Desk Accessories
Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Desk Accessories
Marble
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Hardwood
1630s Dutch Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Stone, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Belgian Black Marble, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 20th Century American Black Forest Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century American Desk Accessories
Glass
Early 20th Century American Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Wood, Horn
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Suede, Mahogany
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 Italian 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 Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel
1990s American Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze, Copper, Metal
20th Century English Desk Accessories
Silver
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
2010s Australian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
1990s French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Crystal
2010s Australian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum, Brass, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Horn
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
1930s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 19th Century Italian Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Shagreen
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.