Octagonal Inkwells
Antique 17th Century Spanish Baroque Inkwells
Bronze
Antique 1870s French Louis XIV Inkwells
Marble, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Charles X Inkwells
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Inkwells
Soapstone
20th Century Desk Sets
Crystal, Brass
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Desk Sets
Marble
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Antique 19th Century French Victorian Desks
Leather, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Spanish Colonial Ceramics
Ceramic, Majolica, Clay
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Decorative Boxes
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Sculptures and Carvings
Softwood
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture
Elm
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desks and Writing Tables
Bamboo
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Furniture
Rosewood
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Inkwells
Brass
Antique 1870s French Vases
Wood
Antique 16th Century Italian Renaissance Inkwells
Maiolica
Antique 18th Century French Planters and Jardinieres
Limestone
Antique 1860s British Centerpieces
Majolica
20th Century Spanish Baroque Desks and Writing Tables
Iron
Antique Late 18th Century French Rococo Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Decorative Bowls
Alabaster
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Early Victorian Paperweights
Stone, Marble
Recent Sales
Antique Late 19th Century English Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique 1880s British George IV Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Inkwells
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Inkwells
Bronze
Early 20th Century English Other Inkwells
Silver
Early 20th Century English Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Antique Mid-19th Century English Gothic Desk Sets
Bronze, Ormolu
Antique Early 19th Century English Victorian Inkwells
Crystal, Brass
20th Century American Inkwells
Bronze
20th Century American Inkwells
Bronze
Vintage 1970s Unknown Modern Inkwells
Onyx
Early 20th Century Inkwells
Sterling Silver, Enamel
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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