Ormolu Ink Well
Antique Late 19th Century French Grand Tour Inkwells
Ormolu
Antique 1840s French Desk Sets
Bronze, Ormolu
Recent Sales
Antique Early 19th Century Inkwells
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Inkwells
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Desk Sets
Ash, Beech
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Ormolu
Antique 1850s English Victorian Inkwells
Sheffield Plate, Ormolu
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Inkwells
Ormolu
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Inkwells
Ormolu
Antique 19th Century British Desk Accessories
Ormolu
Early 20th Century American Decorative Objects
Malachite, Ormolu
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21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Night Stands
Marble, Brass
Antique 1890s French Empire Inkwells
Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Jewelry Boxes
Bone, Wood, Lacquer
Antique 1850s Chinese Chinese Export Furniture
Elm
Antique 19th Century Chinese Beds and Bed Frames
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Inkwells
Malachite, Bronze
Antique 19th Century Chinese Beds and Bed Frames
Gold Leaf
Antique Early 1900s French Empire Inkwells
Glass
Antique Early 19th Century English William IV Jewelry Boxes
Silver, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI End Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Elm
Antique 19th Century Chinese Console Tables
Elm
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Wood
Antique 19th Century Japanese Meiji Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Furniture
Hardwood
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Armchairs
Rosewood
Ormolu Ink Well For Sale on 1stDibs
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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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