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French Louis Philippe Mahogany Secretary, C.1840
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A French Louis Philippe ‘secretaire a abattant’ or fall-front desk, the simple geometric form in
Category
Antique 1840s French Secretaires
Materials
Marble
19th Century French Louis Philippe Carved Walnut Secretary Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate an office or study with this elegant, antique fruitwood "Secretaire a Abattant". Crafted
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Walnut
French Empire Mahogany Secretary Desk Cabinet with Drawers ca. 1830
Located in Shippensburg, PA
LOUIS PHILIPPE ORMOLU-MOUNTED FLAMED-MAHOGANY SECRETAIRE À ABATTANT
Paris, France circa 1830
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-Century Panga-Panga Long Sideboard
Located in London, GB
opening with an abattant.
France, third quarter of the 20th Century.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
Materials
Brass
French Directoire Secrétaire á Abattant
Located in Sheffield, MA
French antique secretary bureau is made of merisier (prune wood). It has a Provincial Directoire
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Directoire Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Fruitwood
Beautiful French Moderne Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Lovely burl wood secretary abattant with a leather writing surface. The interior features sold wood
Category
Vintage 1940s French Streamlined Moderne Dry Bars
Materials
Silver Plate
18th Century, French Mahogany Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Sofia, BG
Secretaire a abattant that dates to the end of the 18th century. The interior of the secretaire
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
French 18th Century Walnut Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
An impressive solid walnut secretaire a abattant from late 18th century France. This specialized
Category
Antique 18th Century French Other Secretaires
Materials
Brass
French 19th Century Walnut Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
An impressive solid walnut secretaire a abattant from 19th century France. This specialized antique
Category
Antique 19th Century French Other Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Early 20th C French Empire Style Secretaire Abattant
Located in Troy, MI
Circa 1930s French empire style secretaire abattant in mahogany with decorative gilt brass mounts
Category
Early 20th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
Secretaire a Abattant, Drop Front Desk, France, 1840
Located in Belmont, MA
This secretaire a abattant or drop front desk is an absolute masterpiece. It dates back to around
Category
Antique 1840s French Louis Philippe Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century Louis Philippe French Secretaire à Abattant
Located in Winter Park, FL
An exquisite early 19th century Louis Philippe French secretaire à abattant, or fall front
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Louis Philippe Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Empire desk Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
Beautiful upright secrétaire from the French Empire period. The desk is made of oak with burr
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
French Louis XVI Style Fall-Front Secretaire Abattant
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fantastic fall front secretaire abattant desk made in the French Louis XVI taste. Features a large
Category
Antique 19th Century English Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A wonderful mahogany desk with a white and gray marble top and brass gallery. The pulls and other trim are brass. A single drawer can be found at the top of the desk. The front of th...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Mahogany
Empire Bronze Mounted Secretary Abattant
Located in Norwood, NJ
Unique slender and narrow stand alone French Empire period Secretaire à Abattant. Drop front panel
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Secretaire a Abattant in Louis XVI Style
Located in Sofia, BG
A transitional Louis XVI Secretaire a Abattant that dates to the beginning of the 19th century. The
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Marble
1850s French Empire Secretaire a Abattant Brul Mahogany Secretary Desk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
1850s French Empire secretaire also known as a drop-front brul mahogany secretary desk. White
Category
Antique 1850s French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century French Drop-Front Marquetry Oak Secretary Desk or Abattant
Located in Miami, FL
Secretaire a abattant, Spain circa 1900. The outside with fall front and one low door with
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Biedermeier Secretaires
Materials
Oak
18th Century, Louis XVI Secretaire Abattant
Located in Doylestown, PA
An 18th century French secretaire abattant with an upper cabinet with 2 doors concealing 12 small
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
French 19th Century Empire Walnut Greek Female Heads Secretaire à Abattant
Located in Berlin, DE
French 19th Century Empire Walnut Greek Female Heads Writing Desk or Secretaire à Abattant
A fine
Category
Antique 19th Century French Restauration Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Early Baker Furniture French Regency Secrétaire à Abattant, Newly Refinished
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique French Regency style secrétaire à abattant
By Baker Furniture
USA, Circa
Category
Vintage 1920s American Regency Desks
Materials
Brass
Antique French Louis XVI Inlaid Rosewood Secretaire Abattant Desk Dresser, 1880
Located in Portland, OR
A good quality antique French inlaid marquetry Rosewood secretaire abattant, circa 1880.
Made from
Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Antique French Charles X Classical Secrétaire à Abattant Desk Chest Walnut 1825
Located in Portland, OR
A fine & elegant antique French Charles X figured walnut secretaire abattant, circa 1825.
A high
Category
Antique 1820s French Charles X Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
19th Century French Beidermeier Drop Front Abattant Secretary Desk Writing Table
Located in West Hartford, CT
Stunning 19th century French Empire drop leaf secretary abattant with ebony accents and columns
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Secretaires
Materials
Brass
18th Century Louis XVI Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Belmont, MA
18th century secretaire a abattant, mahogany veneer with marquetry in elm. Expertly restored in
Category
Antique 1780s French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
19th C. French Empire Flame Mahogany a Abattant/Desk with Gilt Bronze Mounts
Located in San Francisco, CA
19th c. French Empire flame mahogany a abattant with gilt bronze mounts & noir marble top
Drop
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
18th Century Louis XV Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Belmont, MA
Fall top Louis XV secretary, kingwood and rosewood veneer on oak.
The rounded rectangular marble-top above a mirror veneered drawer and a cross banded quarter veneer drop front. Insi...
Category
Antique 1770s French Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood, Kingwood
19th Century Louis XV-Style Secretaire a Abattant
Located in Belmont, MA
Small chiffonier which upper part transforms into a fall top secretaire, the inside with two compartments and three drawers, rosewood and kingwood veneer with exquisite original bron...
