Louis XVI Secretaires
LOUIS XVI STYLE
Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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Style: Louis XVI
Late 18th Century Louis XVI Secretary made of Oak
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
A provincial Louis XVI secretary or ‘secrétaire à abattant’. Classicism, late 18th century. West Germany/ Belgium. Made from solid oak.
Straight-lined, exceptionally flat, laterally...
Category
Late 18th Century European Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Louis XVI Style Cylinder Secretary In Marquetry And Gilt Bronze
Located in BARSAC, FR
Very elegant Louis XVI style cylinder secretary in mahogany and light wood marquetry with floral basket decorations on the front of the cylinder and floral arrangements on the sides ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Carrara Marble, Bronze
20th Century Dutch Writing Cabinet, 1960s
Located in Den Haag, NL
Dutch writing cabinet hand built by a master craftsman, circa 1960s featuring ornate inlay work and numerous drawers and compartments. Very impressive piece and great quality.
Category
Mid-20th Century Dutch Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Wood
$3,079 Sale Price
20% Off
Scandinavian 18th Century Mahogany Secretary Bureau Cabinet
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Impressive Louis XVI style bureau secretary with quality rich in age, charm, and character with its elegant design. This secretary has two secret drawers features parquerty design, g...
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
18th Century Louis XVI Walnut Cylinder Bureau with Original Fittings
Located in Darmstadt, DE
Refined Louis XVI cylinder bureau from France, circa 1780-1790. The carcass is pine with beautifully figured, thick-sawn walnut veneer; the interior is likewise finished in walnut. T...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Walnut, Spruce
$9,356 Sale Price
31% Off
Louis XVI Style Parquetry Secrétaire, circa 1890
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted parquetry and marquetry fall-front Secrétaire with a marble top.
Stamped to the carcass ‘10298’.
This elegantly shaped Secrétaire is deco...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu, Bronze
Secrétaire Cabinet by Maison Vervelle Audot Successeur, circa 1860
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A gilt bronze-mounted Secrétaire cabinet with a marble top by Maison Vervelle Audot Successeur.
French, circa 1860.
Signed to the lockplate: ' Mon Vervelle Audot succ Paris / ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Fine Danish Louis XVI Secretaire
Located in New York, NY
A fine Danish Louis XVI mahogany and fruitwood slant front secretaire, circa 1780-1790, in three parts: the scrolled cornice top above a fruitwood inl...
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Fruitwood
Late 19th Century Small Ladies’ Writing Desk
Located in Stahnsdorf, DE
Masterfully Crafted Small Ladies’ Writing Desk
A superbly detailed ladies’ secretary desk, richly decorated with intricate marquetry in walnut, ...
Category
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
18th Century Italian Inlaid Walnut Secretaire
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Elegant secretaire in walnut wood. Very simple and ideal in any environment. This secretaire is made up of two parts. A support table with a comfortable drawer on the front, elegant ...
Category
1780s Italian Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
Elegant Louis XVI Cherrywood Secrétaire Cabinet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant Louis XVI cherrywood secrétaire cabinet.
Category
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Cherry
Elegant Louis XVI Cherrywood Secrétaire Cabinet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant Louis XVI cherrywood secrétaire cabinet.
Category
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Cherry
Louis XVI Mahogany Bureau / Secretaire, Copenhagen Approx. 1780
Located in Kastrup, DK
Louis XVI bureau / Secretaire in 3 parts.
Upper part with three doors. Middle part door with fluted over a la grecque away, flanked by pair of side doors with oval fillings. Exteriors of doors with fluted flat profiles.
With 2 fold-down writing boards: Top writing board with leather for standing working position.
Behind the writing board a small drawer front with additional small drawers. Middle part with sloping writing flap for a sitting working position.
Behind the writing board are numerous drawers in Thuja wood...
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Satinwood
$6,310 Sale Price
40% Off
Louis XVI Mahogany Bureau, Copenhagen 1780-1790
Located in Kastrup, DK
Elegant Louis XVI bureau in solid mahogany. In 3 parts.
Top with tooth cut profiled top list. Pair of doors with fillings, sides with profiled quartz columns.
Bottom part with slant-front desk behind which numerous small drawers with knobs in bone.
