Desk Accessories
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Pewter
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century English Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Stoneware
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Silver
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Desk Accessories
Bone
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Late 20th Century German Modern Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Iron
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
1980s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
2010s American Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Unknown Desk Accessories
Amethyst
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desk Accessories
Steel
19th Century Unknown Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Glass, Resin
Early 20th Century European Desk Accessories
Crystal, Brass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Early 20th Century Swiss Black Forest Desk Accessories
Brass, Bronze
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
1910s British Edwardian Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Desk Accessories
Marble
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Chrome
Late 20th Century Chinese Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1890s German Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Desk Accessories
Agate
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic, Acrylic
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Carrara Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 20th Century Scottish Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1940s British Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Aluminum, Brass, Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Sterling Silver
Late 18th Century European Neoclassical Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Enamel, Other
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic, Lucite
1980s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Mirror
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1950s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Silver
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Fiberglass, Rubber
2010s Turkish Desk Accessories
Leather
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.