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Venetian Rococo Style Walnut Secretary Lacquered by Ira Yeager
By Ira Yeager
Located in Rio Vista, CA
shaped window with a painted bust by artist Ira Yeager (American 1938-2022). The bureau cabinet has a
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
$14,000 Sale Price
22% Off
19th Century American Mahogany Serpentine Slant Front Secretary Desk
Located in Germantown, MD
A late 19th Century American mahogany serpentine slant front secretary bureau desk.
Nice quality
Category
Antique 1880s American Victorian Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
19th Century Louis Philippe Style Fall Front Secretary Chest
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Beautiful craftsmanship Louis Philippe style secretary chest cabinet desk in a satin / burl wood
Category
Antique 1810s French Louis Philippe Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Brass
Small Decorative Carpenter
s Sample Secretary, Sweden circa 1800
s
Located in Round Top, TX
ordering a full size secretary. Note the size of 24" wide x 27" high.
All the paint is original, from the
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Country Models and Miniatures
Materials
Wood, Paint
Impressive Rolling Secretary in Louis XVI, 20th Century, Mahogany
Located in Berlin, DE
Impressive rolling secretary in Louis XVI, 20th Century.
Scroll function with a Watteau painting
Category
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Chinoiserie Black Lacquered Drop Front Secretary Desk With Bookcase Hutch
By Jasper Furniture Company
Located in Elkhart, IN
A gorgeous Georgian Chinoiserie style bureau with drop front secretary desk and bookcase hutch top
Category
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Brass
18th Century Black Swedish Oak Bureau - Antique Drop Front Secretary
Located in Kvidinge, SE
is painted in black, with an antique patina finish and a small distress surface.
The inside is
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Brass
$2,280 Sale Price
40% Off
George II-Style Chinoiserie Secretary / Collector
s Cabinet by Antonio
s SF
By Antonio
s
Located in Dallas, TX
a George II-style black lacquer secretary / desk with Collector's Cabinet above, gilt Chinoiserie
Category
20th Century American George II Bookcases
Materials
Wood
Faux Bamboo Rattan Enamel and Decorated Slant Top Secretary Desk
Located in Germantown, MD
An Exquisite hand-crafted Faux Bamboo Rattan, hand enamed and Decorated Slant Top Secretary Desk
Category
Late 20th Century Philippine Modern Secretaires
Materials
Enamel
French Provincial Vanity Secretary or Ladies Desk w/Distressed Antiqued Finish
Located in Topeka, KS
vanity, secretary, or Ladies Desk wearing a soft sea green tinted all-over distressed or ceruse painted
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown French Provincial Vanities
Materials
Brass
Fine 19th Century English Chinoiserie and Red Lacquered Slant Front Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine and elaborated 19th century Chinoiserie red lacquered slant front secretary. Hand
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Louis XV style lady’s secretary with red and gold chinoiserie decoration
Located in Wien, AT
Louis XV style, France, end of the 19th century. Various hardwoods and softwoods, veneered, primed in red, decorated in lacquer technique in the form of landscape scenes on the rever...
Category
Antique 1870s French Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Yellow Secretary Desk with storage, design by Eric Gizard - Paris
By Éric Gizard
Located in Landivy, FR
This secretary Desk belongs to our ÉGÉE COLLECTION designed by the Parisian designer Eric Gizard
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
18th Century Black Swedish Gustavian One Part Pine Bureau - Antique Secretary
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A black, antique Swedish Gustavian one part bureau, secretaire made of hand crafted painted
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Bronze
18th Century Grey Swedish Gustavian Two Part Pine Secretary - Scandinavian Desk
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
crafted painted Pinewood, in good condition. The Scandinavian writing table, desk is composed with two
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Metal, Brass
American Hepplewhite Mahogany Inlaid Fall Front Secretary with Bookcase, C. 1790
Located in Charleston, SC
American Hepplewhite mahogany satinwood string inlaid secretary bookcase with a hinged fall front
Category
Antique 1790s American Hepplewhite Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Japanese Style Cabinet-Secretary Attributed to G. Viardot, France, Circa 1880
By Gabriel Viardot
Located in PARIS, FR
A Japanese style carved wood cabinet attributed to G. Viardot. A painted decor imitating Japanese
Category
Antique 1880s French Japonisme Cabinets
Materials
Wood, Paint
Midcentury French Style Black Lacquer Chinoiserie Secretary Desk / Cabinet
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a midcentury French style hand painted chinoiserie secretary with a unique bombe form base
Category
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Glass, Lacquer
Large blue Secretary Desk - design Eric Gizard, Paris - made in France
By Éric Gizard
Located in Landivy, FR
This large secretary desk is designed by the famous parisian Designer Eric Gizard and delivered
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writi...
