Desk Accessories
Mid-19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Marble
1880s English Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Steel
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century French Streamlined Moderne Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century Swedish Desk Accessories
Crystal
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Agate, Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
1960s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Oak
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass, Copper, Zinc
1930s Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, Stainless Steel
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Early 18th Century Dutch Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1880s Austrian Other Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Early 20th Century British Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 1900s French Neoclassical Revival Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
1950s Czech Vintage Desk Accessories
Laminate, Beech
1930s American Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Steel
1960s European Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
19th Century French Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze, Steel
1870s Indian Black Forest Antique Desk Accessories
Bone, Antler, Leather, Sandalwood
20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Belgian Louis XV Antique Desk Accessories
Brass, Metal
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze, Enamel
1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Cedar
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
19th Century Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass, Pewter
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Fruitwood
20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Cedar
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
19th Century French Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze, Gold Leaf
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 1900s Great Britain (UK) Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Sterling Silver
1980s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1950s Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century French Desk Accessories
Leather
2010s Austrian Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze, Ormolu
1970s American Brutalist Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Glass
1890s French Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal
Late 19th Century French Egyptian Revival Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Gold, Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Leather
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage 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.