Desk Accessories
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Desk Accessories
Stone, Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Blown Glass, Murano Glass
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1920s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Macassar
20th Century Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Silver
2010s Canadian Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Reclaimed Wood, Willow
Early 1900s French Antique Desk Accessories
Silver, Brass
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Early 20th Century British Edwardian Desk Accessories
Oak
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
2010s Austrian Desk Accessories
Brass
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Brass
2010s Thai Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Wood
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Industrial Desk Accessories
Bakelite
19th Century English Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Turkish Minimalist Desk Accessories
Copper, Steel
Mid-20th Century Japanese Other Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Portuguese Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Nickel
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Nickel, Metal, Brass
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century Victorian Desk Accessories
Leather
1880s French Antique Desk Accessories
Walnut
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather, Wood
20th Century Moroccan Minimalist Desk Accessories
Wood, Burl
Mid-20th Century Dutch Desk Accessories
Ceramic
19th Century French Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century German Country Desk Accessories
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
Early 20th Century Italian Grand Tour Desk Accessories
Silver
Late 19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Brass
1930s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, Chrome
Mid-20th Century Desk Accessories
Paper, Leather
Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century Desk Accessories
Paper, Leather
19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 19th Century Folk Art Antique Desk Accessories
Pine
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
Early 20th Century European Jugendstil Desk Accessories
Spelter
2010s Turkish Minimalist Desk Accessories
Brass, Steel
2010s Canadian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Willow, Wood
Late 20th Century Philippine Modern Desk Accessories
Shell
Late 19th Century Czech Antique Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Glass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Travertine, Marble
Mid-20th Century German Country Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
2010s German Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
19th Century European Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
2010s Austrian Desk Accessories
Brass
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.