Materials
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
Light blue French secretary desk, designed by Eric Gizard in Paris
By Éric Gizard
Located in Landivy, FR
This secretary Desk belongs to our ÉGÉE COLLECTION designed by the Parisian designer Eric Gizard
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
Adams Style Mahogany Half Cylinder Secretary Writing Desk Hutch Curio 92"
Located in Dayton, OH
A very large and impressive vintage Adams style half cylinder secretary desk / hutch featuring a
Category
Late 20th Century Adam Style Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
$2,400 Sale Price
20% Off
A fine late 18th c to early 19th c William and Mary black Chinoiserie secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine late 18th century William and Mary black lacquered secretary. Fine Chinoiserie hand
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English William and Mary Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Dark blue secretary desk in wood, scandinavian design by Eric Gizard, Paris
By Éric Gizard
Located in Landivy, FR
ÉGÉE collection
This secretary desk is part of the ÉGÉE collection designed by Eric Gizard in Paris
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writi...
Materials
Ash, Wood, Lacquer
Blue gray secretary desk in wood, with storage - design Eric Gizard, Paris
By Éric Gizard
Located in Landivy, FR
This secretary Desk belongs to our ÉGÉE COLLECTION and is designed by the Parisian designer Eric
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
Red Secretary Desk, designed in Paris by Eric Gizard, made in France
By Éric Gizard
Located in Landivy, FR
This secretary Desk belongs to our ÉGÉE COLLECTION designed by the Parisian designer Eric Gizard
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
Turn of the 18th -19th C. Swedish Rococo Style Slant Front Secretary w/ Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A late 18th century-early 19th century Rococo style slant front painted fir Swedish secretary with
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Secretaires
Materials
Fir
Late 18th-Early 19th C. French Style Chinoiserie 2-piece Secretary/Cabinet
Located in San Francisco, CA
upper display cabinet
3-drawer bombe form base & secretary
Beautifully hand painted
32"W x 18"D x 84
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Chinoiserie Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Glass
Gray design Secretary desk designed in Paris by Eric Gizard, made in France
By Éric Gizard
Located in Landivy, FR
This secretary Desk belongs to our ÉGÉE COLLECTION designed by the Parisian designer Eric Gizard
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scandinavian Modern Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
Danish Modern Model 68 Secretary Desk in Teak by Arne Wahl Iversen Vinde, 1960
s
By Vinde Møbelfabrik, Arne Wahl Iversen
Located in Deland, FL
Introducing a freshly restored Model 68 secretary desk designed in the 1960s by the influential
Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Desks
Materials
Wood, Teak, Paint
Very Rare Painted Secretary
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Beautiful shades of green and amber (the photo does not do it justice) Chinoise painted Secretary
Category
Antique 19th Century English Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$85,000
Italian Painted Secretary Bookcase
Located in Miami, FL
Italian painted and parcel silver-gilt two-part secretary bookcase (desk); the upper section having
Category
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Secretaires
Materials
Paint, Wood
Italian Decoupage Secretary
Located in New Orleans, LA
Italian painted secretary with decoupage scenes.
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Vanities
$10,900
18th Century Swedish Secretary
Located in New York, NY
Painted secretary with four lower drawers and fitted interior
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Swedish Desks
Materials
Wood
A 19th Century Painted and Decoupage Secretary
Located in New York, NY
A 19th Century Painted and Decoupage Secretary
Italian Polychrome and Decoupage Bureau, the drop
Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Secretaires
red desk secretary louis xv chinese hand painted
Located in Boulogne-sur-Mer, FR
elegant donkey desk in red lacquered wood, in the style of China according to Martin varnish, the facades are decorated with scenes of characters in landscapes, it opens on the front...
