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Desk Accessories

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Desk Accessories For Sale
Famille Rose Qianlong Period Enamel Inkwell by L'Escalier de Cristal C.1880
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A Famille Rose Painted Enamel inkwell set Qianlong Period (1736-1795) by l’Escalier de Cristal It consists of a fretworked tray with raised edges in blackened wood surrounded by a fine gilded bronze ring, on which rests two Famille Rose Qianlong Period (1736-1795) hexagonal inkwells with pierced tops, one with original glass container, decorated with polychrome stylised flower heads and foliate scrollwork. This inkwell is characteristic of the productions of the Maison de l'Escalier de Cristal, it shows a hybrid realization, using ancient Asian elements, used as a container for feathers and ink. Stamped «Escalier de Cristal Paris» Circa 1880 L’Escalier de Cristal, Parisian firm created about 1800 by Mme veuve Desarnaud, famous under the French « Restoration » for its decorative objects combining crystal and bronze. She was awarded a gold medal at the 1819 Paris Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie for an outstanding gilt-bronze mounted crystal dressing table. Located in Paris, at the Palais-Royal, Galerie de Valois, L’Escalier de Cristal was bought out around 1830 by Boin, and then by Lahoche in 1840. The company owed its rise to a position amongst the most im-portant Paris decorative wares shops to Lahoche, who expanded considerably the business and entered later in partnership with his son-in-law to set up in 1852 Lahoche et Pannier...
Category

1870s French Japonisme Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Ormolu, Enamel

Vintage Russian Hand Painted Lacquer Pocket Calendar & Notebook
Located in Seguin, TX
Vintage 1980 Russian small hand painted lacquer note and calendar book. Very good condition.
Category

Late 20th Century Desk Accessories

Materials

Lacquer

In Stock in Los Angeles, Green Rabbit Mini Portable Charger
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Rabbit Mini power bank battery charger In stock in Los Angeles Power bank. You can carry Rabbit MINI in your bag as an external battery for yo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

In Stock in Los Angeles, Light Blue Rabbit Mini Portable Charger
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Rabbit mini power bank battery charger In stock in Los Angeles Power bank. You can carry Rabbit MINI in your bag as an external battery for your smartphone or any other device. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

20th Cebtury Italian Big Sterling Silver Letter Opener
Located in VALENZA, IT
Large, completely handmade, sterling silver letter opener. Perfect for a prestigious desk. The blade is smooth while the hand is embossed by hand on both sides with scrolls and fl...
Category

1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories

Materials

Sterling Silver

Large Photo Frame in Fuchsia and White Plexiglass Vision
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Vision is a large photo frame of the precious collection of photo frames Art with Heart Laura G. Handcrafted fuchsia methacrylate and plexiglas wi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Plexiglass

New Modern Cigarettes and Cigar Ashtray in Black Marble, creator Chiossi Stock
Located in Milan, IT
Tuscan sculptor Michele Chiossi, has found in marble a medium to describe modernity with its myths and symbols, creating the Contemporary collection. An emoji can be a tray; an emoji heart, not necessarily pierced by an arrow, can be a place of creativity in the kitchen, a chopping board or a working surface; a dash; a zigzag; granting the marble a moment of levity, becoming vertical in a vase; reflecting an ideal image of ourselves. Unique objects to be experienced as a couple, to gift to friends, jewels of our daily lives. Time and smoke pass, ashtrays remain. As everlasting as marble, as elegant as a concentric circle of smoke spreading through the air. Chiossi revisits the most Classic of living room...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

English Victorian Plated Gilded Inkwell, circa 1900
Located in New York, NY
With serpents handles and a bird finial, the border with a double row of upright leaves separated by ribbon tied bands.
Category

Early 1900s British Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver Plate

