What is the difference between a fall-front secretaire and a slant-top desk?

A slant-top desk has a fixed angled lid that hinges forward to reveal the interior fittings. A fall-front secretaire, more common from the Louis XVI period onward, has a vertical front panel that drops down horizontally to form the writing surface, typically offering more interior storage and a more imposing appearance.

How can I date an antique secretaire desk accurately?

Examine the drawer construction — hand-cut dovetails indicate pre-1830 manufacture, while machine-cut joints suggest a later date. The timber choice, style of bronze mounts and any ébéniste's stamp are equally telling. Auction catalogues and specialist reference books on French cabinet-makers help identify makers and narrow the date range.

What should I expect to pay for an authentic antique secretaire?

Budget from around £500 for a sound 19th-century piece, £1,200–£7,000 for a quality 18th-century example, and considerably more for a stamped work by a named ébéniste. Original bronze mounts, documented provenance and an intact interior all push the price upward significantly.

How do I care for an antique secretaire with marquetry or veneer?

Apply natural beeswax polish twice a year and avoid silicone-based products. Keep the piece in a stable environment at 45–55% relative humidity to prevent veneer lifting. Never force the fall-front open; check hinges and original locks regularly, and have any loose veneer re-laid promptly by a specialist restorer.

Can an antique secretaire desk be shipped safely?

Yes, provided you use a specialist fine-art shipper. The fall-front must be secured in the closed position, bronze mounts individually wrapped, and the piece packed in moving blankets inside a bespoke crate. Always arrange insurance cover matched to the declared value and request photographic documentation before and after transit.

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Antique Secretaire Desks

145 objects found

Condition

Period

No matching tags

16th century and before 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century

Style

No matching tags

Art Déco Art Nouveau Contemporary Design Directoire Empire French Regency Gothic Louis XIII Louis XIV Louis XV Louis XVI Louis-Philippe Medieval Modern Art Napoléon III Orientalist Renaissance Restauration Transition

Category 1

No matching tags

-Corner cupboards

-Four doors cupboards

-One door cupboards

-Small cupboard

-Two doors cupboards ▸

High cupboards

Antique jewelery

Antique mirrors

Antique mirrors ▸

Mercury mirror Murano mirror Trumeau venitian mirror

Antique Photography

Antique tables ▸

Card Table Consoles Farmhouse tables Low tables Monestry tables Occasional tables Pedestal table Round tables

Antique tapestry

Antique textiles ▸

Lacework

Antique wheapons

Antiquites industrielles

Architectural elements ▸

Bathroom elements Doors Fire places Flooring Garden furniture Stairs Tiles Wood panelling

Bedroom suites ▸

Beds Bedside tables

Billiard ▸

Lighting

Bookcases

Bronze ▸

Animal bronzes

Cabinets

Cartonnier

Ceramics ▸

Chinaware earthenware Pottery 亚洲陶器

Chest of drawers ▸

Commode arbalete Commode sauteuse Commode tombeau Military chests Pine chests of drawers

Chests

Clocks ▸

Clocks Wristwatch

Decorative furniture

Decorative objects

Dressers

Dressing tables

English furniture ▸

English chests of drawers English wardrobes

Fairground art

Fishing-Hunting

Glassware

Glazed cabinets

Hallstand

Kitchenelia

Miscellaneous ▸

Advertising aeronautica Miniatures Musical instruments Old tools Sport memorabilia Taxidermy Vineyard antique

Nautical antiques ▸

Model boats Objects

Oeuvres d'art ▸

Primitive Art Sacred art

Old documents ▸

Antique Drawings Livres anciens

Old Frame

Old toys

Oriental furniture ▸

Desks Oriental cupboards Seating

Oriental objects

Painted furniture

Paintings

Pens & writting ▸

Writting box

Pewter

Posters ▸

Advertising posters Cinema posters

Pottery

Scientific instruments ▸

Antique barometers Chronometers Globes Octants Sextants

Sculptures

Seating ▸

Armchairs Chairs Chaises longues Fauteuil bergère Fauteuil cabriolet Fauteuil chesterfield Fauteuil crapaud Fauteuil dagobert Fauteuil voltaire Leather armchairs Sofas Stools

Shop fittings

Sideboard

Silverware ▸

Argent massif Métal argenté

Tableware

Vineyard antiques

Vintage luggage

Wardrobes ▸

Armoires Pine cupboards Wedding armoire

工业古董

Material

No matching tags

Bois ▸

Acajou Bambou Bois doré Bois laqué Bois peint Bois sculpté Chêne Ébène Frêne Hêtre Merisier Noyer Olivier Palissandre

