Desk Accessories
19th Century Italian Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1820s American American Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century French Desk Accessories
Stone, Bronze
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1940s North American Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s European Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
Mid-20th Century French Rococo Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
2010s French Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Acrylic
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century French Desk Accessories
Crystal
1930s Czech Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century English Country Desk Accessories
Felt, Glass, Paper
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Pottery
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1970s Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Desk Accessories
Resin
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Polystyrene
Mid-19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
Late 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
19th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Desk Accessories
Carrara Marble
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
Mid-19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
1940s Hungarian Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Cement
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
2010s Greek Greek Revival Desk Accessories
Travertine
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
Early 2000s French Desk Accessories
Crystal
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Metal
Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Grand Tour Desk Accessories
Stone, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
PVC
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
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.