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Desk Accessories For Sale
Bookend model 453 by Max Le Verrier
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Pair of squirrel book presses model N° 453, made of bronze with green patina and with a green marble base. Made by Max Le Verrier (1891- 1973). Signed M ...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble, Bronze
$3,000 / set
Set of Old Books from 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Set of old books dating from the 19th century. From an old protestant library near Le Havre in France. These books are called « Life of Jean Wesley ». These...
Category
19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather, Paper
Pair of Carl Auböck Model #4635 Brass Bookends
Located in Glendale, CA
Pair of Carl Auböck model #4635 brass bookends. Designed in the 1950s, this incredibly refined and sculptural pair of bookends are executed in patinated and polished brass.
Price i...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Antique British Nautical / Maritime Brass Parallel Ruler by Kelvin & Hughes
By Kelvin & Hughes 1
Located in San Diego, CA
Antique British nautical / maritime solid brass parallel ruler by Kelvin & Hughes, circa 1900. The ruler is in very good vintage condition with a great patina and measures 24"W x 5.7...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Late Victorian Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Vintage Art Deco Silver Cigarette Case by Elgin MFG. CO., 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Art Deco Silver Cigarette Case by Elgin MFG. CO.
Sterling silver.
Very good condition.
Category
1930s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Silver
Vintage Brushed Chrome And Beveled Glass Table Lamp, Mid-Century Modern
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Mid-Century Modern brushed chrome and glass table lamp. This tall and elegant table lamp shines brightly as the beveled glass reflects the light. There are two thick bands of chrome ...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Chrome
1910 Sterling Silver Gimbal Table Lighter
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine, and impressive, antique George V English sterling silver gimbal table lighter; an addition to our smoking related silverware collection
This exceptional antique George V sterling silver table lighter has a globular form to a rounded composite handle.
The surface of the piece is plain and embellished with the contemporary bright cut engraved initial 'H' beneath a Baron's coronet.
The center of this antique silver table lighter...
Category
1910s English Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Agate, Sterling Silver
Brass Carved Magnifying Glass with Handle
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brass magnifying glass with handle - a wonderfully functional, very large and heavy piece. The brass surround is quite nice and the handle could be w...
Category
20th Century Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Important Napoleon III Lion Inkwell, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Office inkwell in Siena yellow marble and bronze Napoleon III 19th century
34cm x 20cm
Very good condition.
Category
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Marble
$1,145 Sale Price
20% Off
Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Plain, two antique inkwells. 19th c.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Plain, two antique inkwells in porcelain.
19th c.
Hand-painted.
Unstamped.
Excellent condition, some firing defects and some discoloration, lids are miss...
Category
19th Century Danish Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Porcelain
$256 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Desk Set, Model "Venetian" by Tiffany Studios
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Desk set made of gilt bronze (Ormolu) composed of 14 pieces, “Venetian” model, made by TIFFANY & Co, (1837 - present). Signed TIFFANY STUDIOS, NEW YORK, 1647.
United States, CIRCA...
Category
1910s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Large Vintage Die in Mother-of-Pearl and Rosewood, Denmark
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Large Danish Paperweight Die in Rosewood and Mother-of-Pearl, Mid-Century Modern. Measures: 2 Inch.
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Rosewood
$380 Sale Price
20% Off
Edwardian Corinthian Column Table Lamp
Located in London, GB
A Corinthian column table lamp with iron weighted base, stepped base marked G. S.
Rewired with switch and braided cable.
Category
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desk Accessories
Materials
Nickel
Brass Counter Hook by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Counter Hook by Henry Wilson
Dimensions: W 6 x D 4 x H 5 cm
Materials: Brass
Designed for hanging bags and coats under bar counters.
Each ...
Category
2010s Australian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
$214 / item
Rare Nude Art Nouveau Ripped Celluloid Straight Razor by Ern. C. Friedr
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Rare nude Art Nouveau celluloid handle Straight Razor. This is a great antique straight razor with a detailed Art Nouveau Nude standing on the w...