Céramique ▸

Biscuit de porcelaine Delft Émail Faïence Grès Majolique Porcelaine Terre cuite

Cuir & Peau ▸

Cuir Cuir doré Maroquin Parchemin

Matières composites ▸

Bois & bronze Bois & marbre Boulle (écaille & laiton) Carton-pâte Marqueterie Papier mâché

Matières organiques ▸

Cire Corne Écaille de tortue Ivoire Nacre Os Plume

Métal ▸

Acier Argent Bronze Cuivre Étain Fer forgé Fonte Laiton Métal argenté Métal doré Or Vermeil Zinc

Pierre & Minéral ▸

Albâtre Ambre Ardoise Corail Granit Malachite Marbre Onyx Pierre calcaire

Textile ▸

Broderie Coton Dentelle Laine Lin Soie Tapisserie Toile peinte Velours

Verre ▸

Cristal Opaline Pâte de verre Verre moulé Verre peint Verre soufflé Verre taillé

Origin

No matching tags

Afrique & Méditerranée ▸

Afrique subsaharienne Algérie Égypte Maroc Tunisie

Amériques ▸

Amérique du Nord Amérique du Sud Antilles

Asie ▸

Chine Inde Indochine Japon Moyen-Orient Perse

Europe de l'Est ▸

Bohème Empire ottoman Hongrie Pologne Russie

Europe du Nord ▸

Allemagne Autriche Belgique Danemark Flandres Pays-Bas Scandinavie Suède Suisse

Europe du Sud ▸

Espagne Italie Naples Portugal Toscane Venise

France ▸

Alsace Auvergne Bordelais Bourgogne Bretagne Île-de-France Languedoc Lorraine Normandie Pays basque Provence Savoie

Îles Britanniques ▸

Angleterre Écosse Irlande Pays de Galles

Sort by

No matching tags

16th century and before 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century

No matching tags

-Corner cupboards

-Four doors cupboards

-One door cupboards

-Small cupboard

-Two doors cupboards ▸

High cupboards

Antique jewelery

Antique mirrors

Antique mirrors ▸

Mercury mirror Murano mirror Trumeau venitian mirror

Antique Photography

Antique tables ▸

Card Table Consoles Farmhouse tables Low tables Monestry tables Occasional tables Pedestal table Round tables

Antique tapestry

Antique textiles ▸

Lacework

Antique wheapons

Antiquites industrielles

Architectural elements ▸

Bathroom elements Doors Fire places Flooring Garden furniture Stairs Tiles Wood panelling

Bedroom suites ▸

Beds Bedside tables

Billiard ▸

Lighting

Bookcases

Bronze ▸

Animal bronzes

Cabinets

Cartonnier

Ceramics ▸

Chinaware earthenware Pottery 亚洲陶器

Chest of drawers ▸

Commode arbalete Commode sauteuse Commode tombeau Military chests Pine chests of drawers

Chests

Clocks ▸

Clocks Wristwatch

Decorative furniture

Decorative objects

Dressers

Dressing tables

English furniture ▸

English chests of drawers English wardrobes

Fairground art

Fishing-Hunting

Glassware

Glazed cabinets

Hallstand

Kitchenelia

Miscellaneous ▸

Advertising aeronautica Miniatures Musical instruments Old tools Sport memorabilia Taxidermy Vineyard antique

Nautical antiques ▸

Model boats Objects

Oeuvres d'art ▸

Primitive Art Sacred art

Old documents ▸

Antique Drawings Livres anciens

Old Frame

Old toys

Oriental furniture ▸

Desks Oriental cupboards Seating

Oriental objects

Painted furniture

Paintings

Pens & writting ▸

Writting box

Pewter

Posters ▸

Advertising posters Cinema posters

Pottery

Scientific instruments ▸

Antique barometers Chronometers Globes Octants Sextants

Sculptures

Seating ▸

Armchairs Chairs Chaises longues Fauteuil bergère Fauteuil cabriolet Fauteuil chesterfield Fauteuil crapaud Fauteuil dagobert Fauteuil voltaire Leather armchairs Sofas Stools

