Painted Secretary
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Two Part Baroque Secretary with Original Hardware
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Early Swedish Baroque secretary in two parts dated 1734. The upper section has two doors with
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Macedonian Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Maitland Smith Queen Anne Style Chinoiserie Secretary Desk
By Maitland Smith
Located in Raleigh, NC
Dramatic Maitland Smith Queen Anne style secretary desk with plenty of work space, organizing
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Giltwood
18th Century Swedish Gustavian Period Secretary Bureau
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
An exceptional, grand scale 18th century Gustavian period secretaire bureau with very fine carvings to the exterior and a wonderful pale blue interior featuring a multitude of drawer...
Category
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Oak
18th Century Antique Swedish Baroque Slant Front Secretary
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Late 18th century antique Swedish Baroque slant front secretary in a beautiful blue and original
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Swedish Drop-Front Desk or Secretary
Located in Houston, TX
19th century Swedish drop-front desk or secretary. A charming piece, repainted.
Established in
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Materials
Wood
BAKER Burl Walnut French Regency Abatante Secretary Desk
By Baker Furniture Company
Located in Charlotte, NC
A French Regency style abatante secretary desk by Baker Furniture. Burl walnut with brass hardware
Category
Late 20th Century American Regency Secretaires
Materials
Brass
19th century Napoleon III Faux Malachite Secretary
Located in San Francisco, CA
Wonderful faux painted malachite Napoleon III secretary.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Cupboards
Materials
Wood
Napoleon III Faux Malachite and Ebonized Secretary
Located in San Francisco, CA
French Napoleon III faux painted malachite secretary with drawers and shelves inside.
Category
Antique 19th Century French Secretaires
Very Rare English 18th Century Red Lacquer Secretary Bookcase
Located in Antwerp, BE
Very nice secretary bookcase with beautiful scenes of Chinese figures and decorations on red
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century English Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Lacquer
Superb 19th Century Adam Style Petite Secretary Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Finely fashioned from satinwood. Exquisite inlays and paintings. Rare and unusual size and quality.
Category
Antique Late 19th Century English Adam Style Secretaires
Materials
Satinwood
Secretary Napoleon III Period Garnished with Gilded Bronze french
Located in Boulogne-sur-Mer, FR
Beautiful secretary from the Napoleon III period, in blackened wood and brass inlay.
It opens with
Category
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Secretaires
Materials
Beech
Rare 18th Century Scandinavian Rococo Period Serpentine Secretary Bureau
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Exceptional and very rare mid-18th century Scandinavian secretaire bureau with a wonderful high arching Rococo top cabinet with inset panelled doors, over a fall front bureau desk wi...
Category
Antique 18th Century Scandinavian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Drexel Heritage Et Cetera Asian Chinoiserie Black Lacquer Secretary Desk
By Drexel
Located in Charlotte, NC
An Asian Chinoiserie style secretary desk by Drexel Heritage, from their Et Cetera Collection
Category
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Italian Painted Secretaire
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A Very Nice Painted and Silver Gilt Italian Secretary.
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Superb Antique Style Hand-Painted Italian Vintage Bureau Bookcase Louis XV Style
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This is a very nice hand-painted bureau or secretary bookcase in the Louis XV style, it was made in
Category
20th Century Italian Bookcases
Venetian Chest
Located in Seattle, WA
Early 19th century Venetian secretary/chest painted a blue-green with raised gesso chinoisrie
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
$9,600
Gustavian Secretarie
Located in New Orleans, LA
Early 19th Century Painted Gustavian Secretary
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$14,500
Chinoiserie Secertary Cabinet
Located in Stamford, CT
Beautifully hand painted and functional secretary with glass and lead paneled upper cabinet.
Category
20th Century Unknown Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Glass
18th Century Swedish Gustavian Period Bureau
Located in Madrid, ES
Late 18th Century Gustation Swedish secretary with original paint, brass hardware and hand-carved
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Architecturally Styled Oak Secretaire, England, circa 1890
Located in Houston, TX
painted interior. The entire secretary has interesting contrast timber stringing and raised applied
Category
Antique 1890s English Cabinets
Materials
Oak
Italian Painted Secretary Bookcase
Located in Natchez, MS
Italian painted secretary bookcase with incised painted stylized floral motif in off-white and
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Baroque Painted Secretary Desk
Located in Stamford, CT
Baroque painted secretary desk with metal hardware and large turned finials. The piece also
Category
20th Century Baroque Desks
Materials
Metal
1940s Chinese Red Painted Secretary with Gilded Accents and Slant-Front Desk
Located in Atlanta, GA
A vintage Chinese tall secretary from the 1940s with red painted body and gilded decorative accents
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Secretaires
Materials
Giltwood, Wood
19th Century Painted Swedish Secretary
Located in Tulsa, OK
Painted in the Swedish technique of rubbed white and accented with black and gold decorative motifs
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Adams Painted Satinwood Secretary Desk
By Robert Adam
Located in Miami, FL
Nice Adams painted satinwood secretary desk, decorated in the manner of Angelica Kaufman with two
Category
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desks
Materials
Wood
Antique Swedish Baroque Secretary Painted Blue, Late 18th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Antique Swedish Baroque secretary painted beautiful blue, late 18th century.
