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Modern Desk Sets

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Leather Tray, Medium B Rectangular Tray - Handmade - Color: Zinc
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Leather Tray, Large B Retangular Tray, Handmade - Color: Savannah
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Leather Tray, Large B Square Tray, Handmade - Color: Caramel
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Renzo Set Concrete Tray Made in Italy Brown&Green Cement Christmas Edition
Located in Rome, Lazio
Now available in Christmas Edition! Renzo Line is a family of multipurpose trays with a very smooth surface and soft curved edges, now available in different color compositions. Eac...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Concrete

Italian 1970s Metal Parrot Head Scotch Tape Dispenser
Located in Milan, IT
Italian 1970s Parrot Head Scotch Tape Dispenser
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

Blitz Marble Bookends Merlot & Viola By Greg Natale
Located in Sydney,, NSW
The Blitz Bookends comprise two contrasting marbles honed to achieve a sophisticated finish. Inspired by the avant-garde ingenuity of the 1980’s London-based Blitz Club, these booken...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Marble

Onyx Catchall
Located in New York, NY
A substantial green and brown onyx marble catchall, circa mid-20th century. Use to hold pens, jewelry, etc., on a desk, vanity, nightstand, walk-in-closet, etc. Dimensions: 2.63" Hei...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Onyx, Marble

Ettore Sottsass, Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Glazed Ceramic, Spanish, XXth
Located in Barcelona, ES
The Shiva vase is sculpture and vase. It is a symbol of Ettore Sottsass and an icon. Sottsass designed the Shiva Vase when travelling to Barcelona for love in 1973. He encountered m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Ceramic

Cartier Must II ballpoint pen silver plated and palladium 1980s
Located in Paris, IDF
This Cartier Must II ballpoint pen from the 1980s is a rare piece made of silver plating and palladium, adorned with a distinctive engraved motif featuring Cartier's iconic "C". It b...
Category

1980s French Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Silver Plate

Christian Dior Home Desk Waste Basket in Metal, Lucite and Rattan, circa 1970
Located in Atlanta, GA
This stunning wastebasket was designed for the Christian Dior Interior Collection. The rare piece was crafted in France circa 1970. The geometric shape boasts a gilded brass gallery ...
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

Palazzo Crystal Bookends Onyx Black by Greg Natale
Located in Sydney,, NSW
The latest pieces in the Palazzo range recast the beautiful set of arches in polished crystal for a mesmerising look that changes with the light. A study in decorative function, Palazzo represents a rich architectural history. Its unique structure gives a nod to the repeated arches of Rome’s Colosseo Quadrato...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Crystal

Leather Tray, Medium B Rectangular Tray, Handmade - Color: Clay
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Knotted Double Leather Tray Set Home Accessories By André Fu Living
Located in Admiralty, HK
Knotted double leather serving tray set. Hand stitched calf leather. Also, available in a larger size tray set of two, size 55 x 35 x 5.8 H cm. Larger quantities available upon reque...
Category

2010s Thai Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather, Wood

"Simone" Leather Desk Blotter Designed by Claude Bouchard for Oscar Maschera
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Simone" is a leather desk blotter, designed by Claude Bouchard and manufactured by Oscar Maschera. Genuine Italian leather vegetable tanned. Co...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Vintage Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique Fountain Pen with Papers & Boxes
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This fountain pen was made by the well known Montblanc factory of Germany in approximately 1990 in their classic modern style. This fountain pen is their 'Meisterstuck' model and has...
Category

Late 20th Century German Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Gold, Stainless Steel

Vintage Red Swivel Desk Storage Organizer by Rino Pirovano for Art 900
Located in East Quogue, NY
This vintage red swivel desk organizer, designed by Rino Pirovano for Rexite in the mid-1970s, is a celebrated example of Italian design. Made of ABS plastic, it features four rotati...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Plastic

