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Desk Accessories For Sale
Style: Art Deco
Style: Art Nouveau
Art Deco Modernist Chrome Picture Frame, France, c1930's
Located in Devon, England
Authentic and very stylish 1930's Art Deco chrome & walnut picture frame. A more unusual design and a great size for modern day use. A photograph can be displayed both sides ( the ph...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Chrome
French Art Deco Marble and Bronze Ink Well
Located in Los Angeles, CA
French Art Deco marble inkwell with bronze details and well atop. The size and wonderful art deco detail make for this piece a complement to ma...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
Tiffany Studios New York "Adam" Bronze Doré Blotter Ends With Leather Blotter
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous pair of Art Deco period gilt bronze blotter ends featuring Adam style or Neoclassical style swags, with a custom green leather desk blotter.
By Tiffany Studios (blotter e...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Tiffany Studios Bronze Desk Lamp on Circular Fluted Base, New York. Circa 1920
Located in Charleston, SC
Tiffany Studios bronze desk lamp with original iridescent shade, scrolled bulbous harp, and resting on circular fluted base with the original five bal...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze, Wire
Horse Shoe Leg Vienna Bronze Letter Opener, Antique Austria 1920s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1920s Austrian letter opener. It has a nice patina.
I did not clean it, so the next owner can decide what he wants to do with it.
This highly collectible vintage piece ...
Category
1920s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Art Nouveau writing accessoire Carl Witzmann Wiener Werkstätte 1917
Located in Klosterneuburg, AT
Writing accessoire with two inkwells, model no. 2216 - Mszas 2, Carl Witzmann, Wiener Werkstätte, 1917
Bib.: photograph preserved in the Wiener Werktätte photo archives at the Austr...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Silver
Murano Venetian Red Gold Flecks Pulled Feather Italian Art Glass Paperweight
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown red and gold flecks Italian art glass decorative paperweight with label. The paperweight is very bright with high contrast and unique pattern. Loo...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Gold Leaf
Cartier Paris 1920 Art Deco Chinoiserie 18kt Desk Clock in Nephrite Jade Enamel
By Cartier
Located in Miami, FL
A desk clock designed by Cartier.
An impressive and beautiful desk clock, created in Paris France by the house of Cartier, during the art deco period, back in the 1920. This stunning rare piece has been designed with Chinoiserie patterns and carefully crafted up with parts in yellow gold of 18 karats and carved nephrite green jadeite jade. Accented with applications of navy blue enamel and fitted on top, with a hinged retractable handle.
The movement is mechanical It is accompanied with the associated original key for the winding. The dial is silver with guilloche, Roman numerals with gold hands and inscribed, Cartier.
Weight: 320.95 Grams, (205.74 Dwt).
Measurements: 69 mm by 31 mm by 78 mm (2.72 x 1.22 x 3.07 Inches).
Hallmarks: Stamped with French marks, five times with the head of the eagle for the assay and guaranty of the gold, two times with the maker's mark JM inside of a lozange cartouche and signed on the reverse, "CARTIER 1649".
Literature: Olivier Bachet & Alain Cartier, Cartier Exceptional...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Jade, Gold, Silver, Enamel
Art Deco Odeon Chrome Free Standing Picture Frame, circa 1930
Located in Devon, England
Superbly stylish 1930s Art Deco chrome picture frame. A very desirable odeon/ skyscraper design and a great Size for modern day use. A photograph can be displayed both sides ( the ph...
Category
Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Chrome
Ernemann ROLF II Folding 127 Rollfilm Camera With 75mm F12 Rapid Rectilinear
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Ernemann ROLF II Folding 127 Rollfilm Camera 75mm F12 Rapid Rectilinear Fixed Lens of Dresden, Germany
Manufactured by Ernemann between 1924-1926.
Folded dimensions: 67 mm x 125 mm...
Category
Early 20th Century German Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather
Ballpoint Pen Modern Contemporary Style Blue Enamel Sterling Silver Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Ballpoint Pen cylindrical for large Desk.
