Desk Accessories
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Cork, Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
1970s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Early 1900s European Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 2000s Italian Space Age Desk Accessories
Foam
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Bakelite
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
1950s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Wood
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Early 1900s European Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell, Eggshell
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Desk Accessories
Art Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell, Eggshell
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1970s British Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
1660s Dutch Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Mid-20th Century Bohemian Desk Accessories
Bamboo, Wicker
1970s Japanese Showa Vintage Desk Accessories
Silk
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell, Eggshell
1930s English Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Tin
1910s British Edwardian Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Hong Kong Space Age Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell, Eggshell
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Cut Glass
1930s Danish Bauhaus Vintage Desk Accessories
Iron
20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Stone, Marble
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Oak, Lacquer
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell
Late 20th Century North American Bohemian Desk Accessories
Stone
1880s English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1990s Italian Desk Accessories
Murano Glass, Paper
Early 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1940s Canadian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 20th Century Italian International Style Desk Accessories
Metal
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1990s Italian Desk Accessories
Porcelain
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Silver Plate
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Leather, Resin
Early 1900s English Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1880s Antique Desk Accessories
Glass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Metal
1980s Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic
Antique, New and Vintage Desk Accessories
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.