Hermès, Scissors Equestrian Horse Head in Silver Plate, 1960's-1970's Paris
Located in Lausanne, CH
An elegant pair of scissors designed and retailed by Hermès, manufactured by silversmiths Ravinet d'Enfert, Paris France. The handles are silverplate and the blades are in stainless ...
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Silver Plate, Stainless Steel

Vintage Red Swivel Desk Storage Organizer by Rino Pirovano for Art 900
Located in East Quogue, NY
This vintage red swivel desk organizer, designed by Rino Pirovano for Rexite in the mid-1970s, is a celebrated example of Italian design. Made of ABS plastic, it features four rotati...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Plastic

Montblanc Fountain Pen Star Walker Soulmakers for 100 years Special Edition
Located in Plainview, NY
The Montblanc StarWalker "Soulmakers for 100 Years" Special Edition Fountain Pen is an exquisite symbol of craftsmanship and heritage. Encased in an elegantly understated black pres...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Metal, Gold Plate, Platinum

Hermes Paris 1960 Vintage Modernist Desk Box Round Covered Dish In silver
Located in Miami, FL
Round covered dish designed by Hermes. This is a very beautiful and highly decorative piece, created in Paris France by the luxury house of Hermes, back in the 1960. This useful des...
Category

1960s French Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Silver

Leather Tray, Large B Retangular Tray, Handmade - Color: Military
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Contemporary Blackened Bronze Tape Dispenser by Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Blackened Tape Dispenser by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 14 x D 4 x H 7 cm Materials: Bronze (Blackened) The bronze tape dispenser is a hefty piece of st...
Category

2010s Australian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Bronze

Gucci Leather Desk Notepad with Equestrian Motif, circa 1970
Located in Atlanta, GA
Boost your workspace with this rare Gucci-designed modernist desktop accessory, a stunning blend of luxury and craftsmanship. Created in Italy circa 1970, this exquisite piece exempl...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

Bang & Olufsen BeoCom 1401 Telephone
Located in Chattanooga, TN
This BeoCom 1401 telephone is a time capsule gem, and still has the original, unused, paper address booklet inside. Introduced in 1998 as the successor of the 1400, the model that fo...
Category

1990s Danish Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Aluminum

Vintage Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Padova Magnifying Glass
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine silver magnifying glass. In sterling silver. Designed by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. In the Padova pattern. Marked to one side of the handle for Tiffany & Co. / © Elsa ...
Category

20th Century Italian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Sterling Silver

Marble Desk Pen Holder Organizer
Located in New York, NY
A substantial marble desk pen/pencil/marker holder organizer, in the modern style, Midcentury Modern design period, circa mid-20th century. Organizer can hold small pieces of paper, ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Marble

Leather Tray, Large B Retangular Tray, Handmade - Color: Black
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Contemporary Solid Brass Aesop Oil Burner by Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Solid Brass Aesop Oil Burner by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 13 x D 11 x H 7 cm Materials: Brass An object of substance and beauty, a unique, refined alternative to traditional burners. Designed for Aesop by Studio Henry Wilson...
Category

2010s Australian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

Weltron Model 2001 Space Ball, AM/FM Radio 8 Track Stereo
By Weltron
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Step into the retro-futuristic charm of the Weltron Model 2001 8-track stereo AM-FM radio, a timeless piece that seamlessly blends nostalgia with space-age ae...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Chrome

Business Card Holder with Authentic Fossil Ammonite - Unique Piece
Located in Spilimbergo, IT
Give your desk an exclusive touch with this handcrafted business card holder, embellished with a real Manticoceras fossil ammonite, dating back 350 million years. Each piece is uniq...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

Rare MC2 Fleming Hermes Wallet / Mississippiensis Alligator
Located in Munich, DE
Nice hermes wallet in wonderful burgundy alligator leather.
Category

1990s French Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather, Alligator

Renzo Set Concrete Tray Made In Italy White&Light Blue Cement Christmas Edition
Located in Rome, Lazio
Now available in Christmas Edition! Renzo Line is a family of multipurpose trays with a very smooth surface and soft curved edges, now available in different color compositions. Eac...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Concrete

