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Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

AESTHETIC MOVEMENT

In 1880, polymath designer William Morris declared: “If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” His words encapsulated the Aesthetic Movement, which prized beauty above all and blurred the lines between fine art and the decorative arts, particularly through lavishly crafted furniture pieces.

The Aesthetic Movement, whose major proponents included author Oscar Wilde, flourished from the 1860s to the 1880s and was mostly popular in England and the United States. Design expositions like the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, as well as the publishing of how-to books for interior design, helped disseminate Aesthetic Movement bedroom furniture, serveware, coffee tables and other items, especially to the middle class.

The establishment of new art museums, art clubs and a rising passion for collecting at the time contributed to a growing appreciation for art. Morris’s founding of Morris & Co. in 1862 and the commercializing of this “cult of beauty” by the Liberty store in London, starting in the late 19th century, further disseminated the idea of a domestic space that was thoughtfully and floridly designed.

Leading Aesthetic Movement furniture designers included E.W. Godwin, who drew on Japanese influences and whose work reflected a wider enthusiasm for imported East Asian art. British designer Christopher Dresser created textiles, ceramics and more that were also inspired by Japanese decorative art but were representative of additional diverse design sources that ranged from Egypt to Mexico.

The Aesthetic Movement’s eclecticism resulted in dazzling interiors. Japanese fans were positioned on Renaissance-inspired cabinets with brass hardware, while mantels made of rich walnut or finely carved ebonized wood and adorned with painted Minton tiles mingled with cast-iron chairs against a backdrop of floral wallpaper. In 1881, in New York City, stenciled checkerboard motifs and painted floral murals could be found under an opalescent glass chandelier in a luxurious dressing room designed by German émigré cabinetmaker-decorator George Alfred Schastey. Amid the rise of the industrial age, the style’s promotion of art in everyday life would inform the Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau.

Find a collection of antique Aesthetic Movement seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture and antiques on 1stDibs.

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Style: Aesthetic Movement
Aesthetic Movement Sterling Silver Calling/Business Card Case by George Unite
Located in New York, NY
Aesthetic Movement, sterling silver calling card/business card case in original, velvet lined leather box, London, year-hallmarked for 1860, George ...
Category

1860s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Sterling Silver

19th Century Exoticism Elephant Inkwell
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
A beautifully crafted polished bronze elephant inkwell that vividly captures the late 19th-century fascination with the exotic. Reflecting the Orienta...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Art Deco Cut Crystal & Silver Plate Inkwell Signed Cross
Located in New York, NY
Add a touch of historical elegance to your desk with this Art Deco Cut Crystal & Silver Plate Inkwell, signed by Cross, England, from the early 20th century. This exquisite inkwell e...
Category

Early 1900s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Crystal, Silver Plate

Tooled and Paint Embellished Versace Style Italian Leather Desk Organizer
Located in Ferndale, MI
Desk organizer highly decorated and colorful tooled leather. Cloth interior. Marked Made in Italy.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

Bronze Doré Calendar Holder in the Graduate Pattern signed Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
Crafted by the iconic Tiffany & Co., this Bronze Doré calendar and memorandum holder exemplifies early 20th-century elegance, crafted in the United States, circa 1910. Designed in th...
Category

1910s American Vintage Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Dore Blotter Holders in the Graduate Pattern signed Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
These Bronze Doré blotter holders, crafted by the legendary Tiffany & Co., embody the elegance and precision of early 20th-century American design. Rendered in the sophisticated "Gra...
Category

1910s American Vintage Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Gilt Bronze & Glass Tiffany Studios Inkwell ca. 1900
Located in Petaluma, CA
This very handsome gilt bronze and glass inkwell will make any desk look important. Signed, Tiffany Studios guarantees quality. The design is of the metalwork is striking and the g...
Category

