble
19th Century Drop Front Desk, France 1830, Walnut
Located in Belmont, MA
This eye-catching secretary desk comes from France and dates back to around 1830. It features a
Category
Antique 1830s French Restauration Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Wall-Mounted Drop-Front Desk by A.A. Patijn
By Abraham A. Patijn
Located in Dronten, NL
Dutch modern wall-mounted cabinet in European walnut designed by A.A. Patijn.
Drop down desk with
Category
Vintage 1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Walnut
Antique Chippendale Style Shell Carved Mahogany Ball and Claw Drop Front Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
beautiful antique blockfront desk, bell flower, acanthus, and urn carved drop front panel, shell carved top
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century American Chippendale Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Unusual Italian Mid-Century Drop Front Writing Desk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stunning vintage drop front desk features unique brass pulls, tapered legs with brass feet
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Antique Ashwood Biedermeier Drop Front Abattant Secretary Desk, circa 1850
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Bierdermeier abattant secretary features ashwood construction with drop front desk
Category
Antique 19th Century German Biedermeier Desks
Materials
Bronze
Italian Burl Wood Inlayed Drop Secretary Desk with Matching Bench Bronze Ormolu
By A. Gargiulo
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Fine petit small compact burl wood inlay secretary drop front desk with matching velvet upholstery
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian French Provincial Desks and Writin...
Materials
Burl
Antique Arts
Crafts Mission Oak Drop Front Secretary Circa 1910
Located in Big Flats, NY
over, double glass door bookcase, drop front desk having cutout straps, and lower drawer, c1910
Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desks
Materials
Oak
Danish Rosewood Secretary Desk
Located in Hudson, NY
A rosewood drop front desk/cabinet with a pullout writing surface and storage compartments. Marked
Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks
Materials
Rosewood
Antique Continental Hand-Painted Venetian Gilt Drop Front Secretary
Located in Big Flats, NY
-front desk with internal compartments and writing surface and three long drawers, 19th century
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Desks
Materials
Wood
Henredon Folio 10 Walnut Chippendale Bowfront Secretary and Bookcase Desk
By Henredon
Located in Dayton, OH
shelves behind glass doors and is lighted. Bottom features drop front desk concealing small drawers and
Category
Late 20th Century Chippendale Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Glass, Walnut
Vintage Hepplewhite Style Maddox Mahogany Tambour Secretary Desk, Circa 1930
By Maddox Furniture
Located in Big Flats, NY
inlaid supports and surmounting drop front desk and two satinwood banded long drawers, raised on straight
Category
Mid-20th Century American Hepplewhite Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
Peter Hvidt
Orla Mølgaard Drop Front Secretary Desk
By Hvidt
Mølgaard
Located in San Francisco, CA
Simple and efficient design secretary desk with drop front desk, two pull-out paper trays and five
Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Italian Vittorio Lombardi Drop Front Writing Desk, Circa 1950
s
By Vittorio Lombardi
Located in Toledo, OH
Handmade Vittorio Lombardi Italian inlay wood drop front desk with interior lighting and three
Category
Vintage 1950s Modern Cabinets
Materials
Wood
American Empire Neoclassical Meeks School Flame Mahogany Secretary Desk, c1840
By Joseph Meeks
Located in Big Flats, NY
surmounting lower case with drop-front desk and ogee frieze drawer over two long drawers flanked by scroll
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century American American Empire Desks
Materials
Mahogany, Glass
Governor Winthrop Mahogany Slant Front Serpentine Ball
Claw Secretary
Located in Big Flats, NY
front doors opening to bookshelf with painted interior seated on slant drop front desk opening to reveal
Category
20th Century American Chippendale Desks
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
Early 19th Century Gustavian Drop Front Secretaire
Located in Mt Kisco, NY
A darling drop front desk with an aged painted surface. A diamond design adorns the front doors and
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Early Victorian Oak Escritoire Desk Oriental Tapestry Laptop Work Table Campaign
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to this very rare Victorian oak Escritoire drop front desk with Oriental tapestry
Category
Antique 19th Century English Early Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Tapestry, Oak
Rare Piero Fornasetti Cabinet
By Fornasetti
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
between a drop-front desk,a bar and a credenza) is one
of the most desirable examples of Fornasetti-Ponti
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Desks
Materials
Metal
19th Century Burl Walnut Drop Front Bureau, C.1890
Located in San Francisco, CA
19th century burl walnut drop front bureau, C.1890
Handsome drop front desk with fitted interior
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Danish Teak Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This beautiful vintage modern secretary features a drop front desk that hides a compartment with a
Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Materials
Teak
18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretary
Located in Wichita, KS
drawers below the drop-front desk surface. Circa 1790.
