Encrier Empire
Antique 19th Century French Empire Inkwells
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Empire Inkwells
Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century Russian Empire Inkwells
Malachite, Bronze
Antique 1870s English Empire Revival Animal Sculptures
Ormolu
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Antique 19th Century French Inkwells
Marble, Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Empire Inkwells
Marble, Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Inkwells
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Inkwells
Marble, Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French First Empire Desk Accessories
Ebony, Amboyna
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2010s Italian Medieval Games
Marble, Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century Belgian Gothic Revival Balustrades and Fixtures
Oak
Antique 19th Century French Louis Philippe Inkwells
Siena Marble, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Inkwells
Marble, Ormolu
Antique 1890s French Belle Époque Inkwells
Onyx, Bronze
Antique Early 18th Century French Baroque Western European Rugs
Wool, Silk
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Bookcases
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Inkwells
Marble, Bronze
Antique 1890s French Louis XV Inkwells
Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century French Charles X Architectural Elements
Stone, Copper
Antique 19th Century Irish Armchairs
Upholstery, Yew
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ormolu
Antique 18th Century English Neoclassical Console Tables
Alabaster, Marble, Gold Leaf
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Inkwells
Bronze
Antique Early 1900s British Edwardian Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Oak
Antique 1730s European Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Paint
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.
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