Sides with fluted columns.
All keyholes with brass...
Category
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Elegant Louis XVI Cherrywood Secrétaire Cabinet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant Louis XVI cherrywood secrétaire cabinet.
Category
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Leather, Cherry
18th century Louis XVI Walnut Bureau, France
Located in Atlanta, GA
An 18th century French Louis XVI Bureau in Walnut with drop front, inner writing surface and cubby holes.
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Brass
Louis XVI–Style Secretary with Glass Doors, Repainted Black, Blue Interior
Located in Atlanta, GA
A refined Louis XVI–style secretary featuring a classic architectural form and elegant proportions. The upper section is fitted with glazed doors, revealing a contrasting blue-painte...
Category
18th Century Danish Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Pine
Late 18th Century German Louis XVI Secretaire with outstanding Marquetry, c 1790
Located in Greven, DE
Classicist top-mounted secretary with elaborate marquetry
Southern Germany
Walnut and others
Classicism around 1790
Dimensions: H x W x D: 213 x 115 x 57 cm
Description:
Exception...
Category
Late 18th Century German Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Maple, Walnut
19th Century Carved and Painted French Oak Secretary
Located in Dallas, TX
The 19th Century Carved and Painted French Oak Secretary is an antique piece of furniture that features painted oak and nice carvings. This elegant secretary desk showcases the craft...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Oak
Louis XVI Secretaire with Urn Decoration, around 1790
Located in Greding, DE
Louis Seize secretary featuring five drawers and a flat writing flap. Veneered with cherry wood, this secretary is adorned with fire-shaded inlays. The central motif of the laurel wr...
Category
1790s German Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Louis XVI Ormolu-Mounted Mahogany Secrétaire en Cabinet by Jean-Francois Leleu
By Jean-François Leleu
Located in Kittery Point, ME
The later breccia marble top over two paneled doors opening to reveal shelves, above a drawer over a fall front with an interior fitted with drawers and compartments, and two further...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Marble
Very Fine 19th Century French Louis XVI Marquetry Secretaire Abattant by Diehl.
Located in Dallas, TX
A very fine 19th century Louis XVI marquetry inlay secretaire A Abattant by Charles Diehl. Kingwood, satinwood and tulipwood inlay with fine gilt bronze ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Fine Sevres Style Porcelain Mounted Secrétaire, 19th Century, After Henry Dasson
By Henry Dasson
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality late 19th century French side cabinet with a marble top, a fall front secrétaire, having wonderful hand painted Sevres...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Porcelain, Mahogany
$63,368 Sale Price
20% Off
Louis XVI Style Secretary Stamped Quignon in Paris
By Frederic Gustave Quignon
Located in BARSAC, FR
Gustave-Frédéric Quignon
Superb Louis XVI style piece of furniture in very finely carved solid mahogany forming a secretary / document holder cabinet.
Opening 6 drawers including...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany
Louis XVI Style Five-Drawer Abattant Secretaire, France, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
This Louis XVI style abattant secretaire dates from the 19th century and was produced in France during the Napoleon III era. The piece reflects the continued influence of classical F...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Louis XVI Cylinder Desk, South German, 1780-1800
Located in Belmont, MA
Exquisite Louis XVI Cylinder Desk, South German, 1780-1800, with beautiful walnut veneer on the outside and on the inside, including the writin...
Category
1780s German Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
$6,950 Sale Price
42% Off
Large Secretaire With Flap In Marquetry, Late 19th Century
By Jean-François Oeben
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Massive secretaire with flap in marquetry of cubes on the doors and sides and bronzes (partly gilded): the flap covered with leather inside opens on...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Bronze
Louis XVI Roll Top Desk, France 1780
Located in Belmont, MA
This unique Louis XVI Roll Top Desk was made in France around 1780. The outside of the secretary desk has a kingwood veneer with a gorgeous mar...
Category
1780s French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Kingwood, Yew
Cylinder Desk, Germany, 1780
Located in Belmont, MA
Louis XVI cylinder desk, Germany circa 1780, so called "Zopfstil". Walnut, rosewood and maple veneer and intarsia. In very good refinished cond...
