$1,595Sale Price|20% Off
French Gilt Bronze and Marble Inkwell and Pen Holder
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
French gilt bronze and marble inkwell and pen holder.
Bronze
Apollo Studios New York Arts & Crafts Grapevine Pattern Bronze Pen Brush
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A beautiful Arts & Crafts or Art Nouveau period "Grapevine" pattern bronze and slag glass pen brush or pen wipe with verdigris green patina In the manner of Tiffany Studios By Apol...
Bronze
Tiffany Studios New York Zodiac Pattern Bronze Doré Pen Tray
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique Arts & Crafts or Art Deco period gilt bronze "Zodiac" pattern pen tray By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, USA, Early 20th Century Measures: ...
Bronze
Tiffany Studios New York Bookmark Pattern Bronze Doré Pen Tray
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Arts & Crafts period "Bookmark" pattern gilt bronze pen tray By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, USA, 1918 Measures: 8.63"W x 2.75"D x 0.5"H. Good o...
Bronze
Elegant late 19th Century French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Pen Holder
Located in Knivsta, SE
Late 19th Century French Empire Style Gilt Bronze Pen Holder An elegant French pen holder in finely chased and gilt bronze, executed in the Empire taste during the second half of th...
Bronze
Tiffany Studios New York American Indian Pattern Bronze Doré Pen Tray
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Art Deco or Arts & Crafts period gilt bronze pen tray in the "American Indian" pattern By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, USA, Early 20th Century Me...
Bronze
Wood Pen Holder, Black and gold Color Japan 19th Century
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Wood Pen Holder, Black and gold Color Japan 19th Century
Wood
Tiffany Studios New York Graduate Pattern Bronze Doré Pen Tray
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique Arts & Crafts or Art Deco period gilt bronze "Graduate" pattern pen tray By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, USA, Early 20th Century Measure...
Bronze
Tiffany Studios New York Bronze Doré and Abalone Pen Tray
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Arts & crafts period gilt bronze and inlaid abalone pen tray By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, USA, Early 20th Century Measures: 8.75"W x 2.63"D x ...
Bronze
Tiffany Studios New York Bookmark Pattern Bronze Pen Brush Holder
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Arts & Crafts period "Bookmark" bronze pen brush holder By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, USA, Early 20th Century Measures: 3"W x 3"D x 2.25"H. Go...
Bronze
Early 20th Century Viennese Bronze Pen Wipe Pig Figurine, circa 1900s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful bronze pig figurine as a Pen Wipe, early 20th century – patinated This finely crafted, unpainted Viennese bronze or brass figurine is believed to date from the early 20th ...
Bronze
$420Sale Price|30% Off
Silver fountain pen in the shape of a feather with reliefs
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver fountain pen in the shape of a feather with reliefs. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portuguese. Brand: boar II Title. Weight: 38.74 grams. Dimensions: 22.5cmx2.6cm. Conte...
Silver
Art Deco Pencil-Shaped Steel Pen Tray with Gilt Details, circa 1920s
Located in Knivsta, SE
Art Deco Pencil-Shaped Steel Pen Tray with Gilt Details, circa 1920s A charming and whimsical pen tray crafted in steel with delicately gilded details, designed in the form of a cla...
Steel
Tiffany Studios New York Zodiac Patinated Bronze Pen Tray, Circa 1910
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique Arts & Crafts period patinated bronze pen tray featuring Zodiac designs By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, USA, Early 20th Century Measures:...
Bronze
$340Sale Price|20% Off
Tiffany Studios bronze patinated pen tray form #1000 Arts and Crafts
By Tiffany Studios
Located in Mobile, AL
The Zodiac pen tray is a fantastic holiday gift for the Cancer or Pisces who loves Tiffany, Arts and Crafts or simply fine living. Designed for pens over a century ago, the function...
Bronze
A Good Old Oak Stationary or Letter Box, with pen Holder
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A Good Old Oak Stationary or Letter Box, with pen Holder This is a very useful piece, the box is made in oak, it has 6 graduated letter compartments inside and a pen or ruler holder...
Oak
Tiffany Studios New York Grapevine Bronze Doré and Favrile Slag Glass Pen Tray
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique Arts & Crafts or Art Deco period "Grapevine" pattern gilt bronze and Favrile slag glass pen tray or desk tray By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New Yo...
Bronze
$525Sale Price|30% Off
Silver fountain pen with triple gold trim and pine cone-shaped pommel
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver fountain pen with triple gold stripe and pine cone-shaped pommel. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portuguese. Brand: Javali II. Title: Weight: 35.76 grams. Dimensions: 19c...
