Desk Accessories
Late 20th Century Spanish Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass, Enamel
Early 20th Century American Industrial Desk Accessories
Steel
1990s European Desk Accessories
Gold
1910s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Cedar
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century American Desk Accessories
Plastic
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 19th Century Indian Other Antique Desk Accessories
Wood, Paper
1920s English Neoclassical Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Sterling Silver
1910s Russian Neoclassical Vintage Desk Accessories
Jade, Silver
Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Desk Accessories
Steel
1950s German Country Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Agate
1960s Czech Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Chrome
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Faience
1960s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1810s English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Stone
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1980s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1960s German Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Fruitwood
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bakelite
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Silver Plate, Brass
Early 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1630s Dutch Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
19th Century European Louis Philippe Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
1930s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Leather
Early 1900s Other Antique Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Early 20th Century German Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Spelter
1970s Greek Greek Revival Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Brass
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Desk Accessories
Soapstone
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Cedar
21st Century and Contemporary French Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal, Gold, Gold Leaf
19th Century Danish Antique Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 19th Century Mexican Rustic Antique Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
15th Century and Earlier European Prehistoric Antique Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal
1970s French Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate, Stainless Steel
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
19th Century Persian Antique Desk Accessories
Gold, Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Chrome
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.