Early 1900s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Aesthetic Movement Oak Pipe Rack with a Japanese Style Brass Fretwork Backplate
Located in London, GB
Aesthetic Movement. An oak pipe rack with a Japanese-style brass fretwork backplate, and a tobacco draw with brass handle.
Category

1870s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

French Silver Mounted Blue & White Pottery Faience Inkwell
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
An unusual French silver mounted faience pottery inkwell hand painted with blue and white designs dating from the 19th century. The domed shape inkwell stands on a rounded base with ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver

Signed German Wooden Sculpture of a Mother And Her Child, "Muller 1943"
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Artistically significant hand carved sculpture of nude mother and child, completed during the Second World War.
Category

Early 20th Century German Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Letter Rack or Stationery Rack in Leather from the 19th Century, France
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Elegant 19th centuryletter rack or stationery rack from France It is unusual to find them with their original key. Very nice interior beautiful pati...
Category

19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

Micro Mosaic Pen Holder
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Micro mosaic Moorish pen holder: simply beautiful ! Elegant sitting on Your desk. It must not remain near heat sources because the mosaic could be damag...
Category

Late 20th Century Moroccan Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Enamel

Asprey Carved Rock Crystal Gorilla Diamond Eye's and 18-Karat Gold Accents
Located in Westport, CT
Asprey one of a kind hand carved rock crystal Gorilla, with 18-karat gold accents and diamond eyes, together on the original petrified wood base, w...
Category

Late 20th Century British Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Multi-gemstone, Rock Crystal, Gold, Silver

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Midcentury Modern Desk Organizer by Børge Mogensen, 1960s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Lovely desk organizer by Børge Mogensen, made from oak with red, grey and white lacquered drawers. The drawers fit A4 size magazines and documents.
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1960s Swedish Vintage Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

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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, ...
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Marble Desk Pen Holder Organizer
Marble Desk Pen Holder Organizer
$475
H 1.88 in W 5.88 in D 2.75 in
Tiffany Studios New York Bookmark Pattern Bronze Doré Inkwell
Located in South Bend, IN
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Early 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

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19th Century French Bronze and Marble Inkwell
Located in New Orleans, LA
Crafted of brilliant doré bronze and fine brocatelle marble, this wonderful Napoleon III-period inkwell is as functional as it is beautiful. In a style reminiscent of Louis XV Rococo...
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19th Century  French Bronze and Marble Inkwell
19th Century  French Bronze and Marble Inkwell
$19,850
H 9.25 in W 20.5 in D 11 in
Mahogany Desk Stationary organizer
Located in Huntington, NY
Desk top Mahogany stationary organizer
Category

Early 19th Century English Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Mahogany

Mahogany Desk Stationary organizer
Mahogany Desk Stationary organizer
$365
H 6.25 in W 17.75 in D 3 in
Vintage Mid Century Modern Rotating Cube Cork and Chrome Desk Organizer
Located in Amityville, NY
Vintage mid century modern cube shaped desk organizer or desk accessory in cork and chrome. Has two compartments; one seemingly for pens and pencils, the other for a small notepad. H...
Category

1970s European Vintage Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

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Chrome

Sterling Silver Repousse Bookmark
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Being offered is a sterling silver bookmark by S. Kirk and Sons of Baltimore, Maryland. Inspired by their iconic Repousse pattern, it has clu...
Category

1930s American Vintage Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver Repousse Bookmark
Sterling Silver Repousse Bookmark
$250
H 2.5 in W 1 in D 1 in
Danish Modern Desk Organizer / Letter Tray
Located in San Diego, CA
Very functional Danish modern cherry veneer desk organizer / letter tray, circa 1970s. The piece is in excellent condition and measures 24" wide, 9.25" deep and 7" high. Beautiful ch...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Cherry

Danish Modern Desk Organizer / Letter Tray
Danish Modern Desk Organizer / Letter Tray
$475
H 7 in W 24 in D 9.25 in
Georg Petersens Mid Century Teak Desk Organizer Denmark
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A teak top of the desk organizer with four letter slots , two storage cubies and an open top shelve . This well designed accessory is the perfect piece for easy access to your papers...
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Mid-20th Century Danish Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Teak

