Desk Accessories
1990s American Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1850s Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Belgian Black Marble
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Horn
Late 20th Century English Neoclassical Revival Desk Accessories
Gold
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Nickel
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1980s Italian Organic Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Petrified Wood
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Late 20th Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Ceramic
20th Century French Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
Late 20th Century Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze, Chrome, Copper, Steel
Late 20th Century American Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Early 20th Century American Edwardian Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
Early 20th Century Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
1970s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century Swedish Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Leather, Resin
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal, Pewter
Late 20th Century Italian International Style Desk Accessories
Metal
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Adirondack Desk Accessories
Bamboo
20th Century Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Bronze
1950s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century Louis XIV Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century French Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
20th Century American Desk Accessories
Gold
Early 20th Century Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Metal
1860s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century American Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Late 19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Porcelain
19th Century European Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century Greek Classical Greek Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Bronze
2010s American Other Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Leaf
1930s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Macassar
20th Century American Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Adirondack Desk Accessories
Bamboo
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1970s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Glass
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
20th Century French Modern Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal, Bronze, Gold
19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Marble
1880s French Belle Époque Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Desk Accessories
Enamel
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bentwood
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.