Desk Accessories
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Iron
2010s Turkish Desk Accessories
Aluminum
2010s Turkish Desk Accessories
Leather
1990s American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-19th Century Norwegian Neoclassical Antique Desk Accessories
Porphyry
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble, Metal
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Spelter
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Murrine
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Iron
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desk Accessories
Glass
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Czech Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
Late 19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Paper
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
1980s Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Paper
2010s Spanish Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Earthenware, Stoneware
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 17th Century French Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Wrought Iron
1950s Vintage Desk Accessories
Alabaster
1880s Italian Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desk Accessories
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1980s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Desk Accessories
Steel
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Hemp
Mid-19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
1960s North American Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Marble, Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
19th Century French Restauration Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
19th Century German Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Velvet, Cut Glass, Wood
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Mother-of-Pearl, Paper
19th Century German Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century Brazilian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Agate
20th Century Desk Accessories
Silver
1910s German Arts and Crafts Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Lava
20th Century Desk Accessories
Metal
1890s German Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass, Paper
20th Century American Victorian Desk Accessories
Crystal, Iron
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century German Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass, Wrought Iron
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Bronze
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Silver
20th Century Scottish Modern Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
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.