Desk Accessories
Late 20th Century Scottish Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1980s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plexiglass
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1970s Scottish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1930s North American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
1990s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 20th Century Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Brazilian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Agate
1930s British Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
1930s North American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Enamel, Steel, Chrome
1980s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Art Glass
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1980s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 20th Century English Desk Accessories
Crystal
1980s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1980s Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Swedish Minimalist Desk Accessories
Crystal
Late 20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Desk Accessories
Resin
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
1980s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1980s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal
Late 20th Century Minimalist Desk Accessories
Wood, Burl
1980s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1980s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel, Chrome
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Late 20th Century French Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel, Stainless Steel
1970s Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, Bronze
1990s American Modern Desk Accessories
Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Gold
1970s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Chrome
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Burl
Late 20th Century Japanese Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Oak
1970s Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel, Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Silver, Sterling Silver
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Late 20th Century Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century Indian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Resin
1980s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal, Silver
1930s Danish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
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.