Original Auböck Brass Paperweight, 1950, Austria
Located in Wien, AT
Carl Auböck brass paperweight, 1950, Vienna, Austria.
1950s Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Original Auböck Brass Paperweight, 1950, Austria
Located in Wien, AT
Carl Auböck brass paperweight, 1950, Vienna, Austria.
Brass
"Astuccio" Leather Case Designed by Oscar Maschera
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Astuccio" is a leather case, designed and manufactured by Oscar Maschera. Genuine Italian leather vegetable tanned. Colors combination to be chosen from the available range: tan, si...
Leather
Bugatti Tank Car Mascot / Hood Ornament / Paperweight. France 1930
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Bugatti Tank Car Mascot / Hood Ornament / Paperweight. France 1930. Silvered Bronze Sculpture depicting a Bugatti Type 32 ¨Tank¨ Car. Mounted over an acylic base. Signed CAD. Lovely ...
Bronze
Swedish Art Deco Bronze Inkwell by GAB, 1930s – Minimalist Desk Set with Tray
Located in Stockholm, SE
A refined Swedish Art Deco inkwell crafted in patinated bronze by GAB (Guldsmedsaktiebolaget), dating to the 1930s. This elegant desk accessory embodies the restrained sophistication...
Bronze
Vintage Gold Dore Bronze Letter Rack by Silver Crest Gold Over Bronze
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Spectacular vintage letter rack designed by Silver Crest Gold Over Bronze, it has the maker’s mark in the bottom. Beautiful piece for your desk. Made of bronze in an Art Deco design....
Bronze
$525Sale Price|30% Off
Silver letter opener in the shape of a sword with acanthus leaf reliefs
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver letter opener in the shape of a sword with acanthus leaf reliefs on the handle. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portuguese. Brand: Eagle Head. Weight: 95.04 grams. Dimensi...
Silver
1970's Steel paperweight attributed to Maria Pergay
By Maria Pergay
Located in Bois-Colombes, FR
1970's Steel paperweight attributed to Maria Pergay
Stainless Steel
Pair of French Ormolu Figural Candelabra, 19th Century
Located in Cypress, CA
Exquisite pair of French Louis XV style gilt bronze five-light figural candelabra, 19th century. Five foliage-inspired candleholders are conjoined by intricate gilt bronze scrollin...
Bronze
A Regency Cut Glass Miniature Obelisk Prism With An Optical Illusion Of An Urn
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A Very Beautiful Well Executed Regency Cut Glass Miniature Obelisk Prism. With An Optical Illusion Of An Urn Decorated With Hand Painted Flowers By cutting a pattern on the back, an...
Cut Glass, Paint
Roycroft Arts & Crafts Copper Blotter Corners With Leather Desk Blotter
By Roycroft
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous set of Arts & Crafts period brass finished hand hammered copper blotter corners with brown leather desk blotter By Roycroft (signed with impressed orb and cross mark) US...
Brass, Copper
1960s Original French Glass Pepsi Bottles, Large Quantity Available
Located in Hook, Hampshire
1960s original French glass Pepsi bottles, large quantity available. We recently came across a large quantity of these original French Pepsi bottles and h...
Art Glass
Giant Cut Glass Sterling Silver Inkwell
Located in Vienna, AT
A very nice example of a large glass inkwell with silver marked lid with a hallmark ingraved. To the back of the lid under the hinge are initials a...
Sterling Silver
Roycroft Arts & Crafts Brass Finished Hammered Copper Pen Tray
By Roycroft
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Arts & Crafts period brass finished hand hammered copper pen tray, desk tray, or ashtray By Roycroft (signed with impressed orb and cross mark) USA, Circa 1920s Measure...
Brass, Copper
Roycroft Arts & Crafts Brass Finished Hammered Copper Letter Opener, Circa 1920s
By Roycroft
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Arts & Crafts period brass finished hand hammered copper letter opener By Roycroft (signed with impressed orb and cross mark) USA, Circa 1920s Measures: 7.75"W x 1.25"D...
Brass, Copper
1963 Rosewood Waste Basket by Einar Barnes for P.S. Heggen, Made in Norway
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Brazilian Rosewood Wastebasket, designed by Einar Barnes for P.S. Heggen in around 1963. This piece dates to around the same time. It features a facade and an interior that...
Wood, Rosewood
Edward Wormley for Dunbar Desk Secretary
Located in Pawtucket, RI
Very rare desk secretary designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Functional five drawers and letter slots on turned brass knobs and feet. With original Dunb...
Brass
Vintage Ceramic Lighter, Italy, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage ceramic lighter is an original decorative object realized in Italy in the 1970s. Original vintage lighter with the upper part of the lighter...
