Desk Accessories
1950s French Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century Industrial Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Teak
19th Century French Rococo Revival Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
2010s Chinese Desk Accessories
Wood, Wenge
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Italian Grand Tour Desk Accessories
Marble
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood, Burl
2010s European Desk Accessories
Oak
Mid-19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Minimalist Desk Accessories
Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Murrine, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
1940s South American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Desk Accessories
Walnut
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Arts and Crafts Antique Desk Accessories
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Desk Accessories
Metal, Enamel
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Desk Accessories
Bamboo
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Satinwood
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1860s Swedish Folk Art Antique Desk Accessories
Mirror, Pine
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Alabaster
Early 19th Century English Early Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Minimalist Desk Accessories
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
Early 2000s Canadian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Wood, Willow
Early 2000s Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Unknown Other Desk Accessories
Metal, Other
Mid-20th Century Austrian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
1880s French High Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Ebony
1970s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century English Japonisme Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Brazilian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Agate, Onyx
1950s European Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
Mid-20th Century Danish Art Deco Desk Accessories
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Early 2000s American Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
1880s Swiss Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Softwood
Early 1900s Italian Rococo Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
Early 20th Century Desk Accessories
Copper
Early 20th Century Austrian Anglo-Indian Desk Accessories
Spelter
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
2010s Chinese Desk Accessories
Bamboo
1970s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1930s German Vintage Desk Accessories
Beech
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
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.