MCM Staved Walnut Desk Organizer
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice and functional MCM staved walnut desk organizer, circa 1970s. The piece is in very good condition and measures 7.5"W x 4.5"D x 3"H. ...
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Late 20th Century North American Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Walnut

MCM Staved Walnut Desk Organizer
MCM Staved Walnut Desk Organizer
$200 Sale Price
20% Off
H 3 in W 7.5 in D 4.5 in
Space Age 70s Desk Organizer - Vintage Perpetual Calendar Italian Edition
Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT
Charming desk calendar with organizer manufactured by Wing Plastif in the 70s, registered trademark in the UK, produced in Hong Kong at the time when Hong Kong was an English colony....
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1970s Hong Kong Vintage Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

Space Age 70s Desk Organizer - Vintage Perpetual Calendar Italian Edition
Space Age 70s Desk Organizer - Vintage Perpetual Calendar Italian Edition
$180 Sale Price
20% Off
H 1.58 in W 5.52 in D 5.52 in
Tiffany Studios New York "Adam" Bronze Doré Blotter Ends With Leather Blotter
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous pair of Art Deco period gilt bronze blotter ends featuring Adam style or Neoclassical style swags, with a custom green leather desk blotter. By Tiffany Studios (blotter e...
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Early 20th Century American Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

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Bronze

Previously Available Items
Victorian Period William Tonks and Sons Sea Monsters Brass Desk Letter Holder
Located in Milan, IT
Victorian Period William Tonks and Sons Sea Monsters Brass and Oak Desk Letter Holder.
Category

1870s British Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Rare Doulton Lambeth John Broad Stoneware Silver Mounted Mottoware Inkwell
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stunning and rare Doulton Lambeth stoneware silver mounted mottoware tea caddy by renowned artist John Broad assisted by Emma A Burrows and dating from 1896. The tea caddy of squar...
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1890s English Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Materials

Stoneware

A Rectangular Copper Waste Paper Bin
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A rectangular copper waste paper bin This one has been used as a waste paper basket it has small inside handles, it has many other uses, perhaps a c...
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Late 19th Century Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

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Copper

Antique Tiffany American Aesthetic Sterling Silver Inkwell
Located in New York, NY
Aesthetic sterling silver inkwell. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Drum-form with spread base. Cover domed with scrolled hinged and tab. Acid-etched ornament: Fluid lattice inset ...
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Early 1900s North American Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

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Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver Aesthetic Movement Calling Card/Business Card Holder by Gorham
Located in New York, NY
Sterling silver, Aesthetic Movement calling card/business card holder, Gorham Mfg. Co., Providence, Rhode Island, year hallmarked for 1...
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1880s American Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

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Sterling Silver

Pair of White Jade and Brass Bookends
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wonderful pair of carved white jade and brass bookends, the pair have accents in Orange Jade and carved bone, with frame and stand in perfectly patinated brass - a stunning pair fo...
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Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

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Jade, Brass

Pair of White Jade and Brass Bookends
Pair of White Jade and Brass Bookends
H 6.75 in W 5 in D 3.25 in
Aesthetic Movement Brass Paganator
Located in Toronto, ON
This highly stylized and decorative letter/ page opener is a great example of the19th century Aesthetic Movement in which practical items were extensively decorated with elements f...
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19th Century French Antique Aesthetic Movement Desk Accessories

Aesthetic Movement desk accessories for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement desk accessories for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage desk accessories created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, silver and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement desk accessories made in a specific country, there are Europe, United Kingdom, and England pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desk accessories, popular names associated with this style include Asprey & Garrard Limited, George Unite, and Tiffany & Co.. 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 accessories differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $333 and tops out at $16,500 while the average work can sell for $773.

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