Remington Rand Typewriter
Vintage 1940s North American Industrial More Desk Accessories
Cut Steel
Early 20th Century American Classical Cabinets
Oak
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia
Metal
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Late 20th Century Modern Bookcases
Oak
2010s American Bauhaus Floor Lamps
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Metal
Vintage 1910s American Art Deco More Desk Accessories
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20th Century British Cabinets
Glass, Wood
Vintage 1940s North American Industrial Historical Memorabilia
Steel
Vintage 1930s German Art Deco Desk Sets
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Mid-20th Century Hungarian Industrial Sideboards
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Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Sets
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Early 20th Century European Cabinets
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Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Cupboards
Glass, Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Books
Paper
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Desk Sets
Metal
Antique Early 1900s British Cabinets
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Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
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Early 20th Century Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Chrome, Metal
Early 20th Century Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
Vintage 1940s American Industrial Desk Sets
Metal
Early 20th Century Industrial More Desk Accessories
Steel, Nickel
Early 20th Century Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Antiquities
Metal
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Scientific Instruments
Metal
Vintage 1940s Art Deco Desk Sets
Metal
Early 20th Century Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome, Nickel
Early 20th Century Industrial More Desk Accessories
Steel, Nickel
Early 20th Century Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass, Nickel
Early 20th Century Industrial More Desk Accessories
Steel, Nickel
Early 20th Century Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass, Nickel
Finding the Right desk-accessories for You
Whether you’ve carved out a space for a nifty home office or you prefer the morning commute, why not dress up your desk with antique and vintage desk accessories? To best tiptoe the line between desk efficiency and desk enjoyment, we suggest adding a touch of the past to your modern-day space.
Desks are a funny thing. Their basic premise has remained the same for quite literally centuries: a flat surface, oftentimes a drawer, and potentially a shelf or two. However, the contents that lay upon the desk? Well, the evolution has been drastic to say the least.
Thank the Victorians for the initial popularity of the paperweight. The Industrial Revolution offered the novel concept of leisure-time to Europeans, giving them more time to take part in the then crucial activity of letter writing. Decorative glass paperweight designs were all the rage, and during the mid-19th-century some of the most popular makers included the French companies of Baccarat, St. Louis and Clichy.
As paper was exceedingly expensive in the early to mid-19th-century, every effort was made to utilize a full sheet of it. Paper knives, which gave way to the modern letter opener, were helpful for cutting paper down to an appropriate size.
Books — those bound volumes of paper, you may recall — used to be common occurrences on desks of yore and where there were books there needed to be bookends. As a luxury item, bookend designs have run the gamut from incorporating ultra-luxurious materials (think marble and Murano glass) to being whimsical desk accompaniments (animal figurines were highly popular choices).
Though the inkwell’s extinction was ushered in by the advent of the ballpoint pen (itself quasi-obsolete at this point), there is still significant charm to be had from placing one of these bauble-like objets in a central spot on one’s desk. You may be surprised to discover the mood-boosting powers an antique — and purposefully empty — inkwell can provide.
The clamor for desk clocks arose as the Industrial Revolution transitioned labor from outdoors to indoors, and allowed for the mass-production of clock parts in factories. Naturally, elaborate designs soon followed and clocks could be found made by artisans and luxury houses like Cartier.
Find antique and vintage desk accessories today on 1stDibs.