Desk Accessories
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Hemp
1910s French Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Malachite, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Industrial Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Late 20th Century British Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Turkish Desk Accessories
Leather
2010s Dutch Other Desk Accessories
Epoxy Resin, Acrylic, Polyester
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal, Gold, Brass
1930s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century Desk Accessories
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Copper
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Resin
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Opaline Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Horn
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Leather
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Mirror
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
1870s British Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble, Metal
2010s Austrian Desk Accessories
Stone
2010s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Desk Accessories
Carrara Marble, Brass
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1890s British Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 2000s Italian Space Age Desk Accessories
Plastic
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Austrian Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Early 19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Wood
1910s American Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s American Minimalist Desk Accessories
Soapstone
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
1980s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze, Foil
1940s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Silver Plate
1920s British Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
1890s French Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Early 1900s French Neoclassical Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century German Black Forest Desk Accessories
Antler, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian 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.