Desk Accessories
2010s Turkish Minimalist Desk Accessories
Steel, Copper
2010s Turkish Minimalist Desk Accessories
Brass, Steel
1920s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Animal Skin
Early 20th Century European Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
1820s American American Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Gothic Desk Accessories
Crystal
Late 19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desk Accessories
Chrome
Early 20th Century French Desk Accessories
Stone, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Scottish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Pewter
Early 20th Century Israeli Desk Accessories
Brass
1930s Czech Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Desk Accessories
Resin
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Mid-20th Century English Country Desk Accessories
Felt, Glass, Paper
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1880s Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Glass, Resin
1920s Danish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
Late 20th Century Japanese Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Onyx, Chrome
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Metal
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
20th Century English Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Pottery, Stoneware
Late 20th Century English Neoclassical Revival Desk Accessories
Stoneware
15th Century and Earlier Organic Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Quartz
20th Century Scottish Desk Accessories
Glass
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Taiwanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1880s Italian Antique Desk Accessories
Agate, Amethyst, Malachite, Onyx, Marble
Late 19th Century French Industrial Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Early 20th Century Unknown Desk Accessories
Bakelite
1950s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Stone, Brass, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century English Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Stoneware
Early 19th Century German Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Iron
2010s Greek Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
18th Century Asian Islamic Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1970s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Chrome
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.