Antique Secretary Desk, South German Biedermeier 1820-30

Antique secretary desk of the Biedermeier period, South German 1820-1830.

The Biedermeier desk captivates with its straight design, refined by a beautiful mirrored walnut veneer and unpretentious brass fittings.

Historical Background

The early 19th-century Biedermeier style marks the transitional period between Neoclassicism and Romanticism. The term Biedermeier was constructed from the titles of two poems—”Biedermanns Abendgemütlichkeit” (Biedermann’s Evening Comfort) and “Bummelmaiers Klage”

(Bummelmaier’s Complaint).  Joseph Victor von Scheffel had published the poems in 1848 in the Munich journal Fliegende Blätter. As a label for the epoch, the term has been used since around 1900.

The “Biedermeier” society, in general, concentrated on the domestic and (at least in public) the non-political.  As a consequence, the emphasis on home life for the growing middle-class meant a blossoming of furniture design and interior decorating.

Family life, letter writing (giving prominence to the writing desks and tables) and the pursuit of hobbies had priority.

Biedermeier furniture was mostly produced in the austro-hungarian empire and in Germany. Stylistically, Biedermeier furniture softened the rigidity of the Empire style. The cabinet makers used light, native woods and avoided the use of metal ornamentation.

This antique secretary desk is a wonderful example of the modesty and severity of the Biedermeier style. Biedermeier design had and has a huge impact on the furniture designers of the 20th century. Straight lines and an emphasis on symmetrical wood grain dispositions were, for

example, the features of Art Deco furniture or can also be found among mid century modern furniture pieces.

Details of this secretary desk

The desk is in very good condition. It is sold refinished without loosing its original charm. The leather on the writing top is replaced. Please also read our blog about how to combine antique and modern furniture.

It measures 44.1 x 38.19 x 19.69 inches.

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