Desk Accessories
20th Century Late Victorian Desk Accessories
Metal, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Murrine
21st Century and Contemporary German Art Deco Desk Accessories
Platinum
Late 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Japanese Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century German Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bentwood
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Russian Space Age Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 19th Century Belle Époque Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Crystal
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desk Accessories
Aluminum, Gold Plate, Chrome
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Bakelite
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Silver
1820s British Georgian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 19th Century English Georgian Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Early 1800s French Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1910s American Arts and Crafts Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
1960s North American Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic
1980s French Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
Early 19th Century German Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Murano Glass
20th Century English Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Stoneware
Late 20th Century Japanese Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century German Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Plaster
20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Crystal, Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Korean Space Age Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble
1970s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
Late 19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Onyx, Brass, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Gold, Bronze
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold, Silver Plate
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
1950s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
2010s North American Desk Accessories
Glass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate, Brass, Chrome
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
21st Century and Contemporary American Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso
Late 20th Century Japanese Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century French Anglo Raj Desk Accessories
Paper
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.