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
Recent Sales
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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20th Century French Animal Sculptures
Crystal
Antique 19th Century Chinese Beds and Bed Frames
Gold Leaf
Antique Early 18th Century French Empire Candlesticks
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Porcelain
Enamel, Bronze, Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Decorative Bowls
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Wall Clocks
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Planters, Cachepots and Jardi...
Ormolu
Antique Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Wall Clocks
Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Louis XVI Loveseats
Wood
Antique 15th Century and Earlier African Natural Specimens
Bone
20th Century Serving Pieces
Silver Plate
Antique 19th Century Chinese Beds and Bed Frames
Gold Leaf
20th Century North American Native American Figurative Sculptures
Lapis Lazuli
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Sofas
Linen, Wood, 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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