Desk Accessories
Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Desk Accessories
Marble
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Hardwood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Aluminum, Copper
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze, Brass
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Chrome
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Horn
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Desk Accessories
Lucite
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Nickel
Mid-20th Century Thai Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Stoneware, Terracotta
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Murrine, Wood, Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Copper, Brass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass
1910s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
1930s Slovak Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century British Desk Accessories
Nickel
1910s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
1950s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1930s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
1910s English Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Teak, Paper
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Walnut
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plywood
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Walnut
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Desk Accessories
Bronze
1930s British Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-20th Century British Industrial Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Alabaster
Early 1900s English Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, 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.