Category
1910s Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Steel
$195 Sale Price
40% Off
Don Shoemaker Desk Top Business Card Holder
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
We offer this rare business card holder made in Cocobolo and granadillo wood, includes Original label of Señal S.A., circa 1970.
Category
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Cocobolo
Middle Eastern Moorish Handcrafted Mosaic Decorative Trinket Box
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Exquisite handcrafted Middle Eastern mosaic marquetry inlaid walnut wood box.
vintage small trinket box intricately decorated with Moorish motif des...
Category
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Desk Accessories
Materials
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl, Fruitwood
Fine vintage Carl Auböck Leather and Brass paper basket, Austria 1950s
Located in Berlin, DE
Fine vintage Carl Auböck Leather and Brass waste paper basket in good original condition.
Category
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Rare Faceted Bohemian Amanita Muscaria Glass Paperweight
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
A mid to late 19th century Czech paperweight, showing the mastery of Czech glass blowing. A similar example is in the Bergstrom-Mahler Glass Museum in Neenah, Wisconsin. It doesn't h...
Category
Late 19th Century Czech Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Art Glass
$3,300 Sale Price
40% Off
Tiffany Studios New York Bronze and Green Glass Inkwell
Located in New York, NY
Among the most visually alluring and technically excellent of all Tiffany Studios New York's desk accessories, the exciting design for this refined but robustly rounded inkwell features green blown glass in pinched triangular forms that appear to dance in perfectly coordinated movement around the circumference of the piece. The negative space between the blown green glass appears in the form of stylized flowers with Minimalist linear accents in patinated bronze.
Artist: Tiffany Studios New York
Country: United States
circa 1900
Dimensions: 3.75" height, 6.25" diameter
Materials: Leaded glass, bronze
Signed: "Tiffany Studios New York 25055” along with the Tiffany Studios monogram...
Category
Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Large Carl Auböck Model #5072 'Chain' Nickel Paperweight
Located in Glendale, CA
Carl Aubo¨ck Model #5072 'Chain' nickel paperweight. Executed in nickel-plated cast iron and designed in the 1950s, this incredibly clean and refined Viennese paperweight is hand fab...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Iron, Nickel
1950s Paul McCobb Mid-Century Modern Planner Group Desk Organizer
Located in Saint Paul, MN
Paul McCobb Planner Group desk organizer by Winchendon Furniture. Made in the 1950s.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Iron
Whimsical Venetian Murano Art Glass Frog on a Lily Pad over a Globe Paperweight
Located in Tustin, CA
Very artistic, fun, and whimsical, hand made and mouth blown in Italy, golden yellow with brown speckled back, white bellied art glass frog on a green lily pad flanked over a bulbous...
Category
20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Murano Glass
Murano Red Multi-Color Millefiori Flowers Italian Art Glass Rooster Sculpture
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso red and millefiori flowers Italian art glass rooster figure, sculpture or paperweight. Attributed to Ga...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Murrine, Glass
$600 Sale Price
20% Off
1970s Ashtray with Ceramic and Brass Lighter by Paolo Traversi , working
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Ashtray with ceramic and brass lighter by Paolo Traversi. 1970s, working
Paolo Traversi is a designer and manufacturer of interior furnishings known throughout the world. The curren...
Category
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Small Round Tray with Red Carrara Marble Top and Brass Edging
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Small round barware tray with red carrara marble top and brass edging.
