Brass Sword Letter Opener
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A brass letter opener in the shape of a sword. perfect for the desk or work station.
20th Century Letter Openers
Brass
Brass Sword Letter Opener
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A brass letter opener in the shape of a sword. perfect for the desk or work station.
Brass
Antique Continental Belle Époque Silvered Bronze Gold Lion Sword Letter Opener
Located in Greven, DE
Antique Continental Belle Époque Silvered Bronze Gold Lion Sword Letter Opener Continental Bronze c. 1900 Dimensions: Length 24cm The design of this striking letter opener...
Bronze
$268Sale Price|20% Off
Modernist Abstract Sword Copper Plated Brass Letter Opener like Carl Aubock
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Honest time worn age. Heavy wear and patina to plating letter opener, beautiful understated piece. This was definitely the estate owners go to desktop tool. A bit over 8 inches lon...
Brass
$525Sale Price|30% Off
Silver letter opener in the shape of a sword with acanthus leaf reliefs
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver letter opener in the shape of a sword with acanthus leaf reliefs on the handle.
Silver
Opens letters in silver with symbols of Portugal, profusely embossed Aviz sword
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver letter opener cut out with symbols of Portugal, Aviz sword profusely embossed.
Silver
Vintage Spanish Sword Letter Opener Set, circa 1940s
Located in Redding, CA
Vintage Spanish sword set circa 1940s unusual model. perfect for the bar, office or cave.
Brass, Steel
Sold
H 7.25 in W 2.25 in D 0.63 in
Fabulous English Sterling Silver and Citrine Sword Letter Opener, 1929
By Joseph Cook & Sons
Located in Bath, GB
A stunning desk-top letter opener made from solid sterling silver fully hallmarked for Birmingham 1929. The maker's initials are also present for the silversmith, Joseph Cook and Son...
Sterling Silver
Sold
H 0.79 in W 10.04 in L 0.79 in
Edward VIII Sterling Silver Novelty 'Sword' Letter Opener by Asprey, 1936
By Asprey International Limited
Located in London, London
., this stylish, sterling silver letter opener, is modelled to look like a sword. The letter opener measures: 10" (25.5cm) in length, by 3" (7.5cm) across the guard, and weighs 2.85 ...
Sterling Silver
Rare Heavy Sterling Amethyst Letter Opener Sword, circa 1910
Located in Toronto, Ontario
The letter opener in the form of a small sword with braided grip, cross guard of art nouveau design centering a gold (acid tested disc on either side), surmounted on either side at t...
Antique Gorham Sterling Silver Letter Opener B2125
By Gorham
Located in Washington Depot, CT
Antique sterling silver letter opener, circa 1869. No monogram. Substantial and heavy, this sword shaped letter opener features an ornate flower design and a smooth polished ov...
Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver Sword-Form Letter Opener
By Redlich & Co.
Located in New York, NY
Sterling silver, sword-form letter opener, Redlich & Co., New York, Ca. 1895. @11" long.
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Unusual Sword Shaped Letter Openers Collection
Located in London, GB
Early 20th Century Unusual Sword Shaped Letter Openers Collection We have never seen the like of these unusual and exceptionally well-made mutton bone handle, folk art metal sword sh...
Metal
Antique Scottish Solid Silver Letter Opener, Military Basket Hilt Sword Design
Located in London, GB
Striking at first glance and a captivating novelty subject, this letter opener has been crafted in the form of a Scottish basket-hilted sword, reduced in size but not in quality or c...
Sterling Silver
Selection of Desk Accessories
Located in Atlanta, GA
From left to right, they are: 1) The silver plated Italian letter opener measures 10.5"L and is priced at $50. 2) The Asian style lucite and brass letter opener measures 7.75"L and i...
Brass, Silver Plate
Turtle Lacquerware Writing Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Inside, it houses essential calligraphy tools: an inkstone, a finely engraved silver water dropper, two brushes with gold-lacquered caps and a miniature sword-shaped letter opener wi...
