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Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.

Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively. 

Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer

Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.

The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.

As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.

Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.

As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.

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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Ostrich Leather Handle Letter Opener with Brass Knife After Karl Springer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ostrich handle letter opener with brass knife after Karl Springer. Beautifully designed, simple, elegant and functional for any desk, open letters or protect yourself!
Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Found Art Scuplture Perfectly Patinated Type Writer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Found art perfectly patinated type writer ready for immediate viewing. Great for the producer, writer or secretary in you lovely sitting atop a pile of boo...
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Blenko Desk Weight
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An uncommon and handmade glass desk weight in luminous tones of amber and red advertising the Blenko Glass works.
Category

1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass

Heavy Solid Bronze Clover Shaped Paperweight, France, 1970s
Located in New York, NY
Patinated bronze paperweight.  
Category

1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Murano White Gold Flecked Glass Goose Figure
Located in New York, NY
A figure of a goose, made of sculpted Italian Murano glass with white gold fleck inclusions. In good vintage condition.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass

Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass Vase
Located in Copenhagen, K
Smoked rifled brown tinted glass vase.
Category

1920s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass

Mid-Century Murano Table Cloth or Letter Holder Two-Toned Green Glass
Located in Weiningen, CH
Rare Murano table cloth or letter holder two-toned green glass.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass

Large Mid-Century Modern Polished Chrome Rectangular Pipe Lamp
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Large Mid-Century Modern polished chrome table lamp. Look at this fun lamp; open and shiny, it beckons to be put in any modern decor. Perfect in any room, thi...
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Chrome

Mid-Century Modern Venini Centerpiece Murano Black Glass Layered Glass White
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Mid-Century Modern Venini centerpiece Murano black glass, layered glass white the two little. Big one measure cm: H 7 Diam. 47 thickness 6mm Little one measure cm: H 3.8 Diam. ...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Vintage Bronze and Marble Roman Sandaled Paperweight Sculpture Fornasetti Style
Located in North Miami, FL
This Fornsetti style vintage paperweight, sculpture and desk accessory has a patinated bronze roman foot atop a white marble base. The bronze has bee...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Vintage Carl Auböck Brass Pipe Modernist Paperweight #5188, Austria, 1950s
Located in Vienna, AT
An Austrian brass paperweight, displaying a pipe, designed an executed in the 1950s by Carl Aubock, Vienna. Model #5188. A very decorative item, in very good condition. Marked.
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Note Pad Holder Set by Cini and Nils
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A set of sleek, finely detailed and elegant notepad holders in black plastic, the smaller one having a fitted pen.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

Carl Auböck III, 1960s, Alphabetical 'L' Shaped Walnut Clothes Brush
Located in London, GB
L-shaped coat brush designed and made by Carl Auböck III, Vienna, circa 1960. The model 5000 alphabetical clothes brushes were designed in 1961 and a ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Walnut

Luccio Del Pezzo Metal Sculpture, 1985
Located in New York, NY
Luccio Del Pezzo ( Italian 1933-2020 ) A commissioned work, offered as an award to exhibitors of 25 years standing at the legendary Milan Salone del Mobile Italiano. Bronze, copper,...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze, Chrome, Copper, Steel

Horsehair Brush
By Mohawk
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A beautifully crafted garment brush made of warmly-toned walnut and soft horsehair.
Category

1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Walnut

Decorative Midcentury Walnut Ball Tripod Candlestick Candleholder, Austria 1950s
Located in Vienna, AT
A very beautiful Viennese modernist candlestick from the 1950s, in the style of Carl Aubock. In the shape of a ball, with a nice tripod base, made of walnut wood. Excellent condition...
Category

20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Walnut

Danish Rosewood Box with Gilt Enamel Detail
Located in New York, NY
Gorgeous deep purple enameled Danish rosewood jewelry or desk box with gilt enameled detail. Wooden interior and bottom.
Category

20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Rosewood

XX Century Silver Plated Hare Inkwell
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Decorative XX century inkwell or box representing a silver plated hare.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver Plate

Natural Burl Wood Magnifier
Located in Montreal, QC
Unique desk or tabletop hand magnifying glass featuring a large round looking glass mounted to a fabulous burl wood handle, circa 1950s. A strang...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Edward Wormley for Dunbar Desk Secretary
Located in Pawtucket, RI
Very rare desk secretary designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Functional five drawers and letter slots on turned brass knobs and feet. With original Dunb...
Category

1950s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Beautiful Murano Glass Paperweight Mid-Century Modern, Italy 1980s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful Murano hand blown Italian art glass paper weight. A beautiful nice addition to your desktop. Found at an estate sale in Verona, Italy.
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Early "Malta" Model 3029A Marble Letter Holder by Enzo Mari for Danese, 1960
Located in Koper, SI
Iconic and rare letter holder by the Italian design master Enzo Mari, in white marble, designed in 1960 and produced for a short period by Danese.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

