Desk Accessories
18th Century English George III Antique Desk Accessories
Gold, Enamel
1910s British George V Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold
Late 19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century Dutch Industrial Desk Accessories
Tin
Late 20th Century French Neoclassical Desk Accessories
Porcelain
19th Century Campaign Antique Desk Accessories
Velvet, Walnut
19th Century Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Felt, Birdseye Maple, Ebony
1810s English Regency Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Glass, Walnut
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
20th Century Modern Desk Accessories
Silver
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
19th Century English George III Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
1830s English Georgian Antique Desk Accessories
Gold
1780s French George III Antique Desk Accessories
Gold
1820s English George III Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 19th Century English George IV Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze, Ormolu
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.