Metal
Mr.Peanut, Vintage Peanut Butter Maker, USA, Mid-20th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Mr.Peanut - vintage peanut butter maker is an original decorative object realized in the mid-20th century. This vintage object was realized by Emenee and it was used as a real pea...
Plastic
French Early 19th Century Louis XV St. Sèvres Porcelain and Ormolu Inkwell
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful and exceptionally high quality French early 19th century Louis XV st. Sèvres Porcelain and ormolu inkwell, signed Sèvres. The inkwell is raised by striking pierced scrolled foliate ormolu movements in a most decorative satin and burnished finished. At the center is the finely detailed Sèvres Porcelain tray...
Ormolu
1970s Letter Holder in Black & Transparent Lucite - French Desk Accessory
Located in ROUEN, Normandie
1970s Letter Holder in Black & Transparent Lucite - French Desk Accessory Minimal and chic letter holder, made of lucite. Perfect to place on a desk or in the entryway. Dimens...
Lucite, Plexiglass
Wooden brush holder/trinket tray, Benin, 1950
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Handcrafted carved wooden object from Benin, dating from the 1950s. This cylindrical piece is richly decorated with figurative scenes depicting figures and tropical vegetation, finel...
Wood
Contemporary Silver Aluminium Gio Hook by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Aluminium Gio Hook by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 2 x D 8 x H 12 cm Materials: Aluminium The Gio Hook is sand cast in Aluminium. Named after Signor Ponti, fo...
Aluminum
$8,750Sale Price|30% Off
Chiseled silver inkwell with two tanks, bell & four hollow feet
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Chiseled silver inkwell with two reservoirs and bell, base, pen holders and resting on four pierced feet. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portuguese. Brand: Lisbon Crown. Weight:...
Silver
A Pair Victorian Casted and Gilded Iron Candle Stick with Bears
Located in Berghuelen, DE
A Pair Victorian Casted and Gilded Iron Candle Stick with Bears A pair great Victorian casted iron candle sticks with gilded finish and marble base, Germany circa 1860. Each depicti...
Iron
Antique 19th Century English Solid Silver Paperknife & Penknife Bookmark c.1868
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 20th Century English solid silver paperknife bookmark. Hidden within the handle, a small retractable penknife is present. Hallmarked English solid silver (925 standard), Lond...
Silver
Mid Century Dandelion Flower Lucite Paperweight by Gumps USA 1960s
By Gumps
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
This is a vintage mid-century dandelion flower encased in lucite paperweight made by Gumps USA in the 1960s. It is a perfect decorative piece of art for a desk or mid-century inspire...
Lucite
Midcentury Functional Tesla Phone 1960, Československo
By Tesla
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition. - Fully functional. - Tesla manufacturer.
Bakelite
Typewriter Olivetti "M44", East Germany, 1947
Located in Praha, CZ
Oldschool typewriter "M44" made by Olivetti, in East Germany, in the year 1947. Made of metal and chrome. Repolished, cleaned, shows signs of use and age. Fully functional.
Metal, Chrome
Vintage Glass Paperweight, Italy, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage glass paperweight is an original Contemporary Design Object realized in the 1970s. Original art glass. Made in Italy. Dimensions...
Art Glass
Vintage American Walnut 2-Tier Desk Organizer / Paper Tray by Shield Industries
Located in San Diego, CA
A sculptural and highly functional two-tier desk organizer crafted from genuine American walnut by Shield Industries, a California maker known for clean-lined, modernist desk accesso...
Walnut
Arts and Crafts Letter Rack, Copper Envelope A super piece
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Arts and Crafts Letter Rack, Copper Envelope A super piece, arts and crafts hand made with hand beaten Cooper in the shape of an open envelope, just the thing to keep your mail tidy...
Copper
Leather Desk Blotter by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Austria, 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Large desk blotter by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, made of thick natural leather with stitched edge and solid metal corner fittings. The rectangular writing pad shows a beautifully ag...
Metal
René Lalique Cup with Foot "Dampierre"
By René Lalique
Located in Madrid, ES
René Lalique Cup with foot "Dampierre", in French crystal from the 20th century, molded and relieved, signed 'Lalique, France'. Dimensions: 12.5 x 12 cm.
Crystal
A Large Victorian Mahogany Gallery or Magnifying Glass, 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
A very large Georgian or Victorian mahogany gallery or magnifying glass. The circular glass within a mahogany frame, the baluster handle screwing into a brass bracket in the rim. Eng...
Glass, Mahogany
Montblanc Limited Edition 2009 Max Von Oppenheim 693/888
19th Century French Pewter Magnifying Glass with Laurel Wreath Frame
Located in Dallas, TX
Elevate a desk or library setting with this elegant antique French magnifying glass, crafted circa 1870 and notable for its exceptional scale and refined neoclassical design. The rou...