This tray was most likely an old table top, that is now being used as a tray.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Desk Accessories
Materials
Carrara Marble, Brass
$682 Sale Price
30% Off
Florence Knoll Walnut Letter Tray
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Cambridge, US
USA, ca. 1950s. A scarce and streamlined 2-part letter tray originally designed by Florence Knoll for Knoll in 1948. Features molded plywood construction finished in walnut veneer. C...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Aluminum
Murano Glass Paperweight
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian Murano glass paperweight hand blown with red, green, and yellow swirl pattern / made in Italy, circa 1960s
Measures: Diameter 2.5 inches, height 2.5 inches
Please not...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Murano Glass
$240 Sale Price
40% Off
Cut Glass Tortoise Inkwell
Located in New York, NY
Cut glass tortoise inkwell. Vintage turtle pillbox inkwell of cut glass carrying a mounted finial topped circular lidded well originally for ink but cha...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Silver Plate
Randall Grubb Flat Flower Bouquet Glass Paperweight with a Millefiori Garland
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine, signed lampwork paperweight by Randall Grubb.
With a flat floral bouquet surrounded by a millefiori ring or garland.
With a G signat...
Category
1990s American Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Art Glass
Vintage Writing Set in Glass, italy, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Writing Desk realized in Italy in 1970s.
Only one original pen available.
Very good condition.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Glass
Hermès Ink Blotter by Dupre-Lafon, 1970s France
By Hermès
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful Hermès ink blotter by Dupre-Lafon. Made with thick tanned cowhide and finished with a thick brass ring on top with the words Hermès Paris imprint...
Category
1970s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
$3,200 / set
Vintage Ferrari Cars Badge / Emblem Lucite Desk Paperweight. Italy 1970´s
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Vintage Ferrari Badge / Emblem Lucite Desk Paperweight. Italy 1970´s.
Very nice Ferrari Advertising paperweight.
We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau and Vin...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Lucite
Post War 1953 Very Unusual Trencher Art Bookends In Bronze And Aluminum
Located in Miami, FL
Bookends with 1953 US Navy AER-53 Dummy Artillery Rounds
Elusive and historical pair of bookends, created during the post WWII period and the Korean war, back in the 1953-1955. They...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze, Aluminum
$908 Sale Price / set
30% Off
Imhof Swiss 1950 Zodiacal Modernist 8 Days Desk Clock in Gilded Bronze and Glass
By Arthur Imhof
Located in Miami, FL
Desk clock designed by Arthur Imhof.
Fabulous desk-table clock, created in Switzerland by the clocks makers house of Imhof, back in the 1950. This clock is very rare and has been ...
Category
1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Crystal, Bronze, Steel
$1,155 Sale Price
30% Off
Collectible Baccarat Crystal Cameo Franklin Mint Paperweights Set of 5
By Baccarat
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Collectible Vintage Franklin Mint Baccarat Crystal Cameo Paperweights - Set of 5.
This exquisite Franklin Mint Baccarat Crystal Cameo Paperweights Set is a stunning addition to any c...
Category
Late 20th Century French Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Art Glass
Mid-Century Ventilator, 1950's
Located in Praha, CZ
- made in Czechoslovakia
- made of metal
- re-polished
- fully functional
- good, original condition.
Category
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal
$429 / set
Contemporary Handmade Dark Brass Bookend HIPPOS, Ancient Greek Forms by Anaktae
By ANAKTAE
Located in Athens, GR
Contemporary, handcrafted bookend, model "Hippos" in oxidized brass, dark oxidation.
This bookend is part of the "Althaea Series", a collection of four bookends in brass Inspired by ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Hollywood Regency Style Gold Edge on Black Tissue Box Holder
Located in Sheffield, MA
Add a neoclassical touch to your countertop or nightstand with a gold gilt edge, finished in black -- galvanized tissue box cover. Add fashion and protection for your facial tissue....
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Materials
Tin
An Italian Grand Tour Specimen Marble Paperweight, Late 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The round paperweight framed in black marble, with porphyry and sienna marble and other marble specimens. The center in sienna marble with carved bea...
