Arman Desk Accessories

French, 1928-2005

Arman was born in Nice, France, in 1928, and showed a talent for painting and drawing as a child. He studied at the the Ecole Nationale des Art Décoratifs in Nice followed by studies at the École du Louvre in Paris. In his early years he focused on abstract paintings. Then, in 1957, he became interested in common objects as works of art. He first did what came to be called his "allures d"objet" (object impressions), where he would dip an object into paint and press it on canvas thus leaving the object's shadow or impression. Then he decided the object itself was worth paying attention to and started to treat them in his own way. His intention was to remove the material purpose of an object so that its only remaining function was to "feed the mind" as a work of art. What better way to achieve that result than by breaking, slicing or even burning objects such as violins, telephones, typewriters or even whole cars? He also made objects useless by accumulating them, such as 2,000 wristwatches in a Plexiglass box that all kept different time. Once emotionally detached from the circumstances associated with a broken object, the viewer could grow to appreciate its abstract beauty; so, in a sense, Arman was literally teaching that things one never thought could be regarded as attractive could indeed turn out to be so. Through this achievement, Arman gained worldwide recognition and is regarded as one of the most prolific and inventive creators of the late 20th century. His work can be found in the collections of numerous museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Tate Gallery in London and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Arman’s work has also been exhibited in galleries, museums and public spaces worldwide including the Musée D’Art Contemporain in Tehran, Iran; the Museum of Art in Tel Aviv, Israel; the Musée Des Arts Decoratifs and Opéra De Paris in France; the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art in California; and the Museum of Arts and Design and the Guggenheim in New York He died in 2005 in New York.

Creator: Arman

Arman Violins Accumulations Paperweight for Christofle, France, 1980s

$800

Arman Violins Accumulations Paperweight for Christofle, France, 1980s

By Arman, Christofle

Located in Milan, IT

Arman violins accumulations metal paperweight for Christofle, France, 1983.

Category

1980s French Modern Vintage Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Blue Agate Paperweight - Precious Stone Desk Accessory - Minimal Sculpture 1980s

$360

H 1.78 in W 2.56 in D 2.56 in

Blue Agate Paperweight - Precious Stone Desk Accessory - Minimal Sculpture 1980s

Located in ROUEN, Normandie

Blue Agate Paperweight - Precious Stone Desk Accessory - Minimal Sculpture 1980s Chic agate paperweight with a pyramid design. Very beautiful veins and blue tones. Shiny surface. ...

Category

Late 20th Century French Minimalist Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Stone, Agate, Onyx, Marble

Murano Mushroom Toadstool Art Glass Paperweight Orange 1980s

$195

H 5 in Dm 5 in

Murano Mushroom Toadstool Art Glass Paperweight Orange 1980s

By Fornasa De Murano A L'Insegna Del Moreto

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Murano Style Italian Art Glass Mushroom Toadstool Paperweight Orange with Millefiori and White 1980s. Beautiful vintage Murano style hand made orange with multicolor spots Italian ar...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass

Murano Glass Bullicante Paperweight by Cenedese, Italy, 1980s

$259Sale Price|20% Off

H 3.94 in Dm 4.14 in

Murano Glass Bullicante Paperweight by Cenedese, Italy, 1980s

By Cenedese

Located in Glasgow, GB

This large Murano glass and gold bullicante paperweight by Cenedese was crafted in Italy around the 1980s and exemplifies the technical precision associated with the Venetian glass t...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Gold Leaf

Caithness Glass Paperweight design name Pixie, Scotland C 1980s

$203

H 1.9 in Dm 2.2 in

Caithness Glass Paperweight design name Pixie, Scotland C 1980s

By Caithness Scotland

Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire

This is a beautiful decorative glass paperweight by Caithness Glass, Scotland, named Pixie, made after 1970 in the last quarter of the 20th Century. This is a very attractive small...

