Desk Accessories
Mid-20th Century Asian Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Mohair
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1940s South American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather, Oak
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal, Bronze
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Plaster, Paint
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
1930s Scottish Vintage Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1950s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Horn
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Bakelite
Mid-20th Century European Adirondack Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Austrian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Nickel
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Paper
Mid-20th Century Thai Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Horn
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Stoneware, Terracotta
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Desk Accessories
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl, Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murrine, Wood, Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Alabaster
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Naugahyde, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Desk Accessories
Steel, Nickel
Mid-20th Century American Desk Accessories
Crystal
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
1970s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
1960s Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1930s Danish Bauhaus Vintage Desk Accessories
Iron
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass
1960s Italian Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
1970s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Desk Accessories
Travertine
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern 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.