1970's Italian Malachite and Diamond Gold Ring
Located in North Miami, FL
1970's Italian Malachite and diamonds gold ring. 14K gold,. Has wear by age and use.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Malachite, Gold

Desk Set stripes enamel Fountain pen, Ballpoint pen and Tray.Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular tray with rounded corners in 925/1000 sterling silver with translucent fired enamels with two-tone stripes on guilloche and hand engravings, cm. 9.5 x 18. For fountain pe...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Gold, Sterling Silver, Enamel

Telephone Exchange PBX from the 50s/60s
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
Telephone exchange, PBX from the 50s/60s. Manual telephone system used to interconnect several lines in a company or organisation. With a wooden ca...
Category

Mid-20th Century Portuguese Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

Decor Tray Set - Set of 4 decorative trays in different colors - Handmade
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Decor Tray Set - Set of 4 trays in different colors Include: - 1 (one) Leather Tray, Small Square Tray - Color: Vanilla Dimensions: Height: 1.78 in (4,5...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Wooden Christmas Tree Set – Cedar, Large Size
Located in İzmir, İzmir
Modern minimalist holiday décor trees offer a natural and elegant option to complete your Christmas decorations. This solid cedar minimalist decorative tree set abstractly reinterpre...
Category

2010s Asian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Christmas Tree Set
Located in İzmir, İzmir
The solid wood minimalist Christmas tree set, inspired by the timeless forms of Cedar, Fir, and Juniper, brings the joy of the holiday season into your home. The warmth and natural e...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Squared Small Tray in Polished Brass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tray in brass. Tray in brass. Elegant in living and dining spaces alike, this tray can be used to display objects in the living room and bedroom, store papers in the office or necess...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Brass

Leather Tray, Large A Square Tray - Handmade - Color: Saffron
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Fountain pen, Ballpoint pen & Tray for Desk Set enamel Sterling Silver Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular tray with rounded corners in 925/1000 sterling silver with hand-painted fired enamel like turquoise stone, cm. 9.5 x 18. For fountain pen (4577-5210) with 18 carat gold n...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Gold, Sterling Silver, Enamel

Leather Tray, Large A Rectangular Tray, Handmade - Color: Military
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Beautiful Hermés, Ashtray, 2nd Half of the 20th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Hermés, ashtray, 2nd half of the 20th century. Gray horse on a lining crib with gold rim. Underside covered with gray felt. Marked on the side: Hermés- P...
Category

20th Century French Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Porcelain

Leather Tray, Large A Square Tray, Handmade - Color: Wine
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Leather Tray, Medium A Rectangular Tray - Handmade - Color: Clay
Located in Curitiba, Parana
Monochrome Collection Trays For various purposes, the Monochrome Collection Trays can be used individually or as a set. Their sizes are customizable, so feel free to get creative an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Italian red typewriter Valentine by Ettore Sottsass Perry King Olivetti, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern typewriter Valentine by Ettore Sottsass and Perry A. King for Olivetti, 1970s Iconic typewriter model Valentine with rectangular base and rounded corners, in bright re...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

Portuguese Telephone Exchange PBX from the 50s/60s
Located in Lisboa, Lisboa
Telephone exchange, PBX from the 50s/60s. Manual telephone system used to interconnect several lines in a company or organisation. With a wooden ca...
Category

Mid-20th Century Portuguese Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

Contemporary Coloured Crystal Bookend, Model BOO.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Contemporary coloured crystal bookend, Model BOO. Modern bookend in cut crystal, coloured in bright, warm colours. h: 20cm, w: 14cm, d: 7cm
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Crystal

Pair of Vintage Montblanc Meisterstruck & Starwalker Pens with Boxes & Papers
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This pair of vintage rollerball pens were made by the well known Montblanc factory of Germany in approximately 1990 in their classic modern style. theiThe black cased pen from this grouping is their "Meisterstruck" model with a clear tip on the cap, and a gold band around the center of the barrel with "MONTBLANC" and "MEISTERSTRUCK" in block letters. The other pen of this group with the brushed metal case is their "Starwalker" model. Both pens come with thier original fitted boxes, and we have one outer box and some paperwork. Both of these Montblanc rollerball pens...
Category

