Desk Accessories
20th Century Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Porcelain
2010s American Other Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Chinese Export Desk Accessories
Ceramic
19th Century English Antique Desk Accessories
Pottery
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Glass, Mirror
Late 20th Century Italian Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Glass
Late 20th Century North American Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Plexiglass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Stone, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1990s Moroccan Moorish Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
2010s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Onyx, Metal
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Agate, Stone, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Crystal
1970s Spanish Hollywood Regency Vintage Desk Accessories
Resin
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1960s French Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
1980s American Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome, Brass
Mid-20th Century Austrian Industrial Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
Mid-20th Century French Streamlined Moderne Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
1970s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic
2010s Chinese Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Resin, Plastic, Paint
2010s German Country Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1920s English Edwardian Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Enamel
20th Century French Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Stone, Agate, Metal
1980s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century European Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Murrine
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 1900s Austrian Rococo Antique Desk Accessories
Enamel
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Modern Desk Accessories
Steel, Stainless Steel
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Enamel, Silver Plate, Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble
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.