Desk Accessories
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Plaster, Paint
Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Desk Accessories
Marble
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century Japanese Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Zinc
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Alabaster, Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Adirondack Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
15th Century and Earlier European Prehistoric Antique Desk Accessories
2010s Philippine Desk Accessories
Wood, Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Horn
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
20th Century Scottish Desk Accessories
Glass
20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murrine, Wood, Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Mid-20th Century American Desk Accessories
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Teak, Paper
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
2010s Unknown Desk Accessories
Malachite
15th Century and Earlier American Mid-Century Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Stone
Early 20th Century American Edwardian Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass
Mid-19th Century British Rococo Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Stoneware, Terracotta
Late 19th Century Italian Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1950s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
20th Century British Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
1910s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1890s French Belle Époque Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Concrete
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Portuguese Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
1930s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
Early 1900s French Antique Desk Accessories
Faience
2010s Australian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
1910s English Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
Early 19th Century Early Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Cameroonian Desk Accessories
Malachite
20th Century Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
2010s Indian Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
15th Century and Earlier Mexican Mid-Century Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Petrified Wood
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plywood
Mid-20th Century British Industrial Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Paper
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Walnut
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
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.