Desk Accessories
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Alabaster, Bronze
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Plaster, Paint
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Late 20th Century Japanese Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Zinc
Mid-20th Century European Adirondack Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Desk Accessories
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl, Fruitwood
2010s Unknown Desk Accessories
Malachite
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Shagreen
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s American Brutalist Desk Accessories
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Concrete
2010s Unknown Desk Accessories
Malachite
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
15th Century and Earlier Mexican Mid-Century Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Petrified Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Paper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Aluminum, Copper
Mid-20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate, Brass
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum, Chrome
Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories
Porcelain
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desk Accessories
Lucite
Mid-20th Century American Desk Accessories
Crystal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Naugahyde, Walnut
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Bakelite
Late 20th Century American Desk Accessories
Art Glass
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century French Folk Art Desk Accessories
Brass
15th Century and Earlier American Mid-Century Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Stone
20th Century Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1980s Italian Colonial Revival Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
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.