Desk Accessories
Late 19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Oak
Late 20th Century Scottish Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
20th Century British Other Desk Accessories
Silver, Enamel
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1950s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
Mid-20th Century Scottish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
20th Century American Victorian Desk Accessories
Crystal, Iron
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Bronze, Wire
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Alabaster, Marble
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Desk Accessories
Silver
Late 19th Century English Georgian Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Sterling Silver
1980s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Early 20th Century British Edwardian Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 1900s American Aesthetic Movement Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1960s British Futurist Vintage Desk Accessories
Aluminum
1970s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Late 19th Century French Aesthetic Movement Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Late 20th Century Japanese Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
1920s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Desk Accessories
Leather
Mid-19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Silver
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French Desk Accessories
Crystal, Bronze
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Desk Accessories
Gold, Bronze
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
Late 20th Century Japanese Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Murrine
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Early 2000s German Modern Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Japanese Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Bakelite
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1630s Dutch Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Desk Accessories
Enamel, Copper
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
Early 20th Century Unknown Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold Plate
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century French Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century French Classical Roman Desk Accessories
Bronze
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
Late 19th Century American Adirondack Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
1950s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Australian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century Italian Baroque Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold Plate
1950s Czech Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Suede, Mahogany
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century European Antique Desk Accessories
Leather
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
20th Century French Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Birdseye Maple
1970s French Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century Indian British Colonial Antique Desk Accessories
Ebony
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.