Pewter
Silvered Metal and Pietra Dura Table Planter
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A rare silvered metal desk or tabletop planter inlaid with 12 framed Pietra Dura panels of inlaid colorful flowers on a black base, complete with its ...
Metal
Antique Victorian Brass Bells in Shape of Ladies, 19th Century, Set of 2
Located in Esbjerg, DK
A couple of cast table bells in the shape of fashionable ladies. The little one showcases a Crinoline dress. They were both made in England during the ...
Brass
Roycroft Arts & Crafts Hammered Brass Over Copper Inkwell
By Roycroft
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Arts & Crafts period brass finished hand hammered copper inkwell By Roycroft (signed with impressed orb and cross mark) USA, Early 20th Century Measures: 3.5"W x 3.5"D ...
Brass, Copper
$443Sale Price|30% Off
Antique French Brass Double Inkwell with Foliage Decoration
Located in Sofia, BG
Double inkwell made in brass with detailed and very beautiful foliage decoration. France, circa 1900.
Brass
Italian Hardstone 'Rhodonite' Box, circa 1970s
Located in Litchfield, CT
This fabulous Italian hardstone box is a sleek, colorful example of seventies decorative objets, Italy, circa 1970s. The Rhodonite used in this one was c...
Rhodoid
Brass Vase by Walter von Nessen for Chase
By Walter Von Nessen, Chase Brass and Copper Company
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brass vase by Walter von Nessen for Chase, c.1930s, USA. The solid patinated brass Art Deco vase features a tulip opening and four incised rings around the bottom of the vessel. Impr...
Brass
1930s E. Gubelin Art Deco Desk Clock in the Asian Chinese Style
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: E. Gubelin, Lucerne Switzerland STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco, Desk Clock MOVEMENT / CALIBER: 8 Day, Lever Escapement DIAL / HANDS: Original, Fired Enamel, Polished St...
Precious Stone
Art Deco Tennis Racket Bookends
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of silver plate metal bookends depicting a tennis racquet and ball. Made in France. Circa: 1940.
Silver Plate
1960s 'Selectform' Teak Desk Organizer by Georg Petersens Mobelfabrik of Denmark
By Georg Petersens Møbelfabrik, Georg Petersens
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a fine Teak Selectform Desk Organizer, designed in the 1960s by Danish furniture maker Georg Petersen, and produced by his firm Georg Petersen Mobelfabrik A/S. This example r...
Steel
$200 / item
Menhir Black Marble Carved Bookend
By Casa Mineral
Located in Mexico City, MX
Bookend in carved Monterrey black marble. Handmade in Mexico. Production time: 6-8 weeks for items without marble / 13-14 weeks for marble pieces. Shipping +10 additional business d...
Marble
Mid Century Modern Teak Wood Bookend, Sculptural Design, 1960s
Located in Leicester, GB
A beautiful Mid Century Modern teak wood bookend - freestanding book shelf. Handmade and dating to around 1960's. A gorgeous, sculptural design whihc is suitable for large and small ...
Teak
Decorative XIX Century Child Wax Bust
Located in Madrid, ES
XIX Century child wax bust. Curious bust in wax representing a child of the xix century on wooden base total measurements: 22 cm height only the bust 16 cm.
Fruitwood
$1,200
Brass Box with Filigree
Located in Lyndhurst, NJ
Regency brass veneered letter box The brass veneered letter with delicate filigree accents throughout. The canted lid opening to reveal a mirrored underside and leather writing su...
Brass
Victorian Sterling Silver Inkstand
By Charles Thomas Fox & George Fox
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian English sterling silver desk standish; an addition to our ornamental silverware collection This exceptional antique Victorian sterling silver desk standish has a naturalistic-shaped form. The surface of the stand is embellished with impressive bright cut engraved scrolling leaf and floral ornamentation, incorporating a scroll bordered cartouche bearing the contemporary bright cut engraved crest of an elephant's head. The stand is further ornamented with scrolling designs encompassing an oval recess, composing a pen well. The rim of the body of the sterling silver inkstand...
Sterling Silver
$385Sale Price|30% Off
Silver letter opener with coin relief on top and cross on the blade
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver letter opener with coin relief on top and cross on the blade. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portuguese. Brand: boar II Title. Weight: 62.19 grams. Dimensions: 22cmx...
Silver
$3,650Sale Price|20% Off
Gilded Austrian Bronze Inkwell / Pen Rest, Signed Bergmann
Located in Bath, GB
A magnificent and grand late Victorian Austrian desk set, made from cast bronze, beautifully finished in gold. The cast Owl is a figural inkwell ...