Ballpoint Pen in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated 24carats.
Ballpoint Pen with translucent fired enamels on guilloché Modern Contemporar...
Category
Early 2000s Italian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Sterling Silver, Enamel, Gold Plate
Cartier Paris 1935 Rare Art Deco Geometric Desk Clock in Black Onyx and Agate
By Cartier
Located in Miami, FL
A desk clock designed by Cartier.
A beautiful and sober desk clock, created in Paris France by the the house of Cartier during the late art deco period, back in the early 1935. This desk clock is very rare and has been designed with geometric art deco patterns and assembled from several polished pieces carved from natural black onyx and reddish translucent agate. All parts mounted in gilded bronze and sterling silver settings of .935/.999.
Movement: Swiss mechanical wingding Imhof movement, Caliber 244, Fifteen Jewels, 8 days, Serial 2449074. The dial is octagonal with a unique painted scene depicting an ancient Greek ship...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Agate, Onyx, Sterling Silver, Bronze
Exceptional Quality Egyptian Revival Puma Raised Bi-Metal Desk Stand
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
An exceptional quality Art Nouveau Egyptian revival Continental brass and copper desk stand raised on four puma feet and dating from the early 20th Century. Probably French the heavi...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass, Copper
Art Deco Josephine Baker Female Dancer Brass Statue, Austria 1930 Karl Hagenauer
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Exceptional Karl Hagenauer statue of a female dancer sculpture, commonly titled as Josephine Baker, cast and nickel plated brass, circa 1930s. , manufactured by Werkstätte Hagenauer ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Art Nouveau Figural Double Sided Hotel Front Desk Call Bell
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid Art Nouveau Young Boy Figural Double Sided Hotel Front Desk Call Bell
Marked Dep.
Category
1920s French Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Just Andersen, Denmark Bronze Patina Disko Metal Viking Ship Salt #1109
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
Just Andersen Danish bronze patina Disko metal Viking ship salt cellar.
circa 1920s
Stamped and numbered 1109 on base
Height 2.25 inch, Width 4.25 inch, Depth 1.75 inch
In good ...
Category
1920s Danish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal
Vintage Silver Plate Horseshoe Jockey Catchall, 1920s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Gorgeous silver plated, 1920s small pot with a horseshoe and some horse race related items. Think it can be used at a table for paperclips, toothpicks, matchsticks or just as a open salt pot...
Category
1920s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal, Silver Plate
Art Nouveau Desk Set by Tiffany Calendar, Ink Dryer, Box and Clip
Located in Schöfflisdorf, CH
Art Nouveau desk set by Tiffany calendar, ink dryer, box and clip
Sizes:
Measures: Perpetual calendar 16 x 16 cm
Box 10 x 7 x 4 cm
Clip 6 x 10 x 3...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
1912 René Lalique - Seal Stamp Statuette Drapee Glass With Turquoise Patina
By René Lalique
Located in Boulogne Billancourt, FR
Seal Stamp "Statuette Drapée" made in frosted glass with turquoise patina by René Lalique in 1912.
Engraved signature.
Perfect condition. Sublime patina.
Height: 6.5 cm
Félix Marc...
Category
1910s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Blown Glass
Cartier Iconic Panther Design Card and Envelope Set Luxury Season's Greetings
By Cartier
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Cartier Card and Envelope Set with the Iconic Panther Jewelry Design.
Large Cartier Season's Greetings, Joyeuses Fetes Stationary Cards.
Authentic Luxury Cartier Stationery...
Category
20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Paper
Sitting Kewpie or The Thinker, Silvered Bronze Car Mascot Hood Ornament, 1910´s
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
"Sitting Kewpie" or "The Thinker", Car Mascot Hood Ornament, 1910´s.
Made of silvered bronze, mounted over a green and white mrble base.
Can de used as a desk paperweight.