Murano Glass Paperweight - U. Nespolo in Numbered Series - Italy - 1980s
Located in Milano, IT
Original artistic paperweight, designed by Ugo Nespolo and produced in a limited series of 100 pieces, signed by the author. Made of Murano glass, with original box and warranty. Spe...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Reeve Crystal Bookends by Greg Natale
Located in Sydney,, NSW
Inspired by shards of ice, the Reeve Bookend is our newest bookend style. A study in decorative function, these stylish statement grabbing bookends will elegantly support your favourite coffee table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Crystal

Vintage Beautiful Glass Paperweight Made Around 1960
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Vintage Beautiful Glass Paperweight Made Around 1960 Additional information: Dimensions: 6 W x 6 D x 5 H cm Period of Time: 1960 Condition: Good
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass

Rare & Pretty Pair of Porcelain Mosaic Inlay Photograph Picture Frames ca. 1900
Located in Lisse, NL
Stylish and perfectly handcrafted pair of picture frames. If you are looking for the perfect picture frames for a pair of small photos of your children or of you and your wife or hu...
Category

Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

21st Century Concrete Cement Tray Centrepiece Handmade Pink Flamingo Color
Located in Rome, Lazio
Renzo in a family of multipurpose trays with a very smooth surface and soft curved edges, now available in a different color composition. Each piece is a unique, no two are the same....
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Concrete

Geometric Decoration Set Ceramic, White Porcelain, Sculptural Object 'Cubism'
Located in Carballo, ES
Geometry set of 3 pieces made of ceramic, with high quality stoneware in the Galician town of Buño, known throughout the world for its quality in the pottery technique. The shapes in...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware, Terracotta

Inkwell FRENCH MANUFACTURING OF THE EARLY 20th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Inkwell FRENCH MANUFACTURING OF THE EARLY 1900s Empire style inkwell in yellow Siena marble with gilded bronze inkwells and sphinx. 48 x 23 cm Height 20.
Category

Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

Tronador Square Blue Onyx Stone Box
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
The shape of the inactive Tronador volcano reminded us of the pyramid shaped idea of our boxes that make up this collection. With a rectangular or square base, the box is a reflectio...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stone, Onyx

Grenade Lighter, 1980s Japan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique vintage table lighter in the shape of a grenade. Made in Japan with "Comoy's of London" tag on the felted base. Cool tobacco accessory and conversation piece. Working lighter....
Category

1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Italian Photo Frame in Lost Wax Silver , Harmony Coral
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Harmony coral is a unique edition photo frame designed and realized by atelier Laura G for Art with Heart collection. It is a wonderful lost wax silver model hand chiselled by master...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver

Vintage Must de Cartier Silver Plated Vendome Crosshatch Cisele Ball Point Pen.
Located in High Wycombe, GB
One of the all time most beautiful and unique ball point pens by Cartier, the rare 80's version Vendome Crosshatch Cisele. The pen is a special in almost every way; the cross section...
Category

1980s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver Plate

Marcel Bing, Art Nouveau Butterfly Inkwell in Enameled Bronze, France, 1905
By Marcel Bing
Located in New York, NY
Marcel Bing was the fourth child of Sigfried/Samuel Bing (1838-1905), the great collector of Japanese art and founder of the gallery L'Art Nouveau Bing located at 22 rue de Provence in Paris. Marcel trained as a jeweler, creating jewelry and vase mounts for the gallery and took over its management upon his father's death in 1905. Bibliography: - L’art appliqué revue internationale, le style moderne...
Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Contemporary Handmade Aquamarine Crystal Horizontal Photo Frame by Ghirò Studio
Located in Pieve Emanuele, Milano
2021 Collection of picture frames by Ghirò Studio. Picture frame of excellent workmanship and artistic quality. The rounded edges give harmony and elegance. The high transparency ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass

Shagreen Photo Frame by Fabio Ltd
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Multi-color shagreen leather and 24 karat gold-plated picture frame by Fabio Ltd Measures: Height 13.5 inches, width 11.5 inches, depth 1 inch Photo size: 8 inches by 10 inches LAST ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Gold