Category
1850s Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Belgian Black Marble
Seguso Murano Black Red Gold Leaf Italian Art Glass Decorative Flower Sculpture
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Rare, and beautiful, vintage Murano hand blown black and red bands Italian art glass flower sculpture. Documented, and signed by designer Archi...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Gold Leaf
$960 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Parlor Kaleidoscope by C.G. Bush & Co. of Providence, RI
By Charles G. Bush & Co
Located in Nantucket, MA
C.G. Bush & Co. parlor kaleidoscope on a turned mahogany pedestal with splayed legs, the cylindrical body of black colored textured cardstock with ...
Category
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Seo of 4 Eggshell Vases. From the Oygg series
By WKND Lab
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Seo of 4 Eggshell Vases, 2023
From The Oygg series
Material : Egg Shells, Jesmonite
Dimensions: 41.2 W x 10 D x 19.3 H (cm)
Individual size: 10.3 W x 10 D x 19.3 H (cm)
Weight: 5 kg...
Category
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Shell, Eggshell
English Inlaid Rosewood Stationery Holder with Four Separate Compartments
Located in Santa Monica, CA
English 19th century inlaid stained rosewood stationery holder with four separate compartments and brass trim.
Category
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
$500 Sale Price
22% Off
Antique Victorian Brass & Scottish Agate Postal Scale & Weights, Circa 1865-1870
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique Victorian Brass and Scottish Agate Postal scale with Weights, Circa 1865-1870.
Category
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Agate, Brass
Renaissance Inkwell Calamelli workshop, Italy, Faenza, second half of the 16th
By Virgiliotto Calamelli
Located in Milano, IT
Inkwell
Calamelli workshop (attr.).
Faenza, second half of the 16th century
Height 4.33 in; length 8.07 in; depth 2.95 in (11 cm; 20.5 cm; 7.5 cm)
Weight: 0.800 lb (363 g)
State of conservation: some chipping to the top of the mask around the mouth. Handle glued, without any restorations; minor chips in some raised areas.
This object has the shape of a foot wearing Greek-style footwear, as can be seen in some raised areas. The foot is anatomically modeled with bare toes, while the ankle is partially covered by the footwear. On the heel, there is a small circular handle to support the object. The mouth of the container is shaped like a mask. The interior, completely enameled, suggests that the piece was intended to be used as an inkwell or to contain some other liquid. The base, however, is not enamelled.
The painted decoration, scant and brief, consists of rapid cobalt blue shading between the toes of the foot, with more precise emphasis on the nails. It is accompanied by yellow citrine accents to enhance the forms. The mask is painted with the tip of the brush, to accentuate the tense nature of the eyes and to accentuate their outline. Thin strokes of yellow-orange line the interior of the mouth.
Since the Renaissance, this decoration has been referred to as "compendiaria" and it characterizes the period of production extending from the mid-16th century to approximately the middle of the following century. It significantly influenced tastes at the time. It evolved from the polychrome style "istoriato" and transformed into a new style that "summarized" (compendia), or condensed, the ornamentation of the works into a few colors, placing greater prominence on the shapes. It was often inspired by metal specimens. Since the Renaissance, this decoration has been referred to as "compendiaria" and it characterizes the period of production extending from the mid-16th century to approximately the middle of the following century. It significantly influenced tastes at the time. It evolved from the polychrome style "istoriato" and transformed into a new style that "summarized" (compendia), or condensed, the ornamentation of the works into a few colors, placing greater prominence on the shapes. It was often inspired by metal specimens.
This artwork finds parallels in similar objects all characterized by this refined style and produced in the city of Faenza and other Italian centers starting from the mid-16th century.
The closest comparable example in majolica is a foot acquired by the British Museum in 2011 (inv. 2011, 8008.1). This was previously published by Carmen Ravanelli Guidotti in 1996 and later by Dora Thornton in 2016 during the conference on Renaissance ceramics...
