Airplane Paperweight
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Aviation Objects
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Aviation Objects
Aluminum
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Models and Miniatures
Aluminum, Foil
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Dry Bars
Fabric, Wood
2010s Contemporary Black and White Photography
Photographic Paper, Polaroid, Color, C Print, Archival Paper
Early 20th Century French Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century French Art Deco Animal Sculptures
Glass, Art Glass
Vintage 1970s Armchairs
Fabric
2010s American Post-Modern Paperweights
Wood
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Tobacco Accessories
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Aviation Objects
Metal
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Streamlined Moderne Models and Miniatures
Tin
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Aviation Objects
Marble, Brass
Antique Late 18th Century German Rococo Soup Tureens
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Mounted Objects
Aluminum
Vintage 1950s British Mid-Century Modern Aviation Objects
Metal
Mid-20th Century English Models and Miniatures
Aluminum
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Paperweights
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Paperweights
Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Paperweights
Chrome
Late 20th Century American Models and Miniatures
Metal
Mid-20th Century Argentine Art Deco Aviation Objects
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s Argentine Art Deco Aviation Objects
Aluminum, Brass
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Aviation Objects
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Brass
Finding the Right desk-accessories for You
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.