2000s Barovier Toso Italian Royal Blue Twisted Murano Glass Brass Picture Frame
Located in New York, NY
A sophisticated Venetian modern design vertical photo frame in thick blown Murano glass worked in a luscious deep blue jewel color, by Barovier Toso, signed piece. The elegant texture of the tightly twisted glass frame...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Italian Photo Frame Art Nouveau with Black Marble, Illumination
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Illumination is a rectangular golden silver photo frame with black marble designed by Laura G Art with Heart and it is decorated 360°, both front and back as every one of my picture frames.. A Classic Tiffany motif meanders in relief on a background of Belgian black marble stone. Each model of my photo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Silver

Luxury Photo Frame, Silver with gold bath, marble , Reflection Noir
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Reflection noir is an italian gold silver floral double photo frame with black marble, a jewel photo frame signed Laura G Art with Heart. It is hand...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories

Materials

Stone, Silver

Antique Brass Czech Orrery Astronomical Instruments Made by Jan Felkl in 1870
By Jan Felkl
Located in Milan, IT
Antique brass orrery planetarium made for the German market by Jan Felkl Prag in the second half of the nineteenth century. Cast iron base, papier mâché´ globe, with detailed territorial map and oceanic currents. Very good condition. Measures: Length 75 cm - 29.5 inch, height 48 cm - 18.8 inch, width 28 cm - 11 inch. Shipping in insured by Lloyd's London and the gift box is free (look at the last picture). Jan Felkl (1817-1878) was born in Bohemia and already in 1840 he had designed some globes in 6 different sizes. During the following 20 years he became the biggest maker of globes in market Austro-Hungarian, making terrestrial and celestial globes in 17 different languages, lunar globes and planetaria. Felkl showed his globes at international fairs in 1867 in Paris and in 1873 in Vienna. He established his Geographic and lithographic Institute in Prague for Making globes and maps. In 1870 he moved his factory from Prague to Roztok and his youngest son became his partner in the firm now named Felkl & Son, making globes and selling them all over the Europe and also in the Usa. Shipping is insured by Lloyd's London; our gift box is free (look at the last picture). The orrery is the most detailed and complex representation of the cosmos and in addition to the movement of stars,it includes movement of the sun, moon and planets, like a giant clock mechanism. Among these devices one of the oldest was an orrery by Archimedes, which Cicero speaks widely in Tusculanae Disputationes I, 63: when Roman troops sacked Syracuse in 212 BC, the consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus in Rome brought the instrument of Archimedes, who, thanks to his ability and divine intelligence that he possessed, had managed to generate the motions of planets, each so different, from a single rotation.
Because of heliocentric system theorized by Copernicus, it was possible to create mechanical antique orreries...
Category

1860s Czech Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Iron

René Lalique Inkwell Nightlight Model with does Created in 1913
Located in NANTES, FR
Inkwell night light by René Lalique, in dark red pressed molded glass. Silvered bronze base. Electrified. 3 polished chips. Total height: 10 cm Width: 15cm Depth: 15cm Weight: 1,4 ...
Category

1910s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Art Deco Full Desk Set in Marble and Brass, France, 1930s
Located in Paris, FR
Art Deco full desk set in marble and brass, France, 1930s. Composed by: 2 Inkwells W 29.5 cm x D 18.5cm x H 8 cm Ashtray W 14 cm x D 14 cm x H 4 cm Envel...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble, Brass

Fratelli Toso Murano White Yellow Daisy Flower Italian Art Glass Paperweight
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown white and yellow daisy flower Italian art glass paperweight. Documented to the Fratelli Toso Company. The paperweight has a large daisy made up of...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass, Murrine, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Large Photo frame in Black Marble Humour marble
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Humour is an italian large black marble photo frame. It is a sculpture of design and may carry 4 photos , 2 on the front, and 2 on the back, phot...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

