Desk Accessories
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Desk Accessories For Sale
Toso Murano Green Orange Millefiori Flower Italian Art Glass Paperweights
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Priced per item (2 ppwts are left). Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown flower design Italian art glass paperweights. Documented to the Fratelli Toso Company. Top is called a "Crown"...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Murrine, Glass
Art Deco Bakelite Desk Writing Set, 5 pieces in box, France 1930s
Located in Atlanta, GA
This stunning Art Deco Bakelite desk accessories writing set dates from the 1930s. The set is built of five pieces in its original box: a letter opener, paper cutter, pen holder, mec...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal, Brass
Peacock or Pheasant Bird Desk Letter Mail Holder
Located in New York, NY
A desk letter or mail holder with a peacock or pheasant bird design, in the Art Nouveau design style, circa early to mid-20th century. A desk letter mail holder with beautiful bird d...
Category
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Ceramic
Owl With Fixed Gaze, Hand Carved Alabaster Lidded Trinket Pot, Italy 1970s
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
Striking Italian alabaster hand crafted trinket pot of an owl with a fixed gaze
Circa 1970's
Original Italian label to base
Height 1.75 inch, Diameter 3.25 inch
In excellent conditio...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Alabaster
Postmodern Murano Sommerso Glass Fish Figurine Paperweight
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Festive green and yellow tropical fish figurine or paperweight is made in sommerso technique; colored glass gather, dipped into pigments, is cased over with clear glass. Controlled b...
Category
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Art Glass
Art Glass Sommerso Blue Bird Paperweight Figurine
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Abstract blue art glass bird figurine was hand blown in sommerso technique, with flue and white speckled gather of colored glass encased in clear glass. Minimal, sculptural tail and...
Category
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Art Glass
Art Nouveau Bat Inkwell by Unknown French Artist
Located in Chicago, US
Little is known about the origins of this amazing piece, apart from it being from France, circa 1900.
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Rare & Sturdy Pair of Brutalist Forged Wrought Iron Candlesticks / Candleholders
Located in Lisse, NL
Stylish and very strong pair of timeless candle sticks.
If you are looking for beautiful Arts & Crafts antiques to grace your living space then this hand-crafted and timeless pair c...
Category
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Materials
Wrought Iron
Dice Crayon Pencil Pen Holder Stand Figure Germany Mid Century, 1950s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1950s German design wood dice sculpture as a pen holder stand. Nice addition to your table or just for your collection of design items. Made of wood. Found at an estate...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Wood
Post-Modern Polished Brass Double Letter Tray "Emphasis 6000" by Eldon
Located in San Diego, CA
Post-modern polished brass double letter tray "Emphasis 6000" by Eldon, circa 1980s. The tray is in good vintage condition and measures 11"W x 16.5"...
Category
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Leather Tray, Large B Retangular Tray, Handmade in Brazil - Color: Savannah
By Aria Home
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays
For different uses, the line of Monochrome Trays can be used separately or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so use your creativity to build a uniq...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather
Leather Tray, Large A Rectangular Tray, Handmade in Brazil - Color: Zinc
By Aria Home
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays
For different uses, the line of Monochrome Trays can be used separately or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so use your creativity to build a uniq...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather
Elephant Figure in the Style of Sergio Bustamante
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Elephant Figure in the style of Sergio Bustamante, circa 1960. The elephant has a missing tusk (pic4).
Category
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal
Pair of Grand Tour Style Carved Alabaster Bookends Formed as Classical Ruins
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very good pair of architectural inspired columnar bookends, both carved in the form of ancient ruins of reeded columns, raised on stepped bases. Dimensions noted are those shown fa...
