Desk Accessories
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Horn
1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Stone
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Paper
2010s Australian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Early 1900s Russian Neoclassical Antique Desk Accessories
Jade, Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1910s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Resin
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx
Mid-20th Century European Desk Accessories
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Glass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1950s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1910s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
Early 20th Century German Art Deco Desk Accessories
Steel
1860s French Louis XV Antique Desk Accessories
Lacquer
Early 20th Century Swiss Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Silver
1970s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
Early 1800s English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Pewter
Early 20th Century English Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1970s Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century English Desk Accessories
Malachite
Mid-20th Century Japanese Meiji Desk Accessories
Bronze
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Silver, Sterling Silver
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass, Sommerso
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Mid-20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bakelite
Early 19th Century Hungarian Biedermeier Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass
20th Century Unknown Desk Accessories
Crystal, Bronze
Late 20th Century Chinese Desk Accessories
Serpentine
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Bronze, Enamel
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Horn
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Early 20th Century German Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Spelter
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx, Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze, Sterling Silver
20th Century Desk Accessories
Agate
Mid-20th Century Belgian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Chrome
Early 20th Century Swedish Biedermeier Desk Accessories
Birch
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Mirror
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.