18th Century Secretaires

A fine early 19th century Regency mahogany and satinwood inlayed drop front secretary . Signed in two places

A fine quality late 18th Century Sheraton period satinwood Secretaire Bookcase, kingwood crossbanded throughout, having leaf & ribbon inlaid moulded cornice above painted swag & urn ...

This stunning French Louis XV secretary desk, crafted in Paris around 1750, is a remarkable example of 18th-century artistry and sophistication. Standing on four elegant curved legs ...

Step into the grace and sophistication of the 18th century with our exquisite English oak secretaire, an embodiment of Georgian Chippendale-style craftsmanship. Elegantly merging for...

This highly important secrétaire-cabinet was crafted for and specially ordered by King George I for the British Ambassador to Russia. From its craftsmanship and materials to its exceptional artistry, it is a work of royal and historic significance that exudes power in each and every detail. The broken pediment at its apex features the simplified royal coat of arms bearing the king’s crown, while the interior is adorned by portraits of the British Royal Family. Placed within the ambassador’s St. Petersburg home, this entirely unique piece of furniture would have been a potent reminder of England's grandeur and political importance. Relations between England and Russia during this period were at an all-time high. Peter the Great had traveled to England in 1698 as part of his widely known “Grand Embassy” tour, wherein he attempted to gain foreign support against the Ottoman Empire. He spent a period of nearly four months there, meeting with King William III and his court on numerous occasions. Noted academic Arthur MacGregor wrote concerning the impact of the trip, “For two decades following Peter's visit, British influence in Russia reached a peak. It manifested itself in social custom, in craft practice and in ships and naval organization... it reached a significant sector of the population before relations cooled once again and the two nations pulled back from this era of unprecedented cordiality.” First and foremost, however, it is a reminder of British might and influence. By the reign of King George I, England had come into its own as a world power. Unique in its design, this cabinet is a reflection of the country’s might. It is crafted from the highest-quality solid walnut and burr walnut adorned by gilded lock plates and engraved hinges. The presence of ormolu at its apex and lining the doors was a rarity for this period, and its addition makes manifest the importance of the design. The outer doors open to reveal multiple interiors, including fifteen separate drawers around a central cupboard; the cupboard doors each bear mezzotint portraits of George I and his father, Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover. An etching after the portrait of George I dating to circa 1716 is in London’s Royal Academy. A second, inner pair of doors are adorned by mezzotints of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later Queen Caroline and George II), which are both after portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller dated 1716 in the Royal Collection. A final portrait is revealed on the very interior of the cabinet, where a mezzotint of Frederick, Anne, Amelia and Caroline, children of the Prince of Wales, resides. An etching (circa 1715-1720) after this portrait can be found in the National Portrait Gallery (London). Apart from its abundance of royal portraiture, the cabinet features stunning painted decoration, including floral designs as well as clouds, birds and trees in a bucolic motif reminiscent of Eden. Its lower portion is a study in both form and function, featuring a fitted secrétaire-drawer above three additional drawers for storage. The cabinet appears in The Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture by R. Edwards from 1964, a text that is regarded as the bible of British furniture design. Edwards describes it as a “writing cabinet...given by George I to the British Ambassador at the Russian court.” The cabinet was likely made for the 18th-century German diplomat and writer Friedrich Christian Weber, who represented English interests at the Russian court from 1714 until 1719. Although Weber’s tenure as ambassador was relatively short, while in St. Petersburg, he authored his account entitled Das veraenderte Russland (The Present State of Russia), which was published in three volumes in 1721, 1739 and 1740. It may, however, also have been made for George Douglas, 2nd Earl of Dumbarton, who served as ambassador alongside Weber in 1716. Diplomatic relations ceased between the two countries in 1721. In 1928, the cabinet appeared for sale at the International Exhibition of Antiques & Works of Art in Olympia. It had previously been in the collection of the Woltner family of Bordeaux, the celebrated vintners who owned the estate Château Laville Haut-Brion and produced wine of the same name. According to the family, Monsieur Woltner was given the cabinet as a gift from an aunt who lived in Russia for many years. After leaving the Woltner collection, the cabinet was acquired by William Berry...

18th century, Italian inlaid wood chest of drawers with secretaire This chest of drawers with secretaire represents the elegant pr...

Significant neoclassical cylinder secretary resting on six tapered square legs, canted at the corners. The lower commode section, with two drawers, projects slightly in a risalit for...

Baroque writing secretaire with slanted flap and curved front and frame. The secretaire has two large drawers and behind the arched writing flap small drawers and a deep compartment....

Italian Early 18th Century Baroque Walnut Secretary-Bookcase with beautiful, thick walnut radica veneer, wonderful color, ebonized moldings, most likely retaining the original mirror plates. The two upper doors open to reveal a fitted interior, the lower part has a fitted desk compartment...

18th Century Louis XVI Secretary With Marquetry The Netherlands Amaranth, satinwood and others Louis XVI around 1790 Dimensions: H x W x D: 149 x 89 x 46 cm Description: Elaborate...

