Desk Accessories
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Stone, Silver
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
1820s French Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Asian Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Mohair
1890s Grand Tour Antique Desk Accessories
Glass
1970s Italian Industrial Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
1840s French Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Desk Accessories
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
1940s South American Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather, Oak
Late 19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Porcelain, Wood
2010s Portuguese Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Carrara Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic
2010s Austrian Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1990s Italian Other Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Italian Desk Accessories
Marble
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Desk Accessories
Rock Crystal, Bronze
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s American Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Suede, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1880s English Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Silver
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Leather
2010s American Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s American Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel
1990s American Modern Desk Accessories
Iron
Late 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Sèvres
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Belgian Black Marble, Silver
1810s European George III Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
20th Century Italian Classical Greek Desk Accessories
Bronze
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.