Desk Accessories
1890s Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary American Desk Accessories
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Murano Glass, Stained Glass
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
2010s Portuguese Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Carrara Marble
21st Century and Contemporary British Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Cork
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
2010s Desk Accessories
Brass
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal, Bronze
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Suede, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1990s American Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Belgian Black Marble, Silver
20th Century Italian Classical Greek Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Petrified Wood
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Plaster, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Silver
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Stone, Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Glass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
20th Century British Desk Accessories
Leather
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Desk Accessories
Marble
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
2010s American Other Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
Antique, New and Vintage Desk Accessories
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.