Desk Accessories
1940s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
1690s Dutch Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal
1930s Danish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
20th Century French Desk Accessories
Crystal
Early 20th Century Unknown Other Desk Accessories
Bronze
1990s American Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Murrine
19th Century English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Resin
Early 1900s French Islamic Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic, Plexiglass, Lucite
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Alabaster
Late 20th Century American Brutalist Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Swedish Desk Accessories
Teak
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1890s French Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Glass, Wood
1880s Italian Antique Desk Accessories
Agate, Amethyst, Malachite, Onyx, Marble
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1880s English Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Napoleon III Desk Accessories
Enamel
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1960s French Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 17th Century Italian Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Marble
Mid-20th Century Scottish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Silver Plate, Steel
1920s Austrian Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Enamel
1970s Spanish Hollywood Regency Vintage Desk Accessories
Resin
Late 19th Century French Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Glass
1990s American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Pewter
2010s American Desk Accessories
Stone
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 19th Century Indian Other Antique Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal, Metal
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 19th Century English High Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Stoneware
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Crystal, Sterling Silver
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Horn
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
19th Century Swiss Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Nickel
20th Century Asian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Crystal
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Murrine
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Silver
15th Century and Earlier European Prehistoric Antique Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal
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.