Desk Accessories
1950s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
1950s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Rubber
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Mid-20th Century European Desk Accessories
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Nickel
1840s English Early Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Nickel
Late 19th Century Indian Other Antique Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal, Metal
Late 20th Century Italian International Style Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
20th Century Unknown Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Amethyst
1880s English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
1980s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Silver
1840s Spanish Neoclassical Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century French Other Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
1960s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Metal
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Nickel
Early 20th Century British Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 20th Century Swedish Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
1950s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Plaster
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Brass
1850s British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plaster, Paper, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Modern Desk Accessories
Faux Leather
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Copper, Brass, Silver Plate
20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Glass, Blown Glass
2010s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Czech Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx
20th Century Desk Accessories
Silver
Mid-20th Century Czech Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Alabaster
1960s Italian Aesthetic Movement Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Acrylic
1960s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
1920s English Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Sterling Silver
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.