Originally appearing in the form of magazine illustrations between 1905 and 1909, Kewpie dolls...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Art Deco Max Le Verrier / Artus Pelican Hood Ornament / Paperweight, France
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Art Deco Max Le Verrier / Artus Bird Hood Ornament / Paperweight - France.
Hard to find circa 1925 famous Pelican by Artus. (Pseudonym for Max...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Metal
Ruby Wedgwood Ordinary Lustre, Butterfly York Cup by Daisy Makeig-Jones, c1925
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
Exquisite ruby Ordinary lustre york cup by Daisy Makeig Jones for Wedgwood, England.
The interior of this delightful piece has a vibrantly coloured butterfly on a pale green mother of pearl background, with gilded interior patterning.
Rich ruby red lustre mottled glaze, animated gilded butterflies...
Category
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Porcelain
Art Deco Period Onyx Marble Catchall Female Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
A brass female dancer sculpture and green onyx marble base vide-poche catchall, Art Deco period, circa early-20th century. Sculpture's head is resin and body with a gold overlay on b...
Category
Early 20th Century European Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Onyx, Brass
R. Lalique Desk Set Josephine Model
By René Lalique
Located in NANTES, FR
Desk set created on September 27, 1944 by René Lalique with a swan decor.
The set including
a desk pad, a blotter and a paper cutter.
Signed Lalique France ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Glass
SUDRE Art Deco 1930 French Barman Cigarette Dispenser In Burl & Cedar Wood
By Raymond Sudre
Located in Miami, FL
Barman mechanical cigarette dispenser bar designed by Raymond Sudre.
Fabulous and very elusive piece, created in France by Raymond Sudre during t...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Enamel, Steel, Chrome
Amalric Walter and Daum Nancy "Crabe" Pâte de Verre Glass Paperweight
Located in New York, NY
This exquisite “Crabe” pâte de verre glass paperweight, by Amalric Walter and Daum Nancy is decorated with a relief of a reddish-brown crab poised upon a bright contrast of green and...
Category
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Glass
Edgar Brandt Style Hand Forged Iron Snake or Serpent Sculpture, Austria, 1920s
By Edgar Brandt
Located in Vienna, AT
A wrought iron Art Nouveau era model of a snake / serpent. High-quality craftsmanship, handmade of forged iron by a Viennese metalworker in the 1920s.
A decorative object, which would look great in your shelf, but also suitable as a paperweight, a jewelry ring holder...
Category
1920s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Iron, Wrought Iron
Royal Model O Touch Control Glossy Black Portable Manual Typewriter in Case
By Royal
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Royal Model O Touch Control Glossy Black Portable Manual Typewriter in Case. Circa Early 20th Century. Measurements: Case 6" H x 13" W x 12" D.
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Steel
French Copper & Wood Desk Art Nouveau Ink Blotter, circa 1920
Located in Labrit, Landes
French ink blotter for blooting paper
Made circa 1900, in wood and embossed copper
Vegetal motifs
To be placed on a desk or a side table.
Good antique condition
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Copper
Tiffany Studios New York "Damascene Harp" Desk Lamp
Located in New York, NY
This desk lamp by Tiffany Studios, dating from circa 1910, features a damascene favrile glass shade on an adjustable patinated bronze harp base. With dichroi...
Category
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Italian Photo Frame Art Nouveau with Black Marble, Illumination
Located in Sarezzo, IT
Illumination is a rectangular golden silver photo frame with black marble designed by Laura G Art with Heart and it is decorated 360°, both front and back as every one of my picture ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Belgian Black Marble, Silver
Jugendstil J.P. Kayser Inkstand / Inkwell with Great Hamlet & Skull Sculpture
Located in Lisse, NL
Stunning and important Kayserzinn pewter inkwell, designed by Hugo Leven.
Who, in this day and age, would ask a top quality sculptor to design and execute a stunning sculpture with ...
Category
Early 20th Century German Jugendstil Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal
5 Piece Art Deco Griotte Marble Desk Set 1930s
Located in Den Haag, NL
5 piece Art Deco desk set ,Solid Griotte Marble . Bookends
Inkwell , paperweight and a blotter to dry your ink .
