European Secretaries

The secretary desk is known by a number of names: secretaire, bureau, and escritoire. These bookcase-style chests with flip-forward surfaces adapted for writing are perennially popular pieces for furniture collectors.

Low-slung antique European secretaries, like Georgian-style English writing bureaus, are reminiscent of old-school roll-top and captain's desks. They are often used today to lend a traditional or maritime feel to residential and commercial spaces.

High-standing variants like the Swedish hutch secretary and heavily-paneled Spanish-style secretary are ideal choices for those seeking pieces for all-in-one home offices or dedicated reading nooks. Glass-front and solid-door bookcase-style French secretaries frequently find new roles as modern-day entertainment centers or liquor cabinets.

Mid-20th century Danish display secretaries lend a retro Scandinavian touch as stand-in dressers, while secretaries by contemporary Italian designers such as Aldo Tura and Paolo Buffa have an Art Deco-meets-Post World War II modern feel.

From timeless antique classics that never go out of style to mid-century takes on traditional pieces, European secretaries never fail to make a lasting impression.

Quick Facts

• In 1986, an ornately-embellished Louis XVI secretary with gilded bronze mounts and porcelain plaques signed by Parisian designer Martin Carlin sold at Sotheby's for $2.09 million
• In July 2014, a Regency/William IV English mahogany secretary dating to 1820 sold at Skinner for a rather modest $2,952
• An 18th-century Italian walnut secretary owned and used by legendary African-American singer Nat King Cole sold at Matheson's Auctions in 2012 for $14,000