Category
Mid-20th Century European Grand Tour Desk Accessories
Materials
Alabaster
Leather Tray, Large A Rectangular Tray, Handmade in Brazil - Color: Wine
By Aria Home
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays
For different uses, the line of Monochrome Trays can be used separately or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so use your creativity to build a uniq...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather
Leather Tray, Large B Retangular Tray, Handmade in Brazil - Color: Wine
By Aria Home
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays
For different uses, the line of Monochrome Trays can be used separately or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so use your creativity to build a uniq...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather
Leather Tray, Large B Retangular Tray, Handmade in Brazil - Color: Black
By Aria Home
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays
For different uses, the line of Monochrome Trays can be used separately or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so use your creativity to build a uniq...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather
Les sept Péchés capitaux (The seven deadly sins) by Line Vautrin
By Line Vautrin
Located in Brussels, BE
Les sept Péchés capitaux (The seven deadly sins), by Line Vautrin.
Gilded bronze paperweight decorated on both sides with the faces of the seven Deadly Sins.
On one side, lust, lazin...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Art Nouveau Viper Lamp by Unknown French Artist
Located in Chicago, US
Little is known about the origins of this amazing lamp, apart from it being from France, circa 1900.
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze, Brass
Vintage Brass Anchor Paperweight
Located in Elkhart, IN
A beautiful brass anchor paperweight, perfect for your lake house or beach house
USA, Mid-20th Century
Measures: 5"W x 4"D x 2.5"H.
Very good original vintage condition.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Letter Opener by George Omerth
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Letter Opener by George Omerth
Origin France Circa 1920
art deco style
Excellent condition
Gilt bronze and patina
Omerth's life dates are not known in literature. He was a student of...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Antique French Grand Tour Bronze Statue Hippocampus Seahorse Desk Ornament 1820
Located in Portland, OR
A fine antique French Grand Tour cast bronze hippocampus, seahorse statue desk ornament, circa 1820.
This wonderful bronze is cast by the lost wax method (cire perdue), it depicts a ...
Category
1820s French Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Mid-Century Curved Leather Italian Picture Frame, Adnet, Italy 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Gorgeous photo frame fully made in a fantastic curved leather. This charming object was hand-made in Italy during the 1970s clearly in the style of Jacques Adnet design.
This deliog...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather, Glass
Koa Wood Letter Openers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nice sculptural forms with a beautiful patina.
Both are engraved "Kamaka Hawaii".
The tips have some chips.
Presents well.
Great for collections and decor...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Wood
1950s Fornasetti Paperweight in Porcelain by Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1950s Astonishing rare porcelain paperweight designed by Piero Fornasetti with butterflies. Handmade.Made in Italy. Heavy ceramic construction for use as beautiful desk accessories. ...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Ceramic
Wonderful Crystal Daum Pate De Verre Papillon Butterfly On Leaf Flower Sculpture
By Daum
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Crystal Daum Pate De Verre Papillon Butterfly Perched On A Leaf & Flower Sculpture Paperweight
Category
20th Century French Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Crystal
Modern Letter Opener Richard Meier
By Swid Powell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Classic post modern design.
Form + function.
Whimsical spinning cube.
Signs of wear.
Some scratches on the tip with patina.
Presents well.
Nice desk accessory...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Silver Plate, Brass
Mid-Century Modern Textured Gold Frog Tape Dispenser
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Textured Gold Tone Metal Frog Tape Dispenser, 1960's
This vintage two piece tape dispenser is from Ted Arnold Ltd. The charming frog with green glass eyes is stamped on the inside l...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal
Cartier 1926 Tom Pouce Ladies Lighter 18kt Gold Bronze Champlevé Emerald & Lapis
Located in Miami, FL
Mughal ladies Tom Pouce lighter designed by Cartier.
Fabulous and extremely rare ladies cylindrical gasoline lighter. Created in Paris during the art deco period by the house of Cartier, back in the middle of the 1920's. This miniature Tom Pouce lighter, takes its name from the classic short fairy tales by the Grimm's brothers, Tom Thumb (Tom Pouce being the French translation). It was crafted with Champlevé colored enamels over rustic bronze and accented with details in yellow gold of 18 karats. Embellished with natural lapis lazuli and an emerald. The main outside body is decorated with organics elements and figures of red and blue birds. Gorgeous look and surely a great conversation piece which is accompanied by the round Cartier red box.