Bronze
$280Sale Price|30% Off
Filigree silver letter opener in the shape of a dagger, bone handle and sheath
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Filigree silver letter opener in the shape of a dagger, bone handle and rolled sheath. Metal: Silver. Origin: Arabic. Brand: Unknown. Weight: 24.87 grams. Dimensions: 5....
Silver
English Victorian Silver and Cranberry Glass Inkwell
Located in Queens, NY
English Victorian silver plated inkwell with 2 cranberry glass wells and back handle.
Silver
Eugène Feuillâtre "Pavot" Inkwell
Located in New York, NY
This stunning enamel, silvered metal, and gilt metal "Pavot" inkwell by Eugène Feuillâtre features peacock feather embellishments. The Inkwell lies under the gilded and silvered metal poppy seed pod lid, to which the title pavot (translated to English as poppy) refers. The vessel is vaguely pumpkin-shaped with negative space in a honeydew green, with white peacock feathers featuring purple and turquoise details. Product Details: Item #: S-21164 Artist: Eugène Feuillâtre Country: France Circa: 1900 Dimensions: 2.25" height, 3.5" diameter Materials: Enamel, Silvered Metal, Gilt Metal Signed: impressed Feuillâtre Exhibition History: Examples of this inkwell can be found in the permanent collections of Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva (inv. no. E 01500), Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (inv. no. 8746), and Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg (inv. no. 1966.1). Salon des Artistes français, 1898. Literature: L. Bénédite, et. al., "Exposition Universelle de 1900: Les Beaux-Arts et les Arts Decoratifs," Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1900, p. 510 (for a related example). H. Frantz, "E. Feuillatre, Emailleur," L’Art Décoratif, no. 28, Paris, January 1901, p. 166 (for a related example). C. Saunier, "Céramique, Verrerie, Émail," L’Art Décoratif, no. 34, Paris, July 1901, p. 155 (for a related example). R. Marx, La Décoration et les Industries d'Art à l'Exposition Universelle de 1900, Paris, 1901, p. 95 (for a related example). M. P. Verneuil, "L'Émail et les Émailleures," Art et Décoration, no. 2, Paris, February 1904, pp. 37-39 (for a related example). M. Rheims, L'Objet 1900, Paris, 1964, p. 34, no. 18 (for a related example). P. Garner, ed., The Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts 1890-1940, New York, 1978, p. 95 (for a related example). Die Jugendstil - Sammlung: Band 1: Künstler A-F, exh. cat., Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, 1979, pp. 465-466, cat. no. 655. A. Duncan, The Paris Salons 1895-1914, Volume V: Objets d'Art & Metalware, Suffolk, 1994, p. 252 (for related examples). G. de Bartha, L'Art 1900: La Collection Neumann, New York, 1994, p. 128 (for a related example). J. T. Busch and C. L. Futter, Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851-1939, exh. cat., Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, 2012, p. 196, no. 9 (for a related example). Macklowe Gallery Curator's Notes: Eugène Feuillâtre’s career began in René Lalique’s enamelling...
Metal, Enamel
1960's Original Vintage Stubby Hungarian Milk Bottles Large Size - Quantity Avai
Located in Hook, Hampshire
1960's Original Vintage Stubby Hungarian Milk Bottles Large Size - Quantity Available. Mixed light green and clear Hungarian milk bottles. Listing is for one bottle, random selecti...
Glass
Enzo Mari, Travertine desk organizer, Fratelli Mannelli Italy 1970s
By Fratelli Mannelli, Enzo Mari
Located in Firenze, IT
Travertine desk organizer Enzo Mari, Fratelli Mannelli, Italy, 1970s. H 10 cm - 13 × 14.5 cm. Conditions: good condition consistent with age and use. Defects.
Travertine
Russian Antique Desk Set in Guilloche Enamel with Diamonds
Located in London, GB
This exquisite Russian desk set features glittering rose diamonds and silver gilt. The set comprises a stamp, two inkwells, a letter holder and a picture frame, which all sit on a St...
Enamel, Silver
French Mid-Century Stone Coasters (Set of 8)
Located in London, GB
A set of natural stone circular drink place mats or coasters. Likely Agates. France, c1970s. A variety of colours and stone specimens. All have a circular hole in the centre pres...
Stone
$1,225Sale Price|30% Off
Silver table bell with reliefs and cutouts
Located in Porto, PT
Description: Silver table bell with reliefs and cutouts. Metal: Silver. Origin: Portuguese. Brand: javali II Title. Weight: 264.18 grams. Dimensions: 9.7cmx9.3cm. Content: 833/1000. ...
Silver
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.