Zealander (furniture)

The Seeländer is a secretary in which the writing surface is not closed with a flap but with a cylindrical cover. Above the actual writing surface there is usually a number of small drawers and compartments, which are often artistically veneered and processed. A popular peculiarity of the time were so-called "secret compartments", that is, compartments, drawers or the like that are not easy to discover. Especially in the first half of the 19th century , these pieces of furniture were widespread in northern Germany , especially in Schleswig-Holstein . The name Seeländer does not mean, which would actually suggest that this type of furniture comes from the Danish island of Zealand , but it is a corruption of the word cylinder (secretary).

Numerous secretaries outlived the time only because they were suitable as workshop and tool cupboards because of their numerous compartments. Today they are quite popular and therefore sought-after antiques , although the prices have also fallen significantly in recent years.

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• Ellen Redlefsen, Möbel in Schleswig-Holstein, 2nd edition, Heide 1983