What is a secretaire a abattant?

It's the tall upright Continental form. The whole front is a hinged fall that drops to make the writing surface, with drawers and pigeonholes behind it, and a cupboard or drawers below. Marble tops go with it more than with any other type, and marquetry, kingwood and ormolu mounts turn up on the same pieces. Abattant appears in 53 of 304 titles on Sellingantiques.

Which wood is commonest?

Mahogany, by a distance. It's named in 106 of 304 titles, roughly a third, and it dominates the English chest and bookcase forms. Walnut comes next at 40 titles, then rosewood at 22, with kingwood, pine and oak in the low teens. Beyond those, single appearances include amboyna, padauk, camphor wood, satin birch, sabicu and tulipwood.

How old are most secretaires for sale?

The dated field runs 1750 to 1930, with 121 listings carrying a clean year. Era labels are more common than precise dates. 19th Century is the largest single bucket at 63 listings, ahead of Georgian at 26, Victorian at 24 and 18th Century at 23. Decade-level dating is thin and spread evenly across the 1800s, 1860s, 1880s, 1900s and 1920s.

Are secretaires usually signed or stamped?

No. Gillows is the only name that clears several dealers, four of them, in a category 125 dealers have listed in. Unnamed pieces are the norm. Where names do appear on the Continental pieces they're isolated one-offs, and some come as attributions rather than marks.

What's the difference between a secretaire and an escritoire?

Nothing much. Escritoire is the English term, used interchangeably, and it appears in 20 titles. It shows up more in current stock than in the sold archive, so both words are worth reading as the same thing.

How many come up for sale each year?

Around 29 secretaires come to market on Sellingantiques in a year, listed by 125 different dealers over time. That spread means it's a category most general furniture dealers touch occasionally rather than one anybody specialises in.

Home > Bureau > Secretaires > Page 4

Antique Secretaires

120 items · page 4 of 8

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A secretaire is case furniture with a writing desk built into it: a chest, cabinet or bookcase whose front drops open to a writing surface backed by small drawers and pigeonholes.

18th century

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Outstanding Quality Antique 18th Century Dutch Floral Marquetry Secretaire

From Unique Antiques by Emma Jade

£4,685

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

1900 - 1920

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Antique Pine Secretaire/bureau with Writing Slope and Drawers

From Pinefinders

£997

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

19th century

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19th Century Mahogany Fall Front Writing Desk Escritoire.

From Rupert Hitchcox Antiques

£395

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

18th century

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A Joseph Ii, the Holy Roman Emperor, Walnut Bureau Bookcase

From Georgian Antiques

£8,750

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

Antique Pine Secretaire Desk with Secret Drawers

1900 - 1920

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Antique Pine Secretaire Desk with Secret Drawers

From Pinefinders

£950

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

A George IV Mahogany Secretaire Bookcase.

19th century

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A George IV Mahogany Secretaire Bookcase.

From Georgian Antiques

£3,650

3+ MONTHS AGO

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Secretaire Chest of Drawers Georgian Mahogany Early 19th C.

18th century

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Secretaire Chest of Drawers Georgian Mahogany Early 19th C.

From M Cross Antiques

£1,000

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

19th century

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A 19th Century French Secrétaire À Abattant

From Salisbury Antiques Centre

£1,550

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

18th century

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Antique 18th Century Rosewood Bureau Bookcase

From London City Antiques

£12,500

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

A Fine Regency Rosewood Secretaire Cabinet

19th century

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A Fine Regency Rosewood Secretaire Cabinet

From Hansord Antiques

£4,250

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

One-offs from the archive include an apprentice's miniature secretaire cabinet, a secretaire semainier, and a secretaire fitted out as a mirrored cocktail cabinet.

19th century

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An Apprentice Miniature of a William & Mary Secretaire Cabinet Ca 19th Century

From Bushells Antiques

£3,250

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

18th century

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Georgian Secretaire Tallboy

From Millers Antiques

£1,850

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

A Super Victorian Antique Pine Ladies Make Up Chest of Drawers to Wax / Paint

19th century

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A Super Victorian Antique Pine Ladies Make Up Chest of Drawers to Wax / Paint

From D & J Hunt Antiques

£845

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

19th century

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Small Desk Late Victorian

From Cavers Antiques

£275

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

19th century

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French Mahogany Escritoire

From Philip Hunt Antiques

£2,250

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

1900 - 1920

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Kingwood Secretaire Abattant

From Shackladys Antiques

£2,295

3+ MONTHS AGO

bureau

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Antique Secretaires

Outstanding Quality Antique 18th Century Dutch Floral Marquetry Secretaire

Antique Pine Secretaire/bureau with Writing Slope and Drawers

19th Century Mahogany Fall Front Writing Desk Escritoire.

A Joseph Ii, the Holy Roman Emperor, Walnut Bureau Bookcase

Antique Pine Secretaire Desk with Secret Drawers

A George IV Mahogany Secretaire Bookcase.

Secretaire Chest of Drawers Georgian Mahogany Early 19th C.

A 19th Century French Secrétaire À Abattant

Antique 18th Century Rosewood Bureau Bookcase

A Fine Regency Rosewood Secretaire Cabinet

An Apprentice Miniature of a William & Mary Secretaire Cabinet Ca 19th Century

Georgian Secretaire Tallboy

A Super Victorian Antique Pine Ladies Make Up Chest of Drawers to Wax / Paint

Small Desk Late Victorian

French Mahogany Escritoire

Kingwood Secretaire Abattant

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