Louisiana - Secretaires

A handsome 19th century French Empire secrétaire à abattant made of richly figured, bookmatched walnut. This desk has a black fossil marble top resting above a hidden drawer, free of hardware and opening by a shallow groove on the bottom of the drawer front. Below is a fold-front door revealing a fitted interior with a functional writing surface, inset with worn green leather with gold tooling. The interior has an open storage shelf flanked by Empire style columns over a set of six drawers of varying sizes. The writing surface is supported with rounded brass hinges. Below are three easy to use drawers...

A stately 19th century mahogany secretaire a abattant from France, circa 1810. This desk has an exceptional charcoal St. Anne marble top resting above a single drawer disguised into the apron. Just below the top drawer, the front of the desk folds forward to reveal a work area inset with vibrant red leather detailed with gold tooling. The leather is in great antique condition making this a comfortable place to work. When open, you can see the theatre is equipped with five drawers and a large, arched top cubby flanked with column forms. With the desk down the maximum depth is 32”; the writing surface is 28-½” above the floor. The desk front...

A gorgeous 19th century French mahogany secretary style desk, designed as a classic Louis Philippe commode incorporating the work surface and storage compartments into the top “drawe...

This French Louis XVI style drop front secretary from the 1800s has impressive etched brass inlay on its exterior, which is made even more dramatic by the deep ebonized finish. The t...

A wonderful walnut secretary desk from 19th century France. The desk can be separated into two bodies: a lower writing surface, and the upper glass-front cabinet. The top cabinet ha...

A slender mahogany bureau bookcase with secretary desk, made in England, circa 1820. The secretary’s upper body is crowned with a broken pediment–a classic Sheraton feature–above gla...

A generously sized 19th century secretary desk from Sweden, made in the Gustavian style, with a striking painted finish of ruddy, patinated oxblood enveloping the pine construction. ...

Lovely Walnut Six Drawer Chest with Desk

This wonderful walnut secre´taire a` abattant was constructed in the style of Louis XVI during the 19th century. Topped with a great piece of black and white marble. A single, slim d...

Antique English Regency Mahogany Secretary bookcase, Circa 1890.

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...

This elegant Louis XVI marquetry desk features most notably an exquisite floral design on the front, interior, and sides. The piece dates back to the mid 20th century and is known as...

Antique English mahogany glass front Bureau bookcase with Fitted Interior, circa 1830.

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...

Beautiful 19thc Robin’s egg blue secretary/fall front desk.

19th century French Bookcase ~ Cylinder Secretary is a stately reminder of a bygone era! Hand-crafted by talented cabinetmakers from a mixture of in...

This secretary desk opens up and offers a beautiful writing space, along with areas to store your writing material. The secretary has bronze mounts, a marble top and Venis Martin...

19th Century Flemish Louis XIV secretary or bookcase with embossed brass combines the talents of a master furniture crafter with the artistry of a metal sculptor! Fashioned with a cl...

Antique English Sheraton Satinwood Inlaid Secretary with Rosewood Banding, Circa 1880. This is a very lovely secretary, typical of the period and with fine detail. The warm color of...

Antique 18th century Dutch Burled walnut secretary bookcase with fitted interior and antique mirror.

Superior craftsmanship and intricate marquetry characterize this rare secrétaire by Gervais-Maximilien-Eugène Durand, one of the most popular French ébénistes of the 19th century. Th...

Queen Anne period furnishings such as this walnut secretary are incredibly rare and important examples of English cabinetmaking. This secretary is of the most outstanding caliber, boasting desirable double bonnet, mirrored cabinet doors...

Antique Country French Regence style Secretary was hand-crafted from solid oak, and features a traditional slant-front d...

Antique English walnut glass-front secretary bookcase, circa 1880-1890.

Antique Napoleon III desk and bookcase, circa 1860-1870. This museum quality antique has fine briarwood and wonderful ormolu throughout.