Two part secretary
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Pine
UNION-NATIONAL Chinoiserie Hand Painted Breakfront Secretary Desk China Cabinet
By Union National
Located in Charlotte, NC
A breakfront china cabinet, with secretary desk, in the Asian Chinoiserie style, by Union-National
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Materials
Brass
Bold Antique 19th Century Hand-Painted Empire Secretary Bookcase
Located in Hudson, NY
A very nice and unique antique Empire secretary bookcase, circa 1850, with a hand-painted
Category
Antique 1850s American Secretaires
Swedish 1880s Black Painted Slant-Front Secretary with Multiple Inner Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish black painted slant-front secretary from the late 19th century with four lower drawers
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Brass
1800s Folklore Secretary
Located in Memphis, TN
Add a little magic to your home with this hand painted, folklore secretary from the 1800s. Features
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
$3,036
Period Gustavian Secretary
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Gustavian period secretary, Sweden circa 1790, in two parts. The upper section has a simple cornice
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$10,500
Late Gustavian Secretary
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Swedish secretary from the late Gustavian period, circa 1810. The upper section has two raised
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$8,800
Early Swedish Secretary
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Slant-front secretary in two parts, Sweden, circa 1790. The upper section has an arched cornice and
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$6,800
Swedish Late Gustavian Secretary
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Swedish secretary in two parts from the late Gustavian period, circa 1820, in pale grey paint. The
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
19th Century Swedish Secretary
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Period neoclassical secretary in two parts, Sweden circa 1840. The upper section has a straight
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Neoclassical Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Transitional Swedish Rococo Secretary
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Interesting Rococo period secretary, Sweden, circa 1790, in three parts. The bottom section has a
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Venetian Bombay Style Secretary Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Venetian Bombay style secretary desk with distressed paint, seven-drawer and marked "Made in
Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Secretary
Located in Nashville, TN
This early 19th Century Swedish Secretary has a lovely painted finish which has undertones of
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Period Gustavian Two-Part Secretary
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Period Gustavian secretary in two parts, Sweden, circa 1790. The upper section has a beautifully
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Period Swedish Secretary from Ångermanland
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Wonderful rural interpretation of the late Gustavian style in a two part secretary from
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Early Swedish Secretary with Original Hardware
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Early Swedish secretary in two parts, circa 1810. The upper section has a molded cornice with two
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Period Swedish Secretary with Library Cabinet
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Period Swedish secretary, circa 1800, in two parts. The upper section has a molded cornice and
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Early Swedish Secretary in Two Parts
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Late Gustavian secretary, Sweden circa 1820. The upper section features a molded cornice with
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Materials
Wood
Late Gustavian Secretary with Glass Fronted Library
Located in Great Barrington, MA
Swedish secretary from the late Gustavian period, circa 1820, in two parts. The upper library
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood
18th Century Swedish Rococo Serpentine Secretary Bureau
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
An exceptional 18th century Swedish Rococo secretraire with beautiful shaped glass vitrine bookcase and hand-carved serpentine drawers, Danish, circa 1760.
Continental US shipping...
Category
Antique 18th Century Swedish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Ink on Paper Framed, a Secretary, by Andre Arbus
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Ink and watercolor on paper, A Secretary, by Andre Arbus, France, 1931. Signed and dated. Framed
Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Paintings
Materials
Paint, Paper
Mid 20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Black Lacquer Secretary Desk
Located in Charlotte, NC
An Asian Chinoiserie style secretary desk, unbranded, similar in quality to Drexel. Solid wood with
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chippendale Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Antique Swedish Blue Slant Front Secretary Desk Early, 19th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Antique Swedish blue slant front secretary desk, early 19th century.
Desk interior has one large
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Materials
Wood
Mid Century Modern Secretary Chest by Raymond Loewy for Mengel Furniture
By Paul McCobb, Arthur Umanoff, Mengel Furniture Co., Raymond Loewy
Located in Framingham, MA
Excellent example of Minimalist 1950s design with an array of contrasting materials; wood, paint
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Secretaires
Materials
Metal
Swedish Scraped Heart of Pine Slant-Front Secretary from the 19th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
This Swedish Karl Johan style painted heart of pine slant-front secretary from the 19th century
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Karl Johan Secretaires
Materials
Wood
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Painted Secretary For Sale on 1stDibs
With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the painted secretary you’re looking for. Frequently made of wood, paint and metal, every painted secretary was constructed with great care. If you’re shopping for a painted secretary, we have 254 options in-stock, while there are 1 modern editions to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect painted secretary — we have versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. A painted secretary is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles are sought with frequency. You’ll likely find more than one painted secretary that is appealing in its simplicity, but Dorothy Draper, Henredon and Maitland Smith produced versions that are worth a look.
How Much is a Painted Secretary?
The average selling price for a painted secretary at 1stDibs is $7,294, while they’re typically $750 on the low end and $78,500 for the highest priced.
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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