Desk Accessories
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx
Late 20th Century German Modern Desk Accessories
Gold, Stainless Steel
1980s Taiwanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 2000s German Modern Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-19th Century Irish Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience
Mid-20th Century Dutch Industrial Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Sommerso, Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Stoneware
2010s Chinese Qing Desk Accessories
Jade
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
20th Century Russian Baroque Revival Desk Accessories
Jade, Silver
1970s Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 19th Century American Adirondack Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Early 20th Century European Desk Accessories
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Bronze, Wire
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Resin
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Baroque Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Silver, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
Late 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
1980s American Minimalist Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Birdseye Maple
Late 20th Century French Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
Early 1900s British British Colonial Antique Desk Accessories
Faux Leather
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Chrome
1970s Indonesian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Onyx, Marble
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Late 19th Century German Antique Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Danish Art Deco Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
2010s Indian Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Wicker, Rattan, Reed
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Suede, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Rosewood
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx, Metal
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century French Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Agate, Onyx
Late 20th Century Japanese Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
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.