2000 Barovier Toso Italian Gold Crystal Twisted Murano Glass Brass Picture Frame
Located in New York, NY
A sophisticated Venetian modern design vertical photo frame in thick blown Murano glass worked in a amber orange gold color, overlayed in crystal, by Barovier Toso Murano, signed piece. The elegant texture of the tightly twisted glass frame...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Vintage Miniature Royal Crown Cola Six-Pack Paperweight
Located in San Diego, CA
A really cool vintage miniature "Royal Crown Cola" six-pack paperweight, circa 1960’s. The piece is in good vintage condition and measures 2.625"W x 2"D x 3"H. Really fun and hard ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass, Paper

Large Glass Bubble Paperweight
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Clear Glass Paperweight with bubbles. Very large sphere that measure 5 7/8" Large and stunning. a great decorative piece on a...
Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass, Art Glass

Mid-Century Brass and Leather Desk Tray in the Style of William Sklaroff
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Mid-Century Brass and Leather Double Desk Tray, Circa 1970 In the Style of Wiliam Sklaroff Sourced from London by Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Category

1970s British Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Mid-20th Century Large Fratelli Toso Murano Millefiori Paper Weight
Located in Charleston, SC
Beautiful Murano Paperweight with sticker still intact. This piece is exceptional with beautiful green and white spiral trellis with white millefori flowers with a pink center. Murano Fratelli...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Danish Modern Teak "Catch All" by Jens Quistgaard for Dansk
Located in San Diego, CA
Danish modern teak "catch all" by Jens Quistgaard for Dansk, circa 1960s. The piece is in great vintage condition and measures 11"W x 9.25"D x 1.75"H; it has three divided compartmen...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Teak

Murano Clear Glass Paperweight Air Bubbles Included 1960s
Located in Florence, IT
Murano Clear Glass Paperweight Air Bubbles Included, it could be also a desk accessory. The glass sculture is solid and heavy, the air bubbles have been...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Midcentury Amber Glass Paper Weight By Borske Sklo, 1960s
Located in Zohor, SK
Unique vintage desk paperweight. Produced by Borske Sklo in 1960s. Original amber color of the glass which is rare to see and find. The glass has the bubbles inside which were hand p...
Category

1960s Czech Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass

Beautiful Lot of five Murano Italian Art Glass Vegetable Fruit, Italy, 1980s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful Murano hand blown Italian art glass pieces. In the shape of fruits and vegetables. Colors are as seen in the pictures. A beautiful nice addition to your collection or to di...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Murano Paperweight with Blue and White Spirals, 1960
Located in Oostrum-Venray, NL
Murano Paperweight with Blue and White Spirals, 1960 Additional information: Dimensions: 6 W x 6 D x 5 H cm Period of Time: 1960 Condition: Good
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass

HL-70 Personal Desk Fan by Reinhold Weiss for Braun
Located in San Diego, CA
HL-70 personal desk fan by Reinhold Weiss for Braun, circa 1960s. The cylindrical fan, in white on acrylic base, features the fan blades in the left-hand section and a switch for two intensity levels. The fan is in very good vintage condition and measures 2.5"W x 2.5"D x 6"H. This iconic piece is one of Braun's most popular items and is part of the permanent collection of MoMA and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. #2974 The design was created under the supervision of Dieter Rams who was the head of design at Braun from 1961 to 1995. Rams designed over 500 pieces ranging from audio systems...
Category

Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Brazilian Modern Pen Holder in Brazilian Rosewood
Located in New York, NY
This Brazilian mid-century modern pen holder is handcrafted with Brazilian rosewood (also known as jacaranda), and has a deep, dark, and rich tone with a stunning natural wood grain....
Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Vintage Gucci Bamboo and Leather and Gold Gilt Desk Accessory Pen Holder Cup
Located in Atlanta, GA
A vintage Gucci desk accessory made from bamboo and leather with the gold gilt Gucci signature on the bottom. The perfect pen cup (or pen holder, pen stand...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather, Bamboo

Vintage Italian Alabaster Owl Table Lighter
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Italian Alabaster Owl Table Lighter. Whimsical sculpture owl lighter in alabaster very collectible made in Italy. Glass eyes, red and beige tone ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Alabaster

Ettore Sottsass red Valentine Typewriter for Olivetti, Italy
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Iconic Valentine typewriter designed by Ettore Sottsass and Peter King for Olivetti. The typewriter is included in the permanent collection of the MoMa as an excellent example of ind...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Hand Painted Ceramic Paperweight Stone Knick-Knacks
Located in Brooklyn, NY
If there is such thing as a museum quality Knick-knack, the Fornasetti stone shaped paperweight is it. We are pleased to offer a set of eight, two from the Zodiac series, two from th...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Ceramic

1970s Paperweight Wedge Exotic Wood Style of Don Shoemaker Mexico
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1970s Paperweight Exotic Wood Wedge Style of Don Shoemaker Mexico 7 long x 1.75 x 1.25 Thinnest .25 Preowned original vintage condition See all images.
Category

