Desk Accessories
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold Plate
Early 19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Rosewood
1960s French Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx, Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 19th Century British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Silver
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold Plate
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold
1910s French Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood, Burl
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
21st Century and Contemporary French Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-20th Century Swedish Brutalist Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Slate
Late 18th Century European Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Modern Desk Accessories
Mirror, Wood, Burl
Mid-20th Century English Desk Accessories
Wood, Machiche
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Murano Glass
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Art Glass
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century Unknown Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Quartz, Agate
1860s French Greek Revival Antique Desk Accessories
Copper
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Pottery
19th Century Indian Rustic Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
2010s Turkish Japonisme Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Late 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Gold Plate, Platinum
Late 20th Century Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Chrome
1920s Swiss Arts and Crafts Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Desk Accessories
Resin
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Late 20th Century Scottish Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1970s Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary American Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Metal
1990s Japanese Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Bronze
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Desk Accessories
Cane, Acrylic, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Murano Glass
15th Century and Earlier Organic Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Amethyst, Quartz
1960s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Mid-18th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Rattan
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Stoneware, Terracotta
Mid-20th Century American Desk Accessories
Art Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century French Desk Accessories
Crystal
1970s Hong Kong Space Age Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 19th Century European Antique Desk Accessories
Leather
16th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Desk Accessories
Maiolica
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 1900s German Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
1950s Chinese Chinoiserie Vintage Desk Accessories
Copper, Enamel
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Malachite
1950s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Spelter
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern 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.