Crystal
Sold
H 1.97 in W 8.67 in D 1.97 in
Victorian Antique Sterling Silver Novelty 'Sword' Letter Opener by Walker & Hall
By Walker & Hall
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in Sheffield in 1901 by Walker & Hall, this handsome, antique, sterling silver letter opener, is modelled to resemble a sword. The letter opener measures 8"(20.5cm) in len...
Sterling Silver
Spanish Silver Plated Sword Style Letter Opener
Located in San Diego, CA
Spanish silver plated letter opener in the shape of a vintage sword. The piece is in very good vintage condition and is well weighted and 9.5" long.
Metal
Japanese Bone Veneer Sword Form Letter Opener and Scabbard
Located in Austin, TX
An impressive Japanese carved and scrimshaw bone veneer letter opener in the form of a large sword, complete with scabbard.
Bone
Sold
H 8 in W 0.5 in D 0.5 in
Samurai Sword Faux Bamboo Vienna Bronze Letter Opener, Antique Austria 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1960s Austrian letter opener. It has a nice patina. I did not clean it, so the next owner can decide what he wants to do with it. This highly collectible vintage piece ...
Brass, Bronze
Vintage Tiffany & Co. Sterling Letter Opener of Lord Nelson's Sword
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Palm Springs, CA
It is a Tiffany and Co. makers Sterling letter opener that is marked Replica of Lord nelson's sword.
Sterling Silver
'Sword' letter opener by JAS Aitchison.
Located in London, GB
A very unusual letter opener or paperknife in the form of a sword, with red lined hand guard and grille, and Sterling silver hallmarked 'blade'.
Sterling Silver
Sold
H 6.34 in W 1.15 in D 1.03 in
Victorian Silver Basket-Hilted Broad Sword Letter Opener, E.H. Stockwell, 1873
By Edward H. Stockwell
Located in Glasgow, GB
A Victorian Sterling Silver replica Scottish Basket-hilted broad sword letter opener with scabbard and short chain.
Sterling Silver
'Ceremonial sword' letter opener by Hermes, c. 1950
Located in London, GB
A very stylish letter opener or paperknife in the form of a ceremonial sword, the outer chrome-plated sheath removing to reveal the blade with applied HERMES signature, with black la...
Lacquer
Sold
H 0.01 in W 0.01 in D 0.01 in
Victorian Silver Officers Dress Swords Desk Clip Propelling Pencil Letter Opener
Located in Sittingbourne, Kent
One sword is a propelling pencil and the other is a paper knife or letter opener.
Silver
Vintage Spanish Sword Letter Opener Set, circa 1940s
Located in Redding, CA
A beautiful set of three letter openers mounted on a carved wooden plaque, with hand-painted decoration and gold gilt. Perfect for the office, cave or bar. In excellent condition.
Brass
Vintage Spanish Sword Letter Opener Set, circa 1940s "Fantastic"
Located in Redding, CA
This fantastic set is waiting to be included in the collection you have, the workmanship is top notch, the enamels bright and in excellent condition as is the plaque, nice details ...
Brass
Antique Japanese Koto Wakizashi Sword
Located in Dallas, TX
Japanese Koto Wakizashi Sword Japan Ca. 1400-1600s Length: 24.25” Blade Total Length: 27.25 Nagasa: 18.5” Koto wakizashi, with wild midare (Soshu?) hamon, including wild boshi. Ha...
Steel
Brass Letter Opener
Located in New York, NY
A vintage brass letter opener with a Greek-Key like design on handle, circa 20th century. Dimensions: .63" W x 7.5" Long. Other desk accessories available separately, search 1stDib...
Brass
$200 / set
H 33.5 in W 4.25 in D 1 in
Vintage Medieval Gothic Style Heavy Steel Metal Decorative Swords - 2 Pc Set
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Medieval Gothic Style Heavy Steel Metal Decorative Swords - 2 Pc Set. Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 33.5" H x 4.25 " W x 1" D. 32"H x 4.25" W x 1"D.
Steel
Fine Presentation Sword Given to Lieutenant Charles Peake
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A fine presentation sword given to Lieutenant Charles Peake as a token of gratitude by the Men of His Ship when recommissioned for Foreign Service in 1821, the citation reading, the ...
Metal
Ceremonial African Sword
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ceremonial African sword hand hammered.
Bronze
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.