Good condition .
Category
1930s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Griotte Marble
Art Deco Egyptian Revival Desk Stand, Two Cut Glass Inkwells With A Pen Tray
Located in Reading, Berkshire
An Impressive Art Deco Egyptian Revival Desk Stand
With Two Cut Glass Metal Topped Inkwells With A Formed Pen Tray
Base Decorated With A Rope & Key Design
Will Be Supplied With Two ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Chrome
Art Deco Period Marble Bookends with Sculpted Dice
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
A pair of Art Deco period bookends with dice, made of Port Nero Marble, the dice are made of white Carrara marble. It is a decorative piece for on a desk or in the bookcase. Made in ...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Carrara Marble
French Art Deco Dancer Sculpture by Alexandre-Joseph Derenne for Max Le Verrier
By Alexandre-Joseph Derenne 1, Max Le Verrier
Located in Ulm, DE
Danseuse Païenne (pagan dancer)
graceful sculpture of a dancer
Design by Alexandre-Joseph Derenne for Max Le Verrier
Patinated spelter
Marble base
Original Art Déco, Franc...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Spelter
Fine Angular Geometric Czech Art Deco Black Enamel Crystal Perfume Bottle 1930s
By Karl Palda
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
Supreme geometric and angular shaped Czech crystal Art Deco perfume bottle
Clean geometric lines on black enamel.
Vintage Bohemian, Czech cry...
Category
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Glass
Art Deco Edouard Marcel Sandoz Little Silvered Bronze Lapin, Rabbit, Signed
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Art Deco Edouard Marcel Sandoz little silvered bronze lapin rabbit, signed on the base Ed. M. Sandoz and Susse Freres Paris.
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Erotic / Nude Women Bronze Sculpture Table Bell Push, Austria, 1900´s
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Erotic / nude women bronze sculpture table bell push - Austria 1900´s
Talk about hard to find items! This impossible to believe bell push is the only erotic bell push we have ever s...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
English Sterling Silver Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Fountain Pen
Located in Reading, Berkshire
English Sterling Silver Haviland-Nye Hallmarked Fountain Pen With A Schmidt Medium Nib, With A Black Tooled Leather Box. Designed 2002 London Specifically for H.R.H Queen Elizabeth ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Sterling Silver
Art Deco Silvered Bronze Cobra Snake Paperweight / Car Mascot by Rischmann
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Art Deco silvered bronze cobra Snake Car Mascot / Hood Ornament / Paperweight or Watch stand by Rischmann, France, 1920s.
Silvered bronze sculpture of a cobra figure, mounted on a li...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Art Deco Marble Mantel Clock with Chromed Bronze Lion and Movement by Le Roux
By Le Roux à Paris 1
Located in Ulm, DE
Multicolor marble mantel clock
Clock movement from Le Roux
Lion sculpture made of bronze, chromed, original patina
Original Art Deco, France 1930s
Dime...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Tiffany Studios Bronze Pen Holder in the Graduate Pattern
Located in New York, NY
This beautifully designed and crafted Tiffany Studios Bronze Pen Holder in the Graduate Pattern originates from the United States, Circa 1910. Features a rounded rectangular profile...
Category
1910s American Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
1930s Art Deco Marble Mantel Clock with Bronze Birds by Maurice Frecourt
Located in Ulm, DE
Marble mantel clock with bronze figurines.
Mantel clock with Garnitures
Bronze bird sculptures by Maurice Frecourt, signed
Original ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Art Déco French Polished Silvered Bronze Balancing Dice Paperweight by E. Brandt
By Edgar Brandt
Located in North Miami, FL
Art Déco fench polished silvered bronze balancing dice paperweight by Edgar Brandt
By: Edgar Brandt
Material: copper, bronze, silver, metal
Technique: cast, molded, silvered, polish...