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Swedish Gustavian Desks
Antique Classical Flame Mahogany Empire Abattant, circa 1840
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Classical Empire abattant (drop front desk) features bookmatched flame mahogany, drop front
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Desks
Materials
Mahogany
Brutalist Lane Staccato Bookshelf / Desk
By Lane Furniture
Located in Fulton, CA
Scarce Lane Furniture "Staccato" line bookshelf with drop-front desk. In very good original
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Shelves
Materials
Wood, Walnut
Delightful Antique Drop Front Bureau Desk with Soft Gray Paint
Located in Round Top, TX
One can imagine this secretary or drop front desk gracing a European lady's country home in the
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Danish Modern Drop Front Writing Desk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stylish Mid-Century Modern writing desk features a drop front writing surface and two wide
Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Teak
Early to Mid 19th Century American Walnut Plantation Desk 2-pc
Located in Louisville, KY
practical drop-front desk. This design was often found in businesses and post offices. Shakers also
Category
Antique Early 19th Century American Folk Art Desks
Materials
Walnut
1790s Swedish Period Gustavian Painted Drop-Front Secretary with Lower Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
18th century. This Swedish drop-front desk features clean, simple lines, typical of the Gustavian taste
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Antique Barley Twist Jacobean Desk Secretary Drop Front Oak Bureau, circa 1890s
Located in Germantown, MD
Antique barley twist jacobean desk secretary drop front oak bureau.
You will love this handsome
Category
Early 20th Century North American Jacobean Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Bernhard Pedersen
Son Secretary Desk
By Bernhard Pedersen
Son
Located in New York, NY
Bernhard Pedersen & Son secretary desk with drop-front desk work area with tambour door storage
Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Italian Regency Florentine Trompe l
oeil Secretary Desk
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Impressive Italian regency two-part Trompe l'oeil secretaire with a drop-front desk made in
Category
20th Century Italian Regency Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Georgian Mahogany Drop Front Bureau Chest Desk
Located in Dallas, TX
Georgian mahogany drop front secretary bureau desk, the crossbanded lid revealing a nicely fitted
Category
Antique Late 18th Century English Georgian Desks
Materials
Mahogany
Arts
Crafts Globe Wernicke Barrister Bookcase Slant Front Secretary circa 1910
By Globe Wernicke
Located in Big Flats, NY
with glass front upper and lower stack with central drop front desk with frieze drawer having pigeon
Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Bookcases
Materials
Metal
Arts
Crafts Globe Wernicke Oak Barrister Bookcase with Desk, c1910
By Globe Wernicke
Located in Big Flats, NY
having glass doors and drop front desk, original labels as photographed, circa 1890
Measures: 60 " H
Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Bookcases
Materials
Metal
Tall Walnut Mid-Century Modern Drop Front Secretary Desk Bookcase
By American of Martinsville
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modern American walnut tall drop front secretary desk bookcase.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Walnut
Louis XV Style French Carved Walnut Drop Front Secretary Desk
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Louis XV style carved oak drop front secretary bureau or writing desk, when opened revealing a
Category
Vintage 1950s French Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Oak
Antique American Empire Flame Mahogany Carved Slant Front Secretary 19th Century
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique American Empire slant drop front desk features flame mahogany with cared floral and foliate
Category
Antique 19th Century American American Empire Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
Midcentury Danish Brazilian Rosewood Secretary Desk
Located in Oakland, CA
Brazilian Rosewood secretary desk with locking drop-front desk over three drawers with carved pulls
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood
Country French Gold Decorated Scollop Carving Drop Front Secretary Desk Bookcase
By John Widdicomb
Located in Rockaway, NJ
French provincial drop front secretary desk writing table.