Magnifying Glass Antique Horn Handle Gold Plated Embossed Brass 19th century
Located in Sweden, SE
The magnifying glass, a tool that has been an essential part of human history for centuries, has undergone numerous transformations in its design and materiality. The combination of ...
Category

Late 19th Century European Rococo Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Gold Plate, Brass

Unique Marble and Brass Sculptural Paper Weight of a Dog or Animal
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique marble and brass sculptural paper weight of a dog or animal.
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble, Brass

Large Edwardian oak perpetual desk calendar
Located in Castle Douglas, GB
A large Edwardian oak perpetual calendar, to show the scale it is illustrated with a standard size desk calendar for scale, (only the large one is for sale). Oak case with pediment t...
Category

Early 20th Century English Desk Accessories

Materials

Oak

White 1930s Glamour Bakelite Telephone by Bell Systems
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Vintage white bakelite 1930s glamor telephone made by Bell Systems for the Western Electric company. This phone is present in many Hollywood Glamor fi...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Bakelite

Art Glass Fish in the Ocean Aquarium Bubbles Paperweight 1960s
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Art Glass Fish in the Ocean Aquarium Bubbles Paperweight 1960s. The vintage Art Glass orange fish with bubbles paperweight is a stunning piece that encapsulates the beauty of underwater life in intricate detail. Very unique and rare shaped Art Glass Murano tyle paperweight depicting an ocean scene or an aquarium with fish...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Seguso Murano Black Red Gold Leaf Italian Art Glass Decorative Flower Sculpture
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Rare, and beautiful, vintage Murano hand blown black and red bands Italian art glass flower sculpture. Documented, and signed by designer Archi...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Gold Leaf

Antique Marble & Bronze Napoleon 3 Inkstand by Marcel Debut Salon Des Beaux-Arts
Located in Lisse, NL
Rare and important French Napoleonic ink stand with female sculpture. This hand-crafted and sizable ink stand of marble and gilt bronze is signed by the renowned French sculptor Mar...
Category

Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Seguso Vetri D'Arte Poli Murano Sommerso Italian Art Glass Squirrel Sculpture
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, rare, and cute vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso green Italian art glass squirrel figure / sculpture. Documented to designer Flavio Poli for...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Salviati Murano Orange White Fade Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Fish Sculpture
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown dark orange to white Ombre fade design Italian art glass fish figurine, sculpture. Documented to the Salviati company, with "Salviati & C. - Made ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Gold Leaf

Inkwell with Elephant, 1930s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Inkwell with elephant. An Art Deco Inkwell with an elephant figurine on top. A double inkwell - double inkstand with two glass inkwells or ink contai...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Italian Photo Frame Handmade Wood, Double Heart
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Double Heart is a unique arge Italian hand crafted wood double photo frame by sculptor Massimo Pasini. Wood is a very warm material and it is very m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

1970s Lucite Ashtray and Lighter Set
Located in New York, NY
Stunning 1970s Lucite chrome ashtray and lighter desk set. Lighter measurements: Width 3.75", depth 2.5, height 4.25".
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Chrome

MCM Teak Perpetual Desk Flip Calendar, Security Pacific Bank
Located in San Diego, CA
A very cool and hard to find MCM teak perpetual desk flip calendar from California's Security Pacific Bank, circa 1970's. The calendar is made of teak wo...
Category

20th Century American Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic, Teak

Louis Kalff Mid-century Modern Table or Desk Lamp with Black Base and Grey Shade
Located in Lisse, NL
Timeless and stylish table lamp. This wonderful midcentury table lamp by Louis Kalff is in beautiful condition. This color combination will look great in virtually every mid-century...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal, Brass

Small Vintage Boat, Continental, Bronze, Desk, Ornament, Decorative, Coin Tray
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a small vintage model boat. A Continental, bronze desk ornament or decorative coin tray, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1950. Tact...
Category