Shop fittings

Sideboard

Silverware ▸

Argent massif Métal argenté

Tableware

Vineyard antiques

Vintage luggage

Wardrobes ▸

Armoires Pine cupboards Wedding armoire

工业古董

No matching tags

Bois ▸

Acajou Bambou Bois doré Bois laqué Bois peint Bois sculpté Chêne Ébène Frêne Hêtre Merisier Noyer Olivier Palissandre

Céramique ▸

Biscuit de porcelaine Delft Émail Faïence Grès Majolique Porcelaine Terre cuite

Cuir & Peau ▸

Cuir Cuir doré Maroquin Parchemin

Matières composites ▸

Bois & bronze Bois & marbre Boulle (écaille & laiton) Carton-pâte Marqueterie Papier mâché

Matières organiques ▸

Cire Corne Écaille de tortue Ivoire Nacre Os Plume

Métal ▸

Acier Argent Bronze Cuivre Étain Fer forgé Fonte Laiton Métal argenté Métal doré Or Vermeil Zinc

Pierre & Minéral ▸

Albâtre Ambre Ardoise Corail Granit Malachite Marbre Onyx Pierre calcaire

Textile ▸

Broderie Coton Dentelle Laine Lin Soie Tapisserie Toile peinte Velours

Verre ▸

Cristal Opaline Pâte de verre Verre moulé Verre peint Verre soufflé Verre taillé

No matching tags

Afrique & Méditerranée ▸

Afrique subsaharienne Algérie Égypte Maroc Tunisie

Amériques ▸

Amérique du Nord Amérique du Sud Antilles

Asie ▸

Chine Inde Indochine Japon Moyen-Orient Perse

Europe de l'Est ▸

Bohème Empire ottoman Hongrie Pologne Russie

Europe du Nord ▸

Allemagne Autriche Belgique Danemark Flandres Pays-Bas Scandinavie Suède Suisse

Europe du Sud ▸

Espagne Italie Naples Portugal Toscane Venise

France ▸

Alsace Auvergne Bordelais Bourgogne Bretagne Île-de-France Languedoc Lorraine Normandie Pays basque Provence Savoie

Îles Britanniques ▸

Angleterre Écosse Irlande Pays de Galles

Fall-front secretaires, slant-top desks and bonheur-du-jour from professional antique dealers

145 objects found

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SECRETAIRE

Romain Lichtensztein — Maignelay-Montigny

2 500,00 €

LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SECRETAIRE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

3 900,00 €

CHARLES X PERIOD SECRETAIRE

Antiquités Christophe Rochet — Villeurbanne

1 600,00 €

ANGLO INDIAN DESK

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 200,00 €

FRENCH TRANSITION STYLE SECRETAIRE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 200,00 €

Objet 174590

Eric Saget — Paris

850,00 €

LOUIS XVI STYLE BUREAU BOOKCASE

Romain Lichtensztein — Maignelay-Montigny

4 200,00 €

NAPOLEON III PERIOD SECRETAIRE CHEST

Philippe Cote Antiquites — Chauffailles

1 650,00 €

LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SECRETAIRE

L'atelier De La Dorure — Calmont

1 900,00 €

FRENCH EMPIIRE PERIOD SECRETAIRE

Philippe Cote Antiquites — Chauffailles

4 300,00 €

LOUIS XVI PERIOD SECRETAIRE

Philippe Cote Antiquites — Chauffailles

6 800,00 €

VINTAGE CABINET

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

1 400,00 €

LOUIS XVI STYLE SECRETAIRE

Philippe Cote Antiquites — Chauffailles

4 800,00 €

VICTORIAN BUREAU

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 900,00 €

Objet 173488

Eric Saget — Paris

1 200,00 €

BONHEUR DU JOUR DESK by PAUL SORMANI

Au Réveil Du Temps — Saint-Nabord

3 900,00 €

ENGLISH BUREAU BOOKCASE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

1 400,00 €

NINETEENTH CENTURY SECRETAIRE

L'atelier De La Dorure — Calmont

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SECRETAIRE

Philippe Cote Antiquites — Chauffailles

16 500,00 €

LOUIIS XVI PERIOD SECRETAIRE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

6 600,00 €

FRENCH RESTAURATION PERIOD SECRETAIRE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 600,00 €

NAPOLEON III PERIOD SECRETAIRE CHEST

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 400,00 €

ART DECO STYLE SECRETAIRE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 300,00 €

FRENCH TRANSITION STYLE SECRETAIRE

Antiquités Lecomte — Héric

2 600,00 €

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