Desk Accessories
1910s American Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Leaf
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desk Accessories
Glass
Early 2000s Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1890s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Desk Accessories
Leather
19th Century British Campaign Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal, Brass
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold Plate
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1920s French Belle Époque Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
Mid-20th Century Indian Other Desk Accessories
Hardwood
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
1930s Czech Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Turkish Islamic Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Russian Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
1910s British Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1940s Canadian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1950s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Scagliola, Blown Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Concrete
1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Early 2000s American Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Paper
19th Century Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Gold Plate
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Alabaster, Marble, Metal
20th Century Unknown American Colonial Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Bronze
1930s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Macassar
1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Austrian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Alabaster
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
1920s English Edwardian Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather, Mahogany, Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Blown Glass, Art Glass, Murano Glass
1970s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century English Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
Late 20th Century Swedish Desk Accessories
Crystal
1980s North American Vintage Desk Accessories
Stone
Late 20th Century Modern Desk Accessories
Malachite, Onyx
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
1850s American American Classical Antique Desk Accessories
Brass, Copper, Enamel
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze, Copper, Pewter
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
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.