Cream Leather Desk Set by Longchamp
By Longchamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Desk set includes: desk pad, mail holder, paper tray, picture frame, red ceramic ashtray and an ink blotter with red accents on each item.
Brass
Danish Oak Desk Office Organizer with Shelves
By Pedersen & Hansen
Located in New York, NY
., organizer with book space and paper/mail/letter tray holder shelf areas, by Pedersen & Hansen, circa late-20th century, Denmark.
Oak
1930s Deco Letter Tray, Refinished in Pink
By Allsteel
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage Art Deco office letter, memo or mail tray powder-coated in gloss pink (RAL 4003).
Steel
1950s Mail Sorting Trays, Refinished in Multi-Colors
Located in Alhambra, CA
We got our hands on some 1950s steel mail sorting trays and refinished them in fun colors!
Steel
Gabriella Crespi Mail Tray
Located in Los Angeles, CA
How chic to leaf through your magazines or mail with this vintage Italian Gabriella Crespi tray and a cappuccino or campari, of course...
Brass
Sold
H 2.37 in W 9.85 in D 14.97 in
Mail Trays 1970 Folded and Lacquered Aluminium Sheet by Etienne Fermigier, 1970
By Etienne Fermigier
Located in Grenoble, FR
Etienne Fermigier (1932-1973) mail trays, 1970. Folded and lacquered aluminium sheet MF Edition Measures: H 6 cm, L 25.5 cm, P 37 cm.
Aluminum
Japanese Carved Wood and Negoro Lacquer Oval Tray, circa 1920
Located in San Francisco, CA
This adds to the organic feel and form of the tray. At 19 inches x 12 inches this makes an excellent mail tray that is perfect for letters.
Wood
An antique Regency papier mache tray showing the Lymington - Poole mail.
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
This black and gold papier mache tray has a central image of the Lymington to Poole mail coach and passengers passing an inn with the sign of a black lion at speed.
Papier Mâché
Sold
H 2.13 in W 11 in D 13.5 in
Sleek Modern Office Desk Inbox Outbox Paper Organizer Tray Walnut Wood 1970s
By Peter Pepper Products
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Midcentury sleek and simple handsome modern desk office tray in warm walnut wood Clean design inbox outbox mail paper holder desk tray, circa 1970s.
Walnut
French Leather Desk Set
By Jacques Adnet
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Dark hunger green leather set includes seven pieces - including paper tray, envelope mail holder, calendar, blotter, pen holder and old fashioned rotary telephone book!
Leather
French Desk Set
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Large trash can along with a mail holder, paper tray, ink blotter, writing pad, notepad holder, letter opener holder and rectangular box.
Suede
French Camel Leather Desk Set by Le Tanneur
By Le Tanneur
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Desk set includes: desk pad, mail holder, paper tray, and calendar holder. Brass trim on three of the four pieces.
Leather
Sold
H 6.63 in W 10.25 in D 15.25 in
Mid-Century Modern Knoll Chrome Desk Organizer Letter Paper Mail Tray Stand
By Smokador, Knoll
Located in Wayne, NJ
Sleek Smokador Mid-Century Modern Modernist Double Chrome Desk Letter Paper Tray Stand distributed by Knoll in the 1970's. This would look also look great with Milo Baughman or any o...
Chrome
Brass Tray with Detailed Gallery and Smoked Glass
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A stunning brass tray with special attention paid to the detail in the gallery or surround - Perfectly suited for any room and many occasions, from a bar tray to serve your favor...
Brass
1970s Oak and Chrome Peter Pepper Letter Tray and Mail Holder
By Peter Pepper Products
Located in San Diego, CA
A fantastic solid oak paper tray and letter holder. High quality construction with chrome elements. Peter Pepper Products produced many icons of California Designs. USA, 1970s.
Oak
Luxurious Vintage Gucci Leather 4-Piece Desk Set
By Gucci
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Top of the line designer desk set having a blotter with pockets, an ink blotter, a mail holder and a tray to hold paperwork. All are in matching camel leather with solid brass hardwa...
Leather
Vintage Steel Letter Tray Refinished in Classic Brown
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage Art Deco office letter, memo or mail tray powder-coated in Classic brown. This uniquely finished organizational piece is sure to keep your retro office in tip-top shape.
Steel
Vintage Steel Letter Tray Refinished in Sage Green
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage Art Deco office letter, memo or mail tray powder-coated in Sage Green. This uniquely finished organizational piece is sure to keep your retro office in tip-top shape.
Steel
Vintage Steel Letter Tray Refinished in Midnight Blue
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage Art Deco office letter, memo or mail tray powder-coated in midnight blue. This uniquely finished organizational piece is sure to keep your retro office in tip-top shape.
Steel
Vintage Steel Letter Tray Refinished in Sunshine Yellow
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage Art Deco office letter, memo or mail tray powder-coated in gloss Sunshine Yellow.
Steel
1930s Steel Letter Tray Refinished in Matte Black
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage Art Deco office letter, memo or mail tray powder-coated in matte Black. This uniquely finished organizational piece is sure to keep your retro office in tip-top shape.
Steel
Vintage Steel Letter Tray Refinished in Baby Blue
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage Art Deco office letter, memo or mail tray powder-coated in baby blue. This uniquely finished organizational piece is sure to keep your retro office in tip-top shape.
Steel
1940s Steel File Tray Refinished in Gloss Blue
By Cole Steel
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage X-shaped office file or mail tray powder-coated in gloss "M&M Blue" (BL05).
Steel
Vintage Florentine Gold Hand Painted Mail Tray
Located in Oakland Park, FL
Vintage Florentine gold hand painted mail tray. Stamped: Made in Florence label in the back.
Gold Leaf
Midcentury In-n-Out Mail Tray Refinished in Royal Blue
Located in Alhambra, CA
1970s desktop file organizer/ mail tray refinished in gloss powder coat of royal blue (BL 01).
Steel
1930s Steel Letter Tray Refinished in Gloss Red
By Cole Steel
Located in Alhambra, CA
Vintage Art Deco office letter, memo or mail tray powder-coated in Gloss Fire Engine Red (RD01).
Steel
Desk Organizer by Hans J. Wegner for Johannes Hansen
By Johannes Hansen, Hans J. Wegner
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A bench-made solid teak desk organizer with dovetail joinery, comprising five correspondence dividers, a slim drawer and open storage.
Teak
Gucci Leather and Velvet Desk Set, 1980s Italy
By Gucci
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful Gucci desk set made of Black leather and emerald green velvet. Five pieces include: 2 Stunning leather and brass bookends, a pen holder, steel ruler in black and a large de...
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.