Category
16th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Maiolica
Unit Boy Table Lamps, Stylish Modern Rattan Handcrafted Light created by Ango
By Ango
Located in Bangkok, TH
Unit boy, table lamp in rattan, created in the unique random weaving technique developed by Ango, is a one of a kind art piece table lamp. The diffuser form evokes a lotus bloom, while the light emitted via the diffuser has a wonderful warmth, accentuated by the cadmium orange coated base.
Unit Boy rattan table lamp size 8 in W x 8 in D x 10 in H
in millimetre 200 mm W x 200 mm D x 250 mm H
Light source : LED Filament 6W
*Please note that due to the handmade nature of our products, slight variations in size may occur compared to the tear sheet...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Stainless Steel
Two Amber And Silver Letter Openers
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Two letter openers in dark, yellow and nearly white amber. Hallmarked silver.
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Silver
$299 Sale Price / item
29% Off
Toni Zuccheri Murano Glass Paper Holder for VeArt, Italy, 1970s
By Toni Zuccheri, VeArt
Located in Milan, IT
Toni Zuccheri paper holder for VeArt, Italy, 1970s.
Category
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Murano Glass
Bronze Deer Head & Letter Opener Sculpture Paperweight Antique, Austria, 1900s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A decorative paperweight and Letter opener sculpture. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is old-age. Made of metal or bronze. This item was purchased at an estate sale in Vienna,...
Category
Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Vintage Leather Stitched Padfolio Bond Street Italy
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Moroccan leather burgundy leather padfolio.
Vintage Bond Street Leather Portfolio Italy Burgundy.
Gorgeous Burgundy Pebbled Leather Portfolio
B...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather
Antique Gentlemen English Travel Writing Desk in Wood, Restored
Located in Milano, IT
Antique English man's portable desk early 800. RESTAURED. Precious travel writing box in walnut wood dating back to the second half of the 800. The box o...
Category
Early 1800s English Georgian Antique Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
$2,385 Sale Price
20% Off
Steel 1960s Ventotene Desk Organizer, Model 3054A by E. Mari for Danese Milano
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Ventotene desk organizer, model 3054A in polished steel designed by Enzo Mari for Danese Milano in 1964.
Good condition: this is a vintage item, not a brand new product. Signs of we...
Category
1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Steel
Mid Century Mahogany Plywood Trash Can
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1960, We offer this mid century Mahogany Plywood trash can. Recently restored.
Category
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Plywood
Mid-Century Sculpture of Cat/ Royal Dux, 1960s
By Royal Dux
Located in Praha, CZ
- made in Czechoslovakia
- made of ceramic
- good, original condition.
Category
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Ceramic
$183 Sale Price
30% Off
Tiffany Studios New York Zodiac Bronze Doré Letter Rack
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique gilt bronze desk letter holder rack featuring Zodiac designs
By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside)
New York, USA, Early 20th Century
Measures: 12"W x 3.3...
Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Carl Auböck Model #3654 Brass Bookends
Located in Glendale, CA
Pair of Carl Auböck model #3654 brass bookends. Designed in the 1950s, this incredibly refined and sculptural pair of bookends are executed in patinated and polished brass.
Price i...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass
Tiffany Studios New York Zodiac Bronze Doré Pen Tray
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous antique gilt bronze pen tray featuring Zodiac designs
By Tiffany Studios (signed to the underside)
New York, USA, Early 20th Century
Measures: 10.25"W x 3.25"D x 0.38"H...
Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Materials
Bronze
Vintage Romeo Rega Signed Brass and Chrome-Plated Checkers Game Italian Restored
By Romeo Rega
Located in North Miami, FL
This ultra chic and modern signed vintage Italian Romeo Rega vintage checkers game has sculptural components. It is great just even as a decorative ob...
Category
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Brass, Stainless Steel, Chrome
Stich Leather Pencil Holder Krystal Tray 1950s France
Located in Den Haag, NL
Very nice black Stich leather pen holder, comes with a Krystal Glass inlay
signed '' Val Saint Lambert '' attributed to Hermes or Jacques Adnet.
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Materials
Leather
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.