Category
Antique 1760s French Louis XV Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Secretary/ Dresser
Located in So. Egremont, MA
Case piece in two parts. Secretary top sits on 3 drawer dresser base.Black and gold paint give this
Category
Unknown Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Paint
$5,800
Swedish Baroque Secretary Display Cabinet Painted White, Late 18th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Antique Swedish Baroque Secretary with glass doors, painted Swedish distressed white/cream color
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Wood
18th Century Louis XIV Italian Secretary Cabinet Walnut Painted Doors
Located in PALERMO, IT
walnut and briar walnut. Particular processing of the upper doors, inside painted with oil.
Sicily Louis
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Italian Louis XIV Cabinets
Materials
Walnut, Paint
Italian Gilded and Hand Painted Wood Writing Desk Secretary, 1950s
By Fornasetti
Located in Brussels, Ixelles
Rare midcentury Italian secretary set : hand decorated foldable writing desk with green lacquering
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Materials
Brass
Swedish Neoclassical Secretary
Located in Sheffield, MA
Spectacular period neoclassical secretary in two parts, Sweden, circa 1810. The upper section has
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Neoclassical Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Period Directoire Secretary
Located in New Orleans, La
Beautiful wooden color with gold trim
Hidden drawers with very special details
Hidden drawers with very special details
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier French Secretaires
Materials
Paint
$16,500
Swedish Gustavian Secretary
Located in Fredericksburg, TX
Charming Swedish Gustavian Secretary with original paint. Both doors are marked with the year the
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Secretaires
Materials
Wood
English Pine Copboard / Secretary
Located in So. Egremont, MA
below. Interior in salmon paint.
Original backboards
Category
Antique 19th Century English Cupboards
Materials
Wood, Paint
18th century Italian Secretary
Located in Atlanta, GA
Painted and gilded Italian Secretary, drop leaf desk over 3 drawers with 2door upper cabinet
Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Secretaires
Period Swedish Secretary from Ångermanland
Located in Sheffield, MA
Wonderful rural interpretation of the late Gustavian style in a two part secretary from
Category
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Queen Anne Chinoiserie Secretary
Located in Lawrenceburg, TN
Red and gold hand-painted chinoiserie lacquered secretary/bookcase with a fitted interior for
Category
Antique 1860s English Secretaires
Period Secretary with Clock from Hälsingland
Located in Sheffield, MA
Period secretary from Hälsingland with integral Mora clock and with original paint, Sweden, circa
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Glass, Wood
Swedish Gustavian Two-Part Secretary with Pierced Cornice
Located in Sheffield, MA
Period Gustavian secretary in two parts, Sweden, circa 1770. The upper section has double doors
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Antique Swedish Baroque Secretary Display Cabinet Late 18th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Antique Swedish baroque secretary display cabinet late 18th century
The Secretary is in two
Category
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Black
Gold Hitchcock Style Secretary Desk
Chair - 2pc Set
By Lambert Hitchcock
Located in Middletown, MD
A stunning vintage two-piece set painted in rich black with gold accents featuring the classic
Category
20th Century American American Classical Desks
Materials
Maple
Swedish Baroque Secretary Desk with Built-In, Signed Mora Clock, circa 1760
Located in Carmel, CA
This period Swedish Baroque secretary-desk Circa 1760, has a built in Mora clock with original
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Swedish Baroque Secretaires
Materials
Wood
Italian Painted Secretary Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful hand painted Chippendale style chinoiserie painted Secretary. Worn paint to be expected
Category
Vintage 1930s English Chippendale Secretaires
Materials
Wood
George lll painted secretary
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
George lll later painted secretary, 19th century. Please note the excellent quality construction as
Category
Antique 19th Century Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Italian Venetian Style Painted Secretary
Located in Manhasset, NY
Attractive Venetian style painted secretary, circa 1960s, overall light green painted with
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Adam Style Secretaires
Materials
Wood
French Country Painted Secretary
Located in Westwood, NJ
A French Country-style white washed painted secretary bookcase with an unusual folding writing
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$7,440 / item
French Provincial Painted Secretary Desk
Located in Westwood, NJ
A French Provincial distress painted Secretary desk with an angled arched cornice above two paneled
Category
21st Century and Contemporary European French Provincial Desks
Materials
Wood
$9,270 / item
French Country Blue Painted Secretary
Located in Westwood, NJ
Antiqued blue painted secretary bookcase with an unusual folding writing surface that can convert
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Country Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$7,563 / item
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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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