Desk Accessories
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Walnut
19th Century French Rococo Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Turkish Desk Accessories
Aluminum
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Blown Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Gold Leaf
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
Mid-19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Early 20th Century English Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Desk Accessories
Metal
1960s Vintage Desk Accessories
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Silver
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Iron, Brass
1870s French Japonisme Antique Desk Accessories
Ormolu, Enamel
2010s Italian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Limestone, Stainless Steel
1910s Scottish Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
2010s Chinese Desk Accessories
Jade
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Horn
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1890s British Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Marble, Alabaster
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1920s Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Wood, Nutwood, Walnut
1930s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bakelite
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Nickel
Early 20th Century Swiss Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Desk Accessories
Cane, Acrylic, Wood
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Aluminum
Late 20th Century Swiss Desk Accessories
Leather
1870s British Late Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 19th Century Arts and Crafts Antique Desk Accessories
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Danish Art Deco Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1930s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
2010s Dutch Modern Desk Accessories
Brass, Iron, Aluminum
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-19th Century Chinese Chippendale Antique Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century German Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1960s Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
1960s Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Teak
2010s English Modern Desk Accessories
Cement
2010s Canadian Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Maple, Oak, Pine
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
Early 2000s Italian Classical Roman Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
1830s English Georgian Antique Desk Accessories
Ebony
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
Early 20th Century French Other Desk Accessories
Abalone, Mother-of-Pearl
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories
Concrete
Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Roman Desk Accessories
Composition
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-20th Century Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
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.