Category
1780s German Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Maple, Rosewood, Walnut
18th Century Louis Seize Rosewood and Walnut Secretaire Secretary
Located in Münster, DE
Diagonal flap secretary
Louis Seize, around 1780/90, rosewood, walnut and other precious woods veneered and marquetry, 1 spacious drawer, original fittings, wax polish
Dimension...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Rosewood, Walnut, Softwood
Dutch 18th century Cuban mahogany bombé writing cabinet with glass upstand.
Located in AALSMEER, NL
Very beautiful Cuba flower mahogany writing cabinet with 'S-lid' inlaid with olive green leather.
wall cabinet with two (old) glass doors, mirrored flower veneer and carvings on the ...
Category
Late 17th Century Dutch Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Mahogany, Oak
Antique Louis XVI Style Ormolu and Sèvres Porcelain Mounted Secretaire
Located in London, GB
Antique Louis XVI style ormolu and Sèvres porcelain mounted secretaire
French, c. 1840
Height 127cm, width 76cm, depth 37cm
This magnificent ...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Ormolu
Pair 19th Century Bonheur Du Jours
Located in Brighton, Sussex
Rare pair of 19th Century French Kingwood and Tulip wood veneered Bonheur du jours, each with pierced three quarter brass galleries, gilded ormolu mounts, three drawers either side o...
Category
19th Century Japanese Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Porcelain, Mahogany
$16,388 Sale Price / set
20% Off
20th Century Pedestal Column in the Ancient Antique Louis XVI Style Rosewood
Located in Berlin, DE
Different rosewoods on solid conifers mirrored veneer. Sides with paneled parquet decorated with grid-shaped, perforated wide measuring strips.
Cover plate with stepped veined marble...
Category
20th Century French Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Wood
21st Century Brocart Jewel Cabinet with Gold Leaf Laser Engraved Lace Decoration
Located in Cantù, Lombardia
The jewel cabinet of the Brocart line presents a base with hand-carved legs and antique gold leaf finishing in pure classic style, combined with an upper...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Wood
20th Century Louis XVI Style Secretaire after Charles Topino
By Charles Topino
Located in Berlin, DE
Light fruit and tropical woods on spruce marquetry, with rich marquetry.
(L-Gm-2).
Category
20th Century Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Wood, Fruitwood
Louis XVI Style Parquetry, Gilt-Bronze and Lacquer Mounted Petit Secretaire Cabi
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A Fine Louis XVI Style Parquetry, Gilt-Bronze and Lacquer Mounted Petit Secretaire Cabinet, Attributed to Maison Beurdeley.
Stamped to the reverse of the bronze mounts to the botto...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Pair of French Early 19th Century Louis XVI St. Mahogany Bonheurs Du Jours
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A magnificent pair of French early 19th century Louis XVI St. Bonheurs du Jours, which literally means, the joy of the day. A type of writing desk introduced in Paris by renowned int...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Carrara Marble, Ormolu
French Mid-19th Century Louis XVI St. Secrétaire in Arbalette Shape
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A French mid 19th century Louis XVI st. tulipwood Secretaire. The secretaire has a fine quarter veneered tulipwood marquetry on the front and sides, ornamented with pierced ormolu mo...
Category
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Marble, Ormolu
Walnut Secretary in Louis XVI Style
Located in Vulpellac, Girona
18th century secretary in Louis XVI style in walnut. It features three large drawers on the bottom and on the top the secretary opens to five s...
Category
18th Century Spanish Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Walnut
$7,579 Sale Price
20% Off
Copf Style Cherry Inlay Secretaire Cabinet, ca. 1800
Located in Budapest, Budapest
Early 19th century hutch, (combination of a writing secretaire and a glass cabinet) in Copf-Style. The pine corpus has a cherry veneer, and has fine...
Category
Early 19th Century European Antique Louis XVI Secretaires
Materials
Cherry, Pine
$4,263 Sale Price
20% Off
Louis Xvi secretaires for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Louis XVI secretaires for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage secretaires created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Louis XVI secretaires made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Germany pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original secretaires, popular names associated with this style include Maison Jansen, Alfred Emmanuel Louis Beurdeley, Charles-Guillaume Diehl, and Comatec. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for secretaires differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,011 and tops out at $86,260 while the average work can sell for $7,765.
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