Category
20th Century American French Provincial Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Hardwood
Antique Victorian Oak Glass Side By Side Cabinet / Secretary Desk Original Key
Located in Portsmouth, VA
, allowing for versatile placement in any room. The drop-front desk opens to a spacious writing surface
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century American Desks
Materials
Oak
Vintage Mid-Century American of Martinsville Highboy Secretary
By American of Martinsville
Located in Pasadena, TX
Tall dropfront dresser secretary.
Drop front desk with louver details with storage drawers
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Materials
Walnut
Swedish Gustavian Style Gray Painted Drop-Front Secretary with Fluted Accents
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian style secretary from the 19th century, with drop-front desk, three drawers
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Early 19th Century Anglo-Indian Mahogany Campaign Chest with Desk
Located in Doylestown, PA
An early 19th century Anglo-Indian campaign chest in two parts with drop-front desk, in mahogany
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Dressers
Materials
Mahogany
Rosewood Vi-Ma Mobler Drop Front Danish Modern Desk
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in New York, NY
Sleek sophisticated architectural design fall front desk by Danish maker Vi- Ma Mobler. The desk
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desks
Materials
Rosewood
English Wellington Chest of Drawers
Located in Westwood, NJ
English Late Regency rosewood Wellington drop front desk with a fitted interior and a tooled
Category
Antique 19th Century English Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pair of Walnut Wall Units
By Milo Baughman
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Two part wall unit or a pair of separate units with drop front desk in style of Milo Baughman.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Hand Painted Chinoiserie Secretary Desk by Maitland Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in Lambertville, NJ
drawers and compartments. A drop front desk reveals more drawers. The emerald green lacquered cabinet with
Category
Vintage 1980s Asian Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Hardwood
Piter Hvidt Solid Teak Concealed Vanity Mirror Chest
By Peter Hvidt
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid-Century Modern solid teak chest with drop front vanity can be use as a small drop front desk
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Faux Bamboo Rattan Light Fruitwood Finish Oval Glass Secretary Bookcase Cabinet
By McGuire, American of Martinsville
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Highly decorative faux bamboo oval windows rattan secretary drop front desk cabinet bookcase with
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Materials
Faux Bamboo, Rattan
18th Century Early American Chippendale Cherrywood Drop-Front Secretary Desk
Located in South Bend, IN
A stunning 18th century early American cherrywood drop-front secretary desk. The desk features
Category
Antique 18th Century American American Colonial Desks
Materials
Brass
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Drop Front Desks For Sale on 1stDibs
An assortment of drop front desks is available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, metal and hardwood, all drop front desks available were constructed with great care. Drop front desks have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century. Drop front desks bearing Mid-Century Modern or Louis XV hallmarks are very popular at 1stDibs. Not every interior allows for large drop front desks, so small drop front desks measuring 14 inches across are available at 1stDibs. Raymond Loewy, Hvidt
Mølgaard and Arne Wahl Iversen each produced beautiful drop front desks that are worth considering.
How Much are Drop Front Desks?
Prices for drop front desks start at $750 and top out at $30,000 with the average selling for $2,997.
Finding the Right Case Pieces And Storage Cabinets for You
Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.
In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.
Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.
Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.
In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.
A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.
Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.
Questions About Drop Front Desks
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023A drop-front desk is usually called a secretary. Other names for this type of desk include writing cabinet, fall-front desk and secrétaire à abattant. The name secretary can be traced back to the 18th century when estate secretaries used the drop-front desks as workstations for paying bills and reconciling accounts. On 1stDibs, find a range of secretary desks.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023In French, the term for a writing desk that often featured a drop-down writing surface is secretaire. This type of desk is called a secretary desk in English. 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, which are called pigeonholes, cubbies, recesses or drawers, are revealed. On 1stDibs, shop antique secretary desks from some of the world's top sellers.
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