Category
Antique 1870s French Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Rosewood
Napoleon III Secrétaire à Abattant, by Leclaire, circa 1860
By A. Leclaire
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine Napoléon III gilt-bronze mounted sycamore, amaranth and mahogany secrétaire à Abattant with
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Very Fine Empire Mahogany Secretaire Abattant Writing Desk, 19th Century
Located in Shippensburg, PA
Abattant exhibits the best of the period. The carefully selected and matched flamed mahogany veneers have
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Desks
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Faux Bamboo Secretaire
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century French secrétaire à abattant, or drop front secretary desk, with the case made of
Category
Antique 19th Century French Country Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Marble, Brass
French 19th Century Faux Bamboo Secretary Desk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A 19th century secrétaire à abattant from France, circa 1880, this drop-front secretary desk is
Category
Antique 19th Century French Aesthetic Movement Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
French abattant
Located in Charlottesville, VA
French abattant, ash wood. 2 door cabinets below, 2 drawers with brass pulls and 4 drawers inside
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$3,800
French Abattant Inlaid Wood
Located in Stamford, CT
French Abattant with inlaid decoration and brass mounts, marble top and leather pull down writing
Category
20th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Empire French sectretaire abattant
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Empire French walnut sectretaire abattant with cast brass mounts , escheons & drawer pulls. The
Category
French Secretaires
French Empire Mahogany Secretaire Abattant
Located in Brooklyn, NY
French Empire mahogany secretaire abattant with black marble top. Piece consists of a fall front
Category
20th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble
French Art Deco Bureau abattant
Located in Santa Monica, CA
very unique piece with burl-walnut compartments leather table.bakalite knobs
Category
Early 20th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Leather
18th Century French Walnut Abattant
Located in New Orleans, LA
18th century French walnut abattant
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Antique French secretaire a abattant. Satinwood.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique French secretaire a abattant. Satinwood.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
Materials
Satinwood
A French Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Salt Lake City, UT
A fine, late-nineteenth-century, Louis-XVI-style fall front desk with a white marble top, beautiful parquetry in amaranth, marquetry trophies and floral sprays in exotic woods, and o...
Category
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Secretary/Abattant
Located in Atlanta, GA
Secretary/Abattant with Marble Top
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
$3,900
French Louis XVI Secretaire A’abattant
Located in Natchez, MS
French Inlaid secretaire A’abattant with a drawer above, fall front and two doors below. Blanc
Category
Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
French Antique Walnut Secrétaire à Abattant
Located in Chicago, IL
This Directoire style antique walnut secrétaire à abattant from France has a black marble top
Category
Antique 19th Century French Directoire Secretaires
Materials
Belgian Black Marble
Secretary Abattant
Located in San Francisco, CA
A nice Louis XVI cherry wood secretary made in France late in the 18th Century.
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Desks
Materials
Marble, Brass
$7,950
French Empire Secretaire "A Abattant" 19th Century
Located in Madrid , ES
French Empire Secretaire " A Abattant " 19th century
Palm wood
Marble
France
89cm x 47cm x
Category
Antique 19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Fruitwood
Empire Mahogany Secretaire Abattant Desk
Located in Kirkland, WA
most of the knobs are original. The knobs on the exterior drawers are reproductions from France.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
19th Century Abattant
Located in Stamford, CT
Fabulous 19th century abattant secretaire with gilt bronze mounts.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
$3,400
Louis Philippe Secretaire Abattant
Located in Norwalk, CT
French mahogany secretaire abattant
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
Rio rosewood and parchment secreter "a abattant", France, 1950s
Located in Madrid, ES
Rio rosewood and parchment secreter "a abattant", France, 1950s
Category
Vintage 1950s French Secretaires
Maison Carlhian Secretaire-Abattant
By Maison Carlhian
Located in Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire
Excellent quality, 1950s secretaire abattant by sort after designer Maison Carlhian.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Secretaires
19th Century Secretary Abattant
Located in Atlanta, GA
Flame mahogany Secretary Abattant, fall front writing surface, fitted interior with secret drawers
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Charles X Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Louis XV Rosewood Secretaire A’Abattant
Located in New York, NY
The molded rectangular marble top above a single drawer, above a hinged drop down leather inset writing surface opening to a fitted interior above a pair of cupboard doors, raised on...
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Empire Secretaire à Abattant
Located in Atlanta, GA
Beautiful 19th century marble topped secretaire a abattant, excellent condition recently restored
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Mahogany, Brass Inlaid Secretaire Abattant
Located in Darwen, GB
A 19th century French mahogany, brass and mother-of-pearl inlaid secretaire abattant. With a rouge
Category
Antique 1880s Secretaires
Empire Secretaire a Abattant
Located in New Orleans, LA
Drop front secretaire in maple with interior compartments and three lower drawers. One hidden drawer at top.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
$11,400
French 19th Century Directoire Cherrywood Fall-Front Secretaire Abattant
Located in Hudson, NY
The black marble-top over a drawer above a leather mounted fall-front opening to shelving above a single large drawer flanked by three side drawers to each side. The fall-front above...
Category
Antique 1860s French Directoire Secretaires
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French Abattant For Sale on 1stDibs
Choose from an assortment of styles, material and more with respect to the French abattant you’re looking for at 1stDibs. A French abattant — often made from wood, metal and mahogany — can elevate any home. Your living room may not be complete without a French abattant — find older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. A French abattant, designed in the Louis XVI, Empire or Louis XV style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. A well-made French abattant has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by A. Leclaire, B. Butte and Christian Dell are consistently popular.
How Much is a French Abattant?
Prices for a French abattant can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $850 and can go as high as $398,500, while the average can fetch as much as $5,250.
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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