Desk Scissors
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Letter Openers
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1970s Post-Modern Desk Sets
Steel
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Letter Openers
Stainless Steel, Brass
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
20th Century Swedish Art Deco More Desk Accessories
Metal, Silver Plate
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Nouveau Desk Sets
Gold Plate, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s French Modern Desk Sets
Silver Plate, Stainless Steel
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Letter Openers
Brass, Steel
20th Century German Arts and Crafts Letter Openers
Brass, Steel
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desk Sets
Metal, Brass
Recent Sales
Vintage 1930s French Desk Accessories
Leather
20th Century English Edwardian Desk Accessories
Mid-20th Century Unknown Hollywood Regency Desk Sets
Brass
Mid-20th Century Hollywood Regency More Desk Accessories
Wood, Burl
Vintage 1960s Japanese Minimalist Letter Openers
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
Chrome
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Letter Openers
Brass, Steel
Late 20th Century American Modern Desk Sets
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Sets
Brass
Late 20th Century Unknown Hollywood Regency Desk Sets
Steel
Vintage 1950s French More Desk Accessories
Nickel
Vintage 1970s German Modern Letter Openers
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Letter Openers
Steel, Gold Plate
Vintage 1970s German Modern Letter Openers
Brass, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Letter Openers
Brass, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1920s Belgian More Desk Accessories
Metal
Antique 1860s English Victorian Letter Openers
Boxwood, Wood
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
Brass, Stainless Steel
Antique 1850s American More Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
Brass, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1950s French Modern Desk Sets
Steel
20th Century German Letter Openers
Brass, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Letter Openers
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1960s German Desk Sets
Metal
Vintage 1960s German Desk Sets
Metal
Vintage 1950s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Sets
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Organic Modern Desks and Writing ...
Stainless Steel
Early 20th Century British Victorian Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century Mexican Spanish Colonial More Desk Accessories
Iron
20th Century Desk Accessories
Brass
Antique 19th Century More Desk Accessories
Silver
Desk Scissors For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Desk Scissors?
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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