Desk Accessories
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
20th Century French Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Acrylic
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century Belgian Industrial Desk Accessories
Steel
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 2000s German Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Resin
Early 19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Swiss Vienna Secession Desk Accessories
Bronze
19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Porphyry
1920s Unknown Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century Czech Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Art Glass
20th Century Chinese Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Empire Desk Accessories
Brass, Bronze
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Soapstone
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 19th Century Early Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1910s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
19th Century Japanese Antique Desk Accessories
Wood, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1890s German Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Gold, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Desk Accessories
Bronze
1930s British Vintage Desk Accessories
Paper
Early 20th Century Italian Black Forest Desk Accessories
Wood
19th Century European Industrial Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
2010s American Desk Accessories
Acrylic
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Opaline Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Murano Glass
2010s Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
19th Century English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Mahogany
Early 1900s American Aesthetic Movement Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Walnut
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Bronze
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
20th Century British Other Desk Accessories
Silver
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Sommerso, Glass
Mid-19th Century Dutch Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century German Desk Accessories
Nickel
1910s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century North American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Nickel
1890s French Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Glass, Wood
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Horn
Late 19th Century French Classical Roman Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Brass, Bronze
19th Century British Campaign Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian 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.