Champlevé, in the decorative arts, is an enameling technique or an object made by the champlevé process, which consists of cutting away troughs or cells in a metal plate and filling the depressions with pulverized vitreous enamel. The raised metal lines between the cutout areas form the design outline.
Emerald: Accented on top in a bezel setting, with 1 square faceted cut of a natural green emerald of about 0.15 carats.
Lapis: Mount with 1 flat round cabochon cut, carved from lapis lazuli of about 1.25 carats.
Birthstone: Emerald for the month of May.
Weight: 21.95 Grams, (14.07 Dwt).
Measurements: Have a diameter of 16 mm and a height of 33 mm (0.63 x 1.30 Inches).
Hallmarks Stamped with the maker's mark, the serial numbers, the French taxation mark for luxury items BL inside a rectangular cartouche and signed, "CARTIER 5554", stamped with matching cases numbers, 13 & 13.
Ministere Des Finances Lighter Tax 1911-1945
Note: On 10th December 1910 the French state adopted a new tax regulations on all devices indented to produce spark or fire by friction, or by any other means, and of the combustion of a flammable substance. Since 1st January 1911 every lighter in France that was intended for sale in the French market had to be taxed and adequately marked. To confirm that the excise duty was paid to the Ministry of Finance a special duty metal plate (stamp) was attached (usually welded) to the lighter by the lighter manufacturers. The fees charged by the French state were high but the tax rates levied by the state were varying depending on the type and finish of the lighter. Following tax rates were used: 2 French francs for common pocket lighters, 5 Fr for pocket lighters made of silver, 20 Fr for luxury pocket lighters (e.g. made of gold), 5 Fr for common table/desk lighters (over 10 cm), 10 Fr for table/desk lighters (over 10 cm) made of silver, 50 Fr for luxury table/desk lighters (over 10 cm) made of gold or platinum. Between 1911 and 1916 a simple copper plate was used which had the date 1911 engraved. Later, between 1916 and 1945 a new plate (undated) was introduced with the letters "C" and "I" (stands for indirect taxes) and a profile of Mercury (patron god of financial gain, commerce and messengers) with an inscription "Ministère Des Finances" (eng. Ministry of Finance). Two shapes were used for the plate – oval for table lighters, the other one for pocket lighters. Additional to the two duty plates a marking "BL" (Briquet de Luxe, eng. luxury lighter) was introduced in 1926. It was a small hallmark which was considered as more discreet and applied only on luxury lighters like Quercia or Lancel. It is worth to mention that France was not the sole country where lighters were taxed and marked with special plates...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Multi-gemstone, Gold, Bronze, Enamel
Michel Mangematin Bronze Paperweight, circa 1970, France.
Located in Brussels, BE
Michel Mangematin stone shaped paperweight, circa 1970, France.
Polished bronze.
Signed with the two inverted M and numbered 16.
Dimensions: 7 cm W, 5 cm D, 3 cm H.
All purchases ar...
Category
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Italian mid-century modern brown wooden brass plastic television by Vega, 1950s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern brown wooden white plastic television by Vega, 1950s
Rectangular wooden television. The screen has rounded corners and a cream colored plastic frame, under...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass, Metal
1970's Yin Yang Scorpio Lucite Paperweight
Located in San Diego, CA
1970's lucite encased scorpio with Yin Yang , nice condition very rare and unique item.
Category
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desk Accessories
Materials
Lucite
Tiffany & Co. Figural Sterling Silver Clothes Pin Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine, figural silver paper clip.
By Tiffany & Co.
In sterling silver.
In the form of an old-fashioned clothes pin.
Marked to the base 'Tiffany & Co' and 'Sterling' to the other...