Late 20th Century German Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Stainless Steel

Vintage Georg Jensen Black Pen Tray or Desk Organizer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine pen tray or desk (drawer) organizer. By Georg Jensen. In black powder coated metal (we assume aluminum). In the form of a large rectangular tray with 7 scalloped sections. ...
Category

Late 20th Century Danish Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Aluminum

Tiffany & Co. 1981 Angela Cummings Aerodynamic Twisted Pen .925 Sterling Silver
By Angela Cummings, Tiffany & Co.
Located in Miami, FL
Sculptural twisted pen designed by Angela Cummings. Sculptural pen, created back in the 1981 in New York city at the Tiffany Studios. This fabulous sculpt...
Category

1980s American Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Sterling Silver

21st Century Concrete Cement Tray Centrepiece Handmade Pink Flamingo Color
Located in Rome, Lazio
Renzo in a family of multipurpose trays with a very smooth surface and soft curved edges, now available in a different color composition. Each piece is a unique, no two are the same....
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Concrete

Square table model "Mettsass" by Ettore Sottsass red glass, 20th century design
Located in Barcelona, ES
One of Sottsass first designs for BD, the "Mettsass" has lost none of the personality with which Sottsass designed it for BD some 40 years ago, in 1972. The structure is made of flat...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Glass

Fountain pen, Ballpoint pen and tray for a Desk Set green enamel Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
4640-5320 - Rectangular tray with rounded corners in 925/1000 sterling silver with translucent fired enamels on guilloché, cm. 9 x 17.5. For fountain pen (4568-5201) with two-tone st...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Gold, Sterling Silver, Enamel

Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, Pink Glazed, by Ettore Sottsass, 20th, Spanish
Located in Barcelona, ES
The Shiva vase is sculpture and vase. It is a symbol of Ettore Sottsass and an icon. Sottsass designed the Shiva Vase when travelling to Barcelona for love in 1973. He encountered m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Ceramic

Vintage Georg Jensen Black Pen Tray
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine pen tray or desk organizer. By Georg Jensen. In black powder coated metal (we assume aluminum). In the form of a rectangular tray with 2 scalloped sections. Marked to the ...
Category

Late 20th Century Danish Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

Daum French Crystal Riviera Coupe Car
Located in New York, NY
Daum French Crystal Riviera Coupe Car. Highly detailed large glass depiction of a classic car with frosted tires and engine. Designed by Xavier F...
Category

20th Century French Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Crystal

Knotted Vide Poche Set of 2 Beige Desk Home Accessories By André Fu Living
Located in Admiralty, HK
Description: Tray set of 2 Color: Beige Size of big tray: 20 x 20 x 3 H cm Size of small tray: 15 x 15 x 3 H cm Material: Leather Collection: Knotted.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Leather

Italian modern Square drawing roll holder in orange metal sheet by Neolt, 1980s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Square drawing roll holder in orange metal sheet by Neolt, 1980s Drawing roll holder in curved sheet metal painted bright orange. There are 4 square-based compartments with rounded corners for the drawing tubes...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass, Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Glazed Ceramic, Spanish, 20th
Located in Barcelona, ES
The Shiva vase is sculpture and vase. It is a symbol of Ettore Sottsass and an icon. Sottsass designed the Shiva Vase when travelling to Barcelona for love in 1973. He encountered m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Sets

Materials

Ceramic

Modern desk sets for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern desk sets for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage desk sets created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, tables, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, stone and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern desk sets made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Spain pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desk sets, popular names associated with this style include Ghidini 1961, Elisa Giovannoni, Valerio Ciampicacigli, and Jaime Hayon. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for desk sets differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $75 and tops out at $57,800 while the average work can sell for $530.

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