Desk Accessories
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Granite, Marble
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bakelite
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Crystal
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Congolese Desk Accessories
Malachite
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Gothic Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Desk Accessories
Chrome
1890s Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
Early 1900s Austrian Jugendstil Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century English Desk Accessories
Stoneware
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
1980s Taiwanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
1980s German Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Art Glass
19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Late 20th Century Canadian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1950s Iraqi Islamic Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Early 20th Century Russian Desk Accessories
Onyx, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s French Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Crystal
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Agate, Onyx, Sterling Silver, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Desk Accessories
Glass
19th Century British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Hong Kong Space Age Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Leather
Late 20th Century German Modern Desk Accessories
Gold, Stainless Steel
Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique Desk Accessories
Gold, Platinum, Silver, Enamel
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver, Brass
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Jade, Gold, Silver, Enamel
2010s Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
Early 20th Century British Desk Accessories
Nickel
1970s Swiss Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold
1880s European Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century Japanese Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Stoneware
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Desk Accessories
Marble
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Gold Plate, Steel
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1980s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Mid-20th Century European Greco Roman Desk Accessories
Brass, Bronze
Early 19th Century German Art Deco Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
Early 20th Century American American Classical Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass
1920s Danish Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
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.