Desk Accessories
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary British Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Cork
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Concrete
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
2010s American Desk Accessories
Glass
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
Late 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1980s American Organic Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Walnut
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
Late 19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Silver Plate
20th Century Unknown Desk Accessories
Glass
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Early 1900s Other Antique Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Uranium Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Desk Accessories
Resin
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Bronze
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Brass, Gold Plate
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
1920s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Scottish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Travertine
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze, Enamel
2010s German Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Earthenware
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1980s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Early 19th Century French Early Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century Swedish Empire Revival Desk Accessories
Birch
1910s German Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1920s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
Late 19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass, Enamel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
20th Century British Victorian Desk Accessories
Silver
Early 1900s French Renaissance Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Other Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass, Enamel
2010s Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel, Gold Plate
Late 19th Century French Early Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
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.