Desk Accessories
1970s French Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic, Paint
Late 20th Century British Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Argentine Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
1970s Swiss Space Age Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic
1970s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Enamel, Wire
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Acrylic
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1970s European Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Early 1900s Antique Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 20th Century European Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Copper
1980s Great Britain (UK) Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Sterling Silver
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Chinese Export Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Late 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Crystal, Metal, Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories
Enamel
Late 20th Century Asian Desk Accessories
Wood, Leather
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Travertine, Marble
1970s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century Spanish Desk Accessories
Silver
Late 20th Century Spanish Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century Spanish Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Late 20th Century English Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century English Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century German Modern Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Asian Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Late 20th Century European Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass
1990s English Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Travertine
1970s Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Late 20th Century Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Chrome
Late 20th Century Italian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Travertine
1980s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Metal, Chrome
Early 1900s English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Late 20th Century Irish Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Early 1900s French Neoclassical Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1980s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Foil, Bronze
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Paper
Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Desk Accessories
Glass, Wood
1970s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century Spanish Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century Venezuelan Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Sommerso, Blown Glass, Art Glass
1970s Italian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass, Cut Glass, Wood
1980s Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1980s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Paper
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver
1980s Unknown Neoclassical Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1980s Italian Organic Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
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.