Desk Accessories
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
2010s Australian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Crystal, Bronze
1960s Scottish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1920s Spanish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Alabaster
20th Century French Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Walnut
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-19th Century French Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Late 19th Century Aesthetic Movement Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Brass
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass, Blown Glass
Late 19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1920s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Scottish Desk Accessories
Glass
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze, Aluminum
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Stone
Mid-20th Century British Desk Accessories
Hardwood
1810s English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
19th Century Japanese Antique Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1990s Philippine Egyptian Revival Desk Accessories
Stone, Brass
1830s Russian Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bakelite
Early 2000s Italian Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Mirror, Glass
20th Century Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Bronze
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 19th Century Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
Late 20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
2010s French Desk Accessories
Marble
1990s French Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Alligator
1960s Vintage Desk Accessories
Rosewood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Copper
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1840s French Louis Philippe Antique Desk Accessories
Cherry
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
1960s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Bakelite
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Ebony
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Stone
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Early 20th Century Italian Black Forest Desk Accessories
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
2010s Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
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.