Green Crocodile Tray
2010s Argentine Desk Sets
Leather
20th Century English Art Deco Desk Sets
Gold
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20th Century Danish Neoclassical Dinner Plates
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Platters and Serveware
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Platters and Serveware
Mid-20th Century French Empire Desks and Writing Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century English Porcelain
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Table Lamps
Bronze
20th Century French Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Enamel, Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Desk Sets
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary French Picture Frames
Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Silver
Antique 19th Century German Dinner Plates
Porcelain
20th Century Organic Modern Paperweights
Malachite
Antique 1890s English Art Nouveau Inkwells
Porcelain
Antique 1770s British George III Serving Pieces
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century English Georgian Dinner Plates
Sterling Silver
Antique 1840s English Early Victorian Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Antique Late 19th Century English Other Armchairs
Upholstery, Oak
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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