A Rococo desk may be a secretaire a abatant; which feature does it describe?

• A. Drop Front
• B. Flat Table
• C. Roll Top
• D. Secretaire Abattant

Answer: (A)

The feature being described is a drop front. In a secretaire à abatant, the front panel is hinged and drops downward to become the writing surface, opening up to reveal the interior drawers and compartments. This folding or lowering front is what the term abatant denotes.

A roll top would use a rolling tambour to cover the desk, not a hinged front. A flat table lacks a concealed writing surface. Naming the piece as a secretaire abatant points to the desk type, not the mechanism, whereas the drop front is the specific feature indicated by abatant.