Category

20th Century Scottish Modern Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Blown Glass

Murano Mushroom Toadstool Art Glass Paperweight Green Gold and Pink 1980s

$195

H 4 in Dm 5 in

Murano Mushroom Toadstool Art Glass Paperweight Green Gold and Pink 1980s

By Fornasa De Murano A L'Insegna Del Moreto

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Murano Style Italian Art Glass Mushroom Toadstool Paperweight Pink, Gold Murine, Green and White 1980s. Beautiful vintage Murano style hand made pink with gold, green and white spots...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Jelly Fish Murano Glass Paperweight Mid-Century Modern, Italy 1980s

$140

H 3.13 in Dm 2.75 in

Jelly Fish Murano Glass Paperweight Mid-Century Modern, Italy 1980s

Located in Nuernberg, DE

Beautiful Murano hand blown Italian art glass paper weight. A beautiful nice addition to your desktop. Found at an estate sale in Verona, Italy....

Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Caithness Glass Paperweight Eagle soaring over Snowy Mountain, Scotland C 1980s

$223

H 3.15 in Dm 2.5 in

Caithness Glass Paperweight Eagle soaring over Snowy Mountain, Scotland C 1980s

By Caithness Scotland

Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire

This is a beautiful glass paperweight by Caithness Glass, Scotland, showing a soaring Eagle flying over a snowy mountain top, made after 1970 in the last quarter of the 20th Century....

Category

20th Century Scottish Modern Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Blown Glass

Robert Held Iridescent Art Glass Starfish Paperweight, Canada, circa 1980s

$250

H 1.5 in W 3.75 in D 3.75 in Dm 3.75 in

Robert Held Iridescent Art Glass Starfish Paperweight, Canada, circa 1980s

By Robert Held

Located in San Diego, CA

Striking hand-blown art glass starfish paperweight by noted Canadian glass artist Robert Held, circa 1980s. #5585 The sculptural five-pointed form is executed in deep aubergine and purple glass with luminous iridescent tones of green, blue, gold and violet. Delicate concentric trailing lines follow the contours of each arm, creating a wonderful sense of movement and emphasizing the organic starfish form. The substantial hand-formed glass body features a raised central element and beautifully captures and reflects light from different angles. Signed “Held” by hand to the underside. Robert Held is an important figure in the Canadian studio glass movement. After establishing one of Canada's early college-level hot-glass programs, Held founded Skookum Art Glass in Calgary in 1978 and later established Robert Held Art Glass...

Category

Late 20th Century Canadian Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass

Silver-Plated Christofle Paperweight with Poetic Engraving by B. Quentin

$514

H 0.4 in W 4.14 in D 2.76 in

Silver-Plated Christofle Paperweight with Poetic Engraving by B. Quentin

By Bernard Quentin, Christofle

Located in Stockholm, SE

This elegant paperweight is a collectible piece created by the French silversmithing house Christofle and designed by B. Quentin in 1983. Crafted in silver-plated metal, it features ...

Category

1980s French Organic Modern Vintage Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Stainless Steel

Christofle , silver plate paperweight " Lucky Dice ".cube .

$180

H 1.5 in W 1.5 in D 1.5 in

Christofle , silver plate paperweight " Lucky Dice ".cube .

By Christofle

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Great paperweight design in this Christofle ornament .

Category

Late 20th Century French Post-Modern Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver Plate

1960 Lino Sabattini Christofle Design Silver Metal Paperweight

$800

H 0.79 in W 4.73 in D 2.76 in

1960 Lino Sabattini Christofle Design Silver Metal Paperweight

By Lino Sabattini, Christofle

Located in Brescia, IT

Paperweight Lino Sabattini for Christofle France 1960 Silver Metal Mark manufacture impressed Very good condiction

Category

1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Silver French Christofle Letter Opener

$450

H 3.75 in W 2 in D 0.13 in

Silver French Christofle Letter Opener

By Christofle

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A vintage French desk accessory by Christofle, this elegant silver-plated letter opener is a refined example of 20th-century decorative craftsmanship. Featuring a circular medallion ...

Category

20th Century French Neoclassical Arman Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver

Arman desk accessories for sale on 1stDibs.

Arman desk accessories are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Arman desk accessories, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original desk accessories by Arman were created in the modern style in france during the 1980s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider desk accessories by Lalique, Christofle, and Hermès. Prices for Arman desk accessories can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $774 and can go as high as $774, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $774.

Questions About Arman Desk Accessories

Where did Arman Fernandez work?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Arman Fernandez worked at the Bushido Kai Judo Club in Madrid, Spain, and served as a medical orderly for the French Army during the Indo-China War before becoming an artist. You'll find a variety of Arman Fernandez art on 1stDibs.