Category
20th Century Desk Accessories
Materials
Silver
Antique Victorian Coromandel Brass Wooden Letters Stationery Writing Box Casket
Located in Dublin, Ireland
Absolutely stunning early Victorian well figured Coromandel Stationery Casket of museum quality and in outstanding condition. Mid to late Nineteenth Century, of English origin.
Th...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Konica C35 Automatic 35mm Film Compact Rangefinder Camera with 38mm Hexanon F2.8
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Konica C35 Automatic 35mm Film Compact Rangefinder Camera with 38mm Hexanon F2.8 Fixed Lens 1970's Japan
Produced 1971-3? Konishiroku Co., Japan
Film type 135 (35mm)
Picture size 24...
Category
Late 20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Steel
Crystal Apple Sculpture / Paper Weight by Steuben Glassworks
Located in San Diego, CA
Gorgeous crystal apple sculpture / paper weight by Steuben Glassworks, circa 1980s. The sculpture is in very good condition with no chips or cracks and measure 3.5"D x 4"H; it is han...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Desk Accessories
Materials
Crystal
Cute Baby Shoe Silver Plated Metal Money Box Piggy Bank, Vintage, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Gorgeous vintage metal money bank. A beautiful decorative item, with nice patina. Made in Europe, circa 1960s. Nice addition to any collection, desktop, living room or children's roo...
Category
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal
Paperweight with Seashore Theme Handmade with Real Sea Shells & Crab, circa 1970
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a beautiful handmade English acrylic paperweight having a seashore theme with real items and dating to the 20th century, circa 1970.
This paperweight is handmade of real i...
Category
20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories
Materials
Acrylic
Babel Collection, PLA N2 Organizer
Located in Santa Edwiges, MG
BABEL COLLECTION
Nothing beats the way creativity molds itself to everyday needs, as well as the sudden abstract contour of fascination.
Brazil's power to create unimaginable inve...
Category
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Materials
Steel
Vintage Italian marble alabaster apple with bronze leaf, by Ducceschi, 20th c
Located in View Park, CA
A very fine vintage Italian volterra alabaster marble “pomme d’or” apple with bronze stem, by Ducceschi, hand-carved in Italy circa late 1960s. The apple itself is a fine golden cara...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Alabaster, Bronze
A Beautiful Victorian Japanned Writing Slope With Decorative Enamel Inlays
Located in High Wycombe, GB
A Beautiful Victorian Japanned Writing Slope With Decorative Floral Elements Enamel Inlays & Gilt Swallows.
The slope features a black fitted interior finished with a black velvet s...
Category
Late 19th Century Japanese Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass, Enamel
Open letters by C. villain
By Jean Garnier
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Open letters by C. villain
Origin France Circa 1915
Empire style patinated bronze
Soldier motif
Excellent condition signed on the side
FRENCH, 1853-1910
Jean Garnier was born in Mou...
Category
1910s French Empire Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Black Forest inkwell cat in boot Swiss Antique 19th Century hand carved glass
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Gorgeous most rare Swiss Black Forest 19th century Inkwell / desk accessory fully hand carved displaying a cat in a boot.
The cat is very detailed with glass eyes (slight damage to b...
Category
Late 19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Glass, Wood
Arte Murano Swan Green White Sommerso Glass Figurine Paperweight
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Murano glass swan figurine or paperweight is made of white glass encased inside dark green glass in sommerso technique; controlled bubbles are used throughout the body of the swan.
Category
Late 20th Century Desk Accessories
Materials
Murano Glass
Open letters by Alfred Jorel
By Alfred Jorel
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Open letters by Alfred Jorel
Origin France Circa 1915
Gilded bronze Art nouveau style
Excellent condition with some wear due to age.
Jorel was a student of the sculptor Jean Carlus. ...
