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Secretaries7 of 27antique walnut drop-front secretaryButler's Desk
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    Posted 4 years ago

    Weez
    (1 item)

    Does anyone know how to get the centre section of this secretary out? There is a hidden horizontal slot above it that I accidentally came across. I could only access it with a long knife. So far I have pulled out with tweezers 38 items. There must be a secret latch or something to access it more reasonably but I can't find it. Thanks.

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    Comments

    1. dav2no1 dav2no1, 4 years ago
      Lots of different videos on google..good luck

      https://www.google.com/search?q=hidden+compartments+in+Secretary+desk&oq=hidden+compartments+in+Secretary+desk&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l2.6140j0j7&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
    2. Watchsearcher Watchsearcher, 4 years ago
      Very interesting! Maybe there’s some cash. :^)
      Be sure to updated us!
    3. Weez, 4 years ago
      Does $40 in traveller's cheques from the 1940s count? The items so far are from 1917 to 1950. I've watched a lot of the videos but none are quite like my cabinet.
    4. Watchsearcher Watchsearcher, 4 years ago
      Maybe your travelers’ cheque has accumulated value. Keep probing.....
    5. katherinescollections katherinescollections, 4 years ago
      Without closeups of different angles it's hard to tell where the secret latch is. A simple one could be inside the upper cabinets, might be a lock or rod type latch in there. Also try sliding the panels out that are beside the drawer. I see a notch at the end of the panels, up at the top, wiggle that around, maybe. I guess you've already tried turning the handle this way and that. I've read of lots of ways these drawers work but again without close ups from various angles we'd all just be guessing. Good luck and keep us posted!
    6. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 4 years ago
      And the plot thickens.
    7. Weez, 4 years ago
      I got the whole pigeon hole section out by putting two knives above the section to stop it from hitting the moulding and pulling hard. Once that was out I could see that there were some screws in the rails that weren’t the same vintage as the cabinet. It seems that at some point(at least 50 years ago) the rail attachment was changed, no longer allowing access to the area. In total I found 48 items, nothing of much monetary value but a lot of family history to contemplate. Thanks for your help.

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