Outstanding quality antique 18th century Dutch floral marquetry secretaire, having a beautiful quality 18th century Dutch floral marquetry secretaire highly decorated with elaborate ...

18th Century Louis XV Marquetry Ladies' Desk Manner of J.C. Ellaume A mid-18th century ladies' desk or so-called "bureau de pente", its shaped fall-front opening to reveal a red lea...

An Italian walnut and ash slant-front secretaire from the 18th century with three drawers and star shaped marquetry. This exquisite 18th-century Italian slant-front secretaire, craft...

English Chippendale mahogany broken pediment breakfront with carved floral medallions, candle light molding, four upper case glass doors with adjus...

We present you an antique piece of furniture covered with mahogany veneer with beautiful grain. It is topped with a green marble board. The whole is dated the turn of the 18th and th...

18th century painted oak bureau with a good fitted interior. 1780. Height to desk: 29-inches (73cm) Code: 9087 Dimensions: W: 43" (109.2 cm) H: 41" (104.1 cm) D: 23" (58.4 cm)

Hand-painted baroque secretary, featuring a three-drawer commode base, slant-front writing flap, and a two-door cabinet top crowned by a broken pediment. The paint finish—light gray ...

Directoire cylinder desk with a book case on top, France 1800, mahogany veneer. The desk has its original brass fittings. The leather on the writing surface is original as well. The ...

Baroque secretary with three drawers and slant-front writing flap decorated with recessed panels. Fitted with iron side handles and brass mounts. Below the upper section are two pull...

Exceedingly rare early 18th century English colonial Macassar ebony diminutive bureau bookcase with hexagonal oyster veneered doors, lids and drawer fronts, the sides and secondary timbers all in solid streaky ebony having rich patination, The upper section with two arched mirror doors concealing two adjustable shelves, a row of pigeon holes and two drawers, over single candle slide, the lower section with stepped interior, further pigeon holes and sliding well, over two short and two long drawers and standing on bracket base. Southern India or Sri Lanka, circa 1720. English colonial furniture...

18th century English painted oak bureau with a good fitted interior. 1780. Height to desk: 30-inches (76 cm) Code: 9081 Dimensions: W: 41" (104.1 cm) H: 42" (106.7 cm) D: 20.5" ...

Fantastic piece in impeccable condition. Regency exotic hardwood bureau or secretaire desk or cabinet of lovely proportions. From circa 1790. The top portion consists of an open columned pelmet and shelf with a series of drawers underneath. All made of rosewood. The bottom section is a double door cabinet with double shelving inside. The façade of the doors consist of glorious gilded latticework frames with rose shaped connectors and with brown silk blinds...

An elegant Louis XVI, Zopfstil, roll-top secretary desk, crafted in the late 18th century. The piece features a three-drawer base and a three-door upper section with a projecting cen...

Mahogany glazed secretary from the end of the 18th century of very good quality Very beautiful secretary composed of 4 drawers as well as a theater in the lower part and an upper gl...

18th century English painted oak fall front bureau. 1760. Height to desk: 28 1/4-inches Internal reference: H Code: 8872 Dimensions: W: 43.5" (110.5 cm) H: 39.5" (100.3 cm) D: ...

What makes this piece unique and special is its originali twist to the characteristic Secretaire, a must-have object among Venetian aristocratic families that could not be missing in...

18th century Baroque cabinet with secretaire, Germany, 1760, walnut veneer. Beautiful piece in excellent condition, professionally rest...

Late 18th century English painted oak bureau with a good fitted interior. 1780. Height to the underside of the fall front is 73cm. Code: 8514 Dimensions: W: 35" (88.9 cm) H: 40.5"...

SmallLouis XV or Baroque Secretary Switzerland (Bern) Walnut Baroque around 1760. Dimensions: H x W x D: 109 x 93 x 60 cm Description: Writing furniture standing on a ...

A very rare antique Dutch Colonial V.O.C. (Dutch East India Company) fall front bureau/desk on stand, Batavia, circa 1730. This desk in the Queen Anne style was made in the Dutch Eas...

Early 18th Century English Queen Anne Walnut Bureau Bookcase with Mirrored Doors

Louis XV secretaire, France, 1770. Beautiful walnut veneer with plum, satinwood and kingwood marquetry. Exquisite figural marquetry on the outside of the writing top. The writing ...

This striking oak secretary is an elegant statement piece crowned with a beautifully curved and carved bonnet or crown. The entire secretary has been given a professional custom layered salmon/desert...

18th Century French Secretary ~ Commode is a marvelous example of the cabinetmaker's art! Hand-crafted from dense, old-growth oak to last for centuries, it features a "slant front...

A very fine Bureau Bookcase of the Queen Anne period. The frame constructed in walnut, with inlaid elm designs. The slanted fall-front opens to reveal a herringbone-inlaid arrangem...

