Desk Accessories
Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Wood, Horn
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Suede, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1990s French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Shagreen
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Italian Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murrine, Wood, Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
1850s French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Teak, Paper
1980s Italian Organic Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Petrified Wood
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze, Chrome, Copper, Steel
15th Century and Earlier European Prehistoric Antique Desk Accessories
Early 2000s German Modern Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1970s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal, Pewter
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Early 20th Century Desk Accessories
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
15th Century and Earlier American Mid-Century Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Stone
2010s Indian Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1930s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Macassar
2010s Italian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Marble
Early 2000s American Desk Accessories
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
2010s Philippine Desk Accessories
Wood, Leather
19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Marble
1870s English Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1840s French Louis Philippe Antique Desk Accessories
Cherry
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, Gold Plate
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Early 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Agate, Brass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Hardwood
Late 20th Century North American Country Desk Accessories
Other
Late 20th Century Modern Desk Accessories
Acrylic, Ceramic
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Silver
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
2010s German Country Desk Accessories
Porcelain
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
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.