Silver
Early 20th Century Sculptural Hand Painted View of Venice Terracotta Pen Holder
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid Early 20th Century Sculptural in Relief Hand Painted View of Venice Terracotta Pen Holder
Terracotta
Sevres Style "Silvered" Rectangular Pink-Ground Box and Cover, Pen Tray
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A Sevres style "Silvered" rectangular pink-ground box and cover, pen tray painted with pink and silvered cabbage roses beneath a silvered rim; the front painted with a "romantic" sc...
Sèvres
$9,500Sale Price / set|20% Off
14-Karat Gold Pen Holder and Tray with Diamonds, Rubies and Sapphires
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Magnificent 14-karat gold pen holder and tray with diamonds, rubies and sapphires. Pen holder Handmade tubular pen holder in fourteen karat yellow gold with a tripod design. It is ...
Gold
Art Nouveau Silver-plated Metal And Glazed Ceramic Pen Tray – France, Circa 1900
Located in Bilzen, BE
Object description : "Art Nouveau Silver-plated Metal And Glazed Ceramic Pen Tray – France, Circa 1900" Antique French Art Nouveau Silver-Plated Pen Tray with Glazed Ceramic Inset (c...
Silver Plate
Antique Ornate Gilt Bronze Pen Rest or Holder with Onyx Base & Floral Decoration
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique pen rest or holder is unsigned, but presumed to have been made in the United States in approximately 1900 in the period Edwardian style. The frame and pillars of the pen...
Onyx, Bronze
Tiffany Studios New York Pine Needle Pattern Bronze Doré and Slag Glass Pen Wipe
By Tiffany Studios
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique Arts & Crafts or Art Deco period gilt bronze and slag glass "Pine Needle" pattern pen brush or pen wipe By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside) New York, US...
Bronze
$420Sale Price|30% Off
Silver tower-shaped pen holder resting on a base with four half-ball feet
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver tower-shaped pen holder resting on a base with four half-ball feet. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portuguese. Brand: Javali II. Title: Weight: 64.92 grams. Dimensions: 1...
Silver
Art Deco, Inkwell Desk Set, Pen Holder, Marble, Bronze Panthers, 1920s
Located in Stamford, CT
Art Deco, Inkwell Desk Set, Pen Holder, Marble, Bronze, 1920s Perched upon a portoro black and brown with gold veined marble base having a pen and pencil cut out sit a male and fema...
Onyx, Marble, Bronze
$3,850Sale Price|30% Off
Silver inkwell with two tanks, bell, pen holder and set on three raised feet
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver inkwell with two reservoirs, bell, pen holder and set on three raised feet. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portugal. Brand: Lisbon Crown. Weight: 579.89 grams. Dimensions...
Silver
$4,200Sale Price|30% Off
Silver inkwell with rack, bell, two tanks, pen holder and set on four claw feet
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver inkwell with rack, bell, two reservoirs, pen stand and resting on four claw feet. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portuguese. Brand: Lisbon Crown. Weight: 596.45 grams. Di...
Silver
$825Sale Price / set|44% Off
Gilded Age Silver Plated and Crystal Writing Desk Set
Located in Sheffield, MA
The antique silver-on-copper and crystal pen and ink desk set is composed a footed tray with two indentations for feathered pens or writing instruments, two lidded ink bottles with b...
Crystal, Silver Plate
$556Sale Price|20% Off
Antique French Faience Quimper Inkwell Pen Tray, circa 1900
By Henriot Quimper
Located in Pearland, TX
A charming antique French faience Quimper double inkwell and pen tray desk set, circa 1900. This gorgeous inkwell is hand painted with a traditional Breton man surrounded by bagpipes...
Faience
Gothic Revival brass desk set with a pair of candlesticks & a matching pen tray.
Located in London, GB
A Gothic Revival brass desk set with a pair of brass candlesticks and a matching pen tray all inset with multi-coloured semi-precious glass bulls eyes.
Brass
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.
The French sculptor shaped dense blocks into tactile forms meant to be used and held.
After synthetic dyes changed fashion, home goods and printed matter, it was only a matter of time till glass caught up.
The brilliantly simple design turns a modest bouquet into a major statement.
The Greek tragedian is said to have been handsome in his day.
Even for those who don’t indulge, elegant smoking accessories and audacious art portraying cigar enthusiasts hold a nostalgic allure.
It’s an excellent example of the sought-after ceramics coming out of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province.
Thanks to its new leadership, the Spanish maker of figurines, busts and lighting is on a mission to update the art of porcelain for the 21st century.
The free-form stoneware piece is inspired by the magnolia tree and its associations with home.