Category
20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze, Metal, Silver, Copper
Antique Tiffany Studios "Pine Needle" Pattern Bronze & Glass Desk Calendar
Located in Atlanta, GA
This exquisite desk calendar, produced by Tiffany Studios in the early 20th century, features the iconic "Pine Needle" pattern, a celebrated design within the Art Nouveau movement. M...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Rare Collectors Set Art Deco Parker Duofold Marbleised Fountain Pen & Pencil Set
Located in Reading, Berkshire
1930's Art Deco Parker Duofold Marbleised Fountain Pen & Pencil Set in Original Parker Box - rare collectors item.
Fountain Pen Made in Canada 14k nib
Geo S. Parker PAT SEP. 5-16
...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Gold Plate
Exquisite Geometric Czech Art Deco Black Enamel Crystal Perfume Bottle 1930's
By Karl Palda
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
Recognisably first class, beautiful Czech crystal Art Deco perfume bottle
Clean geometric pattern on black enamel.
Vintage Bohemian, Czech cr...
Category
Early 20th Century Czech Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Glass
Restored Typewriter/ Triumph, Germany, 1915
Located in Praha, CZ
The entire machine is expertly disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, all repaired, and fully functional
The packaging of the machine has surface defects that are associated with the ag...
Category
1910s German Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal
Bofill Silvered Bronze Owl, Hibou Paperweight / Hood Ornament, France, 1910-15
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Bofill silvered bronze owl - Hibou Desk Paperweight / Car Mascot / Hood Ornament. France 1910-15.
Silver plated bronze, signed. Excellent original conditions.
HIBOU
Par Antoine ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Bronze
French Art Deco Silver Paperweight
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
French Art Deco Silver Paperweight
Origin France Circa 1920
Materials glass and solid silver
Frosted artistic glass
Artist: Jean Henri Orliac
has an artist's punch with the letter H ...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Silver
Cartier Luxury Iconic Crocodile Gold Design Card and Envelope Desk Stationery
By Cartier
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Cartier Card and Envelope Set with the Iconic Crocodile La Dona Gold Jewelry Design.
In honor of actress, singer, and loyal Cartier client, María Félix.
Of all the women who have made dramatic entrances at Cartier, María Félix, one of Mexico's most famous actresses, may have been the most memorable. The jewelry house still talks about the day she arrived, carrying a baby crocodile that she wanted to be the model for a necklace
Authentic Luxury Cartier Stationery...
Category
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Paper
Art Deco Bronze Sculpture Rabbit by Eduard Marcel Sandoz, Susse Freres, 1920
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Art Deco silver plated bronze sculpture of a rabbit hare. Lovely paperweight. Edouard Marcel Sandoz (1881-1973). Signature/ Marks: Ed.M. Sandoz - Susse Fre'...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Addison Model 2 “Waterfall” Maroon and White Catalin Tube Radio, 1940
Located in Hampstead, QC
In 1939, Toronto-based Addison Industries Ltd., a Canadian company, was founded focussing on the production of commercial tube radios. The Model 2 “Small Addison” series, featured h...
Category
1940s Canadian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Plastic
Brass Dog Head Letter Clip on Green Onyx Base, Germany, 1920s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Brass Dog Head Letter Clip on Green Onyx Base, Germany, 1920s
This elegant letter and document clip from the 1920s is a unique desk accessory and a perfect gift for dog lovers. The c...
Category
1920s German Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Onyx, Brass
Addison Model 5 Black and Yellow Catalin Tube Radio, 1940
Located in Hampstead, QC
In 1939, Toronto-based Addison Industries Ltd., a Canadian company, was founded focussing on the production of commercial tube radios. The Model 5 “Big Addison” series, featured her...
Category
1940s Canadian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Plastic
Antique Royal Model 10 Art Deco Typewriter with Beveled Glass Sides
By Royal Typewriter Company 1
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Royal Model 10 Art Deco Typewriter with Beveled Glass Sides. Circa Early 20th Century. Measurements: 10" H x 15" W 15x " D.
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Desk Accessories
Materials
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.