Category
1910s French Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Murano Millefiori Flowers Italian Art Glass Mushroom Toadstool Paperweight
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful and very unusual, vintage Murano hand blown multicolor millefiori flowers Italian art glass mushroom / toadstool sculptural paperweight. Th...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Antique Marble & Bronze Napoleon 3 Inkstand by Marcel Debut Salon Des Beaux-Arts
By Marcel Debut
Located in Lisse, NL
Rare and important French Napoleonic ink stand with female sculpture.
This hand-crafted and sizable ink stand of marble and gilt bronze is signed by the renowned French sculptor Mar...
Category
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Exquisite Georgian Hand Crafted Mahogany Writing Slope With Red Tooled Leather
By Thompson Cabinet Company
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Early 19th Century Exquisite Brass Bound Hand Crafted Mahogany Writing Slope Burgundy Red Tooled Leather, Two Glass Brass Topped Inkwells & Two Original Keys.
The top and front have...
Category
1820s British Georgian Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Murano Glass Paperweight
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian Murano glass paperweight hand blown with intricate white, light blue, and dark blue ribbons / Made in Italy, circa 1960s
Origina...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Murano Glass
Antique English Ormolu and Malachite Inkwell, Circa 1860-1880.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English ormolu & malachite inkwell, circa 1860-1880.
Category
Mid-19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Malachite, Ormolu
Brass Coaster Holder with Black Coaster Set by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Coaster Holder With Black Coaster Set by Henry Wilson
Dimensions: W 11 x D 4 x H 5 cm (Coaster Holder dimensions)
Materials: Solid brass, Leather
Sand cast in solid brass and...
Category
2010s Australian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Chinese Teal Glazed Brush Rest, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Set alongside the four treasures of the study - the calligraphy brush, ink, paper, and inkstone - a brush rest was an essential fixture of the scholars' desk. This early 20th century...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Desk Accessories
Materials
Ceramic
Walnut Paper Tray with Black Naugahyde Interior
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Walnut and naugahyde paper tray. The tray features dual black naugahyde lined trays, with oiled walnut cases and a stainless steel pin supporting the upper tier.
Dimensions:
11" wi...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Naugahyde, Walnut
Antique Victorian Coromandel Brass Wooden Letters Stationery Casket Box Betjeman
Located in Dublin, Ireland
Absolutely stunning early Victorian well figured Coromandel Stationery Casket of museum quality and in outstanding condition. Mid Nineteenth Century. Made in England by G. Betjemann....
Category
Mid-19th Century Irish Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Antique English Crystal & Sterling Silver Inkwell Signed "Samuel Jacob" Ca 1895
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English cut crystal and sterling silver inkwell signed by silversmith "Samuel Jacob" of London, circa 1895.
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Chinese Blue Glazed Brush Rest, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Set alongside the four treasures of the study - the calligraphy brush, ink, paper, and inkstone - a brush rest was an essential fixture of the scholars' desk. This early 20th century...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Desk Accessories
Materials
Ceramic
Letter Tray Desk Organizer Rosewood Danish Desktop Georg Petersen Mobelfabrik
Located in Hyattsville, MD
This is the early production Selectform model, designed and made by Georg Petersen Mobelfabrik A/S. This example retains the Georg Petersens Mobelfabrik A/S label and Danish Furnitu...
Category
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Rosewood
Rare black Forest rooster inkwell 19th century Swiss glass eyes hand carved
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Gorgeous most rare Swiss Black Forest 19th century Inkwell / desk accessory fully hand carved displaying a dog wearing a hat and monocle.
Detailed carving by a master carver. Comes w...
Category
Late 19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Glass, Wood
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.
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Carved Marble Accessories
Desk Bell
Marble And Gilt Desk
Hermes 1950s
Bird Desk Object
Pen Shell
Rectangular Decorative Tray
Desk Dog
Small Leather Tray
Antique Traveling Desk
Antique Travel Desk
Desks Deco English
English Art Deco Desks
Equestrian Plates
Colored Glass Desk
French Antique Inkwells
Desk Shaped Inkwell
Gold Pen Holder