Mid-20th Century Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Picture Frame, Polished Brass, Made by J.H. France, 1900s
Located in Verviers, BE
Pair of Picture Frame, Polished Brass, Made by J.H. France, 1900s Pair photograph frame (or miniature frame) with classical Victorian design. Typical frame for wedding photographs....
Category

Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Antique Silver Artist’s Paint Box by Harry Atkin Sheffield 1892
Located in London, GB
A stunning Antique Silver Artist’s paint box by Harry Atkin, Date Sheffield 1892. A Rare Miniature travelling paint box in excellent condition. The silver on both the outside and the interior is in superb condition. Upon opening, the front cascades down to reveal two wells for water and perhaps mixing colours. The interior is well protected thanks to the interior gilding. The lid engraved “Lettice’s Paint Box”. Lettice is a traditional, English girl’s name most commonly found in the upper classes. The actual paints are not original but the current set of paints are a later acceptable replacement. The miniature brush was with it but not original and doubt it ever had one. Dimensions; W 5” x D 3 1/4” H 1 1/4" About the maker; Atkin Brothers business traces his origin to Thomas Law...
Category

Late 19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver

A Perthshire Three Dimensional Bouquet Paperweight, 1999
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
A Perthshire Three Dimensional Bouquet Paperweight, 1999 Additional information: Date : 1999 Origin : Scotland Features : A large bouquet of blue, pink, amber and amethyst flowers an...
Category

20th Century Scottish Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass

An Italian Grand Tour Specimen Marble Paperweight, Late 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The round paperweight framed in black marble, with porphyry and sienna marble and other marble specimens. The center in sienna marble with carved bea...
Category

1850s Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories

Materials

Belgian Black Marble

Art Deco PAIR of Period Photo Frames Handmade in Oak with Fan Sides, circa 1930
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a beautiful PAIR of photo frames from the Art Deco period, handmade from oak having a fan design and with glass inserts, which we date to circa ...
Category

Early 20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories

Materials

Oak, Glass

Vintage FAMAS Assault Rifle Lighter, 1980s Japan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cool vintage table lighter in the shape of a FAMAS (Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne) assault rifle. Made of metal and stands up on its own via bipod arms wh...
Category

1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Hermes, Paris, Equestrian / Horse Head Letter Opener, c.1960
Located in Bath, GB
A highly collectable letter opener or paper knife made in gilded bronze and dating to c.1960; a scarce-find in the gold colour. The handle is in the form of a horse head, beautifu...
Category

1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Beautiful Fish Murano Italian Art Glass Aquarium Paperweight
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful Murano hand blown aquarium design Italian art glass paper weight. Showing two fish inside, in orange colors. Colors are orange, blue, black and white. A beautiful nice addi...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Carl Auböck Pen Holder, Austria, 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck pen holder, Austria, 1960s.
Category

1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories

Materials

Horn

Tiffany Studios Style Iridescent Favrile Glass Scarab Paperweight
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Arts & Crafts or Art Deco style iridescent favrile glass scarab paper weight In the manner of Tiffany Studios USA, 20th Century Measures: 5"W x 3"D x 1.75"H Very good ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass

Early 20th Century Brass Art Deco Table or Desk Lamp with a Great Patina
Located in Lisse, NL
Practical size Art Deco desk lamp with a wonderful look and feel. There is something about table lamps from the past that you just don't find in modern lamps. If you don't have the right eye than this particular 1920s desk lamp...
Category

Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Fratelli Toso Murano Green White Italian Art Glass Crown Paperweight
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful and colorful vintage Murano hand blown green and white twisting ribbons Italian art glass paperweight. Documented to the Fratelli Toso company. This paperweights are often ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Murrine

Antique Cartographer's Instrument Set, English, Surveyor's Tool Case, circa 1920
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique cartographer's instrument set. An English, silver nickel surveyor's tool case, dating to the early 20th century, circa 1920. An attract...
Category

Early 20th Century British Desk Accessories

Materials

Nickel

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.

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