Desk Accessories
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Desk Accessories
Brass
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
1950s Unknown Bauhaus Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Onyx, Marble
1960s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Opaline Glass, Glass
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Horn, Leather
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Hardwood, Cocobolo, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Crystal
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Rosewood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Rustic Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel, Stainless Steel
1970s Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Greco Roman Desk Accessories
Brass
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Bakelite
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Metal
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, Steel, Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1960s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Malachite, Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Walnut
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Onyx, Chrome
1960s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Oak
1960s Czech Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Desk Accessories
Agate
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1970s Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
1960s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1960s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Silver Plate
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century British Desk Accessories
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel, Stainless Steel
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage 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.