Desk Accessories
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Porcelain
20th Century British Desk Accessories
Leather
20th Century Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1940s South American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather, Oak
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal, Bronze
1990s American Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
20th Century Italian Classical Greek Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Nickel
Late 20th Century Japanese Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Birch, Maple, Walnut, Burl
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Aluminum, Copper
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Mid-20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate, Brass
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze, Brass
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1970s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Plaster, Paint
Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Desk Accessories
Marble
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century Japanese Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Zinc
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Alabaster, Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Adirondack Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Horn
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
20th Century Scottish Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murrine, Wood, Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
20th Century English Folk Art Desk Accessories
Acrylic
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Copper, Brass
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Teak, Paper
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Nickel
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
1980s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century American Edwardian Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
Mid-20th Century American Desk Accessories
Crystal
1910s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Black Forest Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
20th Century British Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1930s Italian Modern Vintage 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.