Desk Accessories
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1880s Italian Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desk Accessories
Steel
1910s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1930s Danish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Stone, Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Rubber
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
1970s Italian Classical Roman Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass
1890s American Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Slate
Late 19th Century European Antique Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
20th Century English Gothic Desk Accessories
Wrought Iron
1890s British Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Desk Accessories
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
Mid-19th Century Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Other
20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
1990s American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s Italian American Classical Vintage Desk Accessories
Plexiglass
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Murrine
Early 20th Century Swiss Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Earthenware, Majolica
Early 20th Century British Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
1980s Swedish Vintage Desk Accessories
Stoneware
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
1960s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather, Faux Leather
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desk Accessories
Aluminum, Chrome
2010s American Desk Accessories
Stone
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desk Accessories
Chrome
17th Century French Louis XIV Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Mid-20th Century Chinese Desk Accessories
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Resin
2010s Portuguese Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
Early 2000s Canadian Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Reclaimed Wood, Willow
Mid-19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Glass
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Hemp
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desk Accessories
Enamel
Early 20th Century Swiss Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Earthenware, Majolica
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Polystyrene
1980s British Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
2010s Swedish Modern Desk Accessories
Steel
18th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-19th Century English Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Marble
19th Century British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
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.