Exceptional 18th-century Spanish chest of drawers, crafted in wood with marquetry and inlay details in reddish and dark tones. It features multiple drawers with original wrought iron...

French roll-top desk resting on fluted legs with brass inlays and sabots. The refined fluting continues along the pilasters, creating a cohesive design. The lower section offers ampl...

Late 18th Century Cylinder Desk with beautiful Patina, 1800, France Cylinder desk with straight sides, closed in the upper part with a semi-circular flap, with two drawers. The whol...

A secretary made during the baroque period 1650 - 1750 in Sweden. Made from oak. All original. Three drawers and upper interior with drawers and compartements.

A 18th century Flemish Louis XV slanted-flap secretary. Solidly made of oak. Half-high lateral coffered corpus with 2 large drawers and a slightly recessed superstructure with sla...

A French Louis XV period Rococo secretary with hidden compartment, circa 1760. This antique French writing desk features a slant-leaf front...

Impressive Baroque secretary from Dresden, featuring a two-drawer, slightly bombé commode base. Above it, a tall slant-front writing flap reveals a finely arranged interior with six ...

Very fine Italian 18' century ormolu-mounted Parquetry Secretaire a Abattant with a dark Grey marble top. Measures: cm. 170 x 105 x 46.

With double arched top over a pair of arched mirror doors opening to a red interior fitted with drawers and shelves, the base with slant lid des...

This original 18th century Louis XVI Secretaire has a stunning veneer and marquetry. The elegant unique slant-top desk or "secretaire en pente" combines different walnut veneer grains with maple and bird's-eye maple as well as satinwood. The secretaire has three drawers on the outside. The inside of the writing compartment has six small drawers, several open compartments and a secret compartment. This gorgeous and remarkable desk is in very good original condition and has its original patina. It ships from Europe...

Elegant chest with secretaire of the early 18th century, beautiful from the quality that can only be obtained from workshops of great cabinet-making. The limelight comes in front of drawers moved entirely in solid walnut. Spectacular interior castle...

This elegant Swedish oak secretary shows off with a distinctive carved top bonnet or crown and round finials. Also known as a bureau, this secretary would have been a "signature stat...

This drop front secretary is charming in every way, with a soft, satin wax finish that compliments the deeply aged patina of the inlaid oak and European country styling. An inlaid st...

Splendid early antique Gustavian style secretary cabinet, made in Sweden, circa late 19th century. This rustic cabinet retains its historic p...

An eccentric and highly unusual Classic Sheraton style mahogany and satinwood inlay slant front secretary with Chinese Chippendale style fine tracery (open-work) decoration. An impre...

A French Louis XV period walnut slant front secretary from the 18th century with buffet in the lower section. Step into the world of regal elegance with this French Louis XV period w...

A French Neoclassical commode, with hidden secretary and original hardware, from the turn of the 18th and 19th century. This antique commode from France gives the appearance of being a three drawer chest at first glance. However, discreetly hidden behind the upper "drawer" is in fact a fall-front, which opens to reveal a small writing desk with three open cubbies for organization within. The lower portion of the chest houses two full-sized drawers. The rectangular-shaped top has pronounced and rounded front corners, which carry through down the side posts and are flute-carved. Each drawer front is adorn with brass trim and retains the original brass (and really great) hardware; a pair of rectangular bail pulls with a beautiful Neoclassic escutcheon set at center. This commode is presented upon conical legs with exaggerated tops that canopy over their tapered feet. The rich fruitwood has a wonderful old patina throughout. Note that there have been some prior repairs to the top. This late 18th century French...

An early George III period bureau bookcase with fretwork swan neck pediment, 30-paned bookcase, slant front enclosed leather writing surface, fitted...

Elegant Louis XVI bureau / Secretaire in 3 parts. Top with tooth cut under profiled top list. Pair of doors with fillings, sides with profiled quartz columns. Bottom part with slopi...

Secretary à battant - Jean-Francois Dubut Elaborately crafted bureau à battant, Paris circa 1760, Transition, Jean-Francois Dubut rosewood, amaranth, violet and ebony veneered on o...

A late 18th century-early 19th century Rococo style slant front painted fir Swedish secretary with bonnet top, two doors and multiple drawers. The doors open up on inner shelves, inc...

An Italian Venetian tall secretary cabinet from the 18th century. This antique 7.75 feet tall (approximate) cabinet from Venice, Italy, boasts a...

Early 18th century burl walnut veneered bureau cabinet. The upper section with swan neck top over double doors, the lower section with a sloping-front opening to reveal a cupboard an...

18th century English painted oak bureau with a fitted interior, featuring a hidden well and hidden drawers. 1760. Height to the underside of the fall front is 73cm. Code: 8523 Dim...

Exquisite Louis XVI Secretary Desk South Germany, 1770-80 Discover a stunning Louis XVI secretary desk from South Germany (circa 1770-1780), a true masterpiece of late Baroque and ...