1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

France 1950 Soubrenie Et Bois Paris Precious Agate Jeweled Box 18kt Gold & Jade
Located in Miami, FL
Exceptional jeweled box designed by Soubrenie Et Bois. Gorgeous and beautiful gem set decorative piece, created at the jewelry atelier of Soubrenie et...
Category

1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Agate, Multi-gemstone, Gold

Swirl over Water Murano Italian Art Glass Aquarium Paperweight
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful Murano hand blown aquarium Italian art glass paper weight. Showing blue waves, with a swirl on top. Colors are a blue, yellow, red and clear. A beautiful nice addition to y...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Les Sept Péchés Capitaux Paperweight by Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A solid cast bronze paperweight entitled "Les Sept Péchés Capitaux" (The Seven Deadly Sins) by French Parisin art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997 ) circa 1945-46. The lovely piece features cast relief of seven caricatured faces with humorous expression that represents the seven sins...
Category

1940s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Gucci Vintage Faux Bamboo Paper Knife, 1970s
Located in Munich, DE
Gucci Vintage faux bamboo letter opener in chrome signed with Gucci and in very good vintage condition.  
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass, Chrome

Aldo TURA Milan Italy Mute Servant Lidded Vessel 60s Mid Century Object
Located in Munster, NRW
An Aldo Tura Milan Italy Mute Servant Lidded Vessel from the 60s.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Brilliant Cobalt Blue Glass Paper Weight with Bubbles
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A brilliant cobalt Blue hand Blown glass paperweight. The color and size are very nice... the weight is heavy and substantial - great for ...
Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Glass, Art Glass

Alessi Alessandro Mendini 1999 Italian Pair of Red and Blue Chrome Candlesticks
Located in New York, NY
A rare pair of Anna candleholders designed by Alessandro Mendini for Alessi, signed and dated 1999. The crafted metal upper parts are in chrome and the scalloped bases are covered on...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Chrome

Stich Black leather desk set France 1950s
Located in Den Haag, NL
Very nice large set of stich leather desk accessoires. consisting of Leather paper basket, Leather lamp stand. leather Picture frame, Leather pape...
Category

1950s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

Carl Auböck Nickel-Plated Brass Leather Letter Opener, Paper Knife, 1950s
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful and solid nickel-plated brass letter opener or paper knife with black leather handle from the 1950s, designed an executed by Carl Auböck, Vienna / Austria. Marked item in...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass, Nickel

Italian Murano Art Glass Millefiori Paperweight
Located in Miami, FL
Beautiful, playful and colorful paperweight that will spark your imagination every time you put your eyes on it. A nice addition to any desktop. Measures: 3" diameter x 3" high...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

Midcentury Geometric Chrome and Brass Italian Picture Frame after Rega, 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing mid-century brass and chrome picture frame. This marvellous item was produced in Italy during the 1970s under the strong influen...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass, Chrome

Mid-Century Modern Sharp Stainless & Brass Scissors Made in Italy, 1960s
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Scissors Mid-Century Modern sharp stainless steel & brass Italian scissors made in italy 1960s Measures: 9.25L x 2.5 W x 0.19 thick inches Stamped Italy Original preowned unresto...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel

Pair of Smokey Rock Crystal Quartz Hand Carved and Hand-Polished Obelisks
Located in New York, NY
A gorgeous and quite decorative pair of Mid-Century Modern French Smokey rock crystal quartz hand carved and hand-polished obelisks. Each obelisk is made of a natural Smokey rock cry...
Category

20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Rock Crystal

Desk Accessory Vintage Miscellaneous Pen Holder Leather Wrapped Open Cube 1970s
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Desk accessory vintage miscellaneous pen holder distressed leather wrapped open box 1970s Unrestored fair condition original preowned vintage pr...
Category

1970s Mexican Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

Mid Century Blue Fiberglass Batters Helmet by American Baseball Cap Co.
Located in Ferndale, MI
Designed by Ralph D. Davia in 1954. Fiberglass baseball hitters hemet. Lightweight and strong. Original label Reads American baseball hat co. Media Penna.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Fiberglass

Midcentury Classic 1970s Rolodex Card File Tray Faux Wood
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Rolodex Vintage Rolodex Card File Tray in Faux Wood Midcentury Modern Madmen Classic 6.25 x 4.5 x 2.25 tall Beautifully aged paper file cards. Original Unres...
Category

1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

1950s Modern Advertising Letter Opener Hill Desk Accessory
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Mid-Century Modern Advertising Letter Opener by Hill. The letter opener has the original cover in faux leather with hammered texture. The metal had...
Category

1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Unique & Hand Crafted Vintage 1960s Soccer Ball / Wooden Football Sculpture
Located in Lisse, NL
Handcrafted soccer ball of many woodtypes. This rare and beautifully made soccer ball is in excellent condition and it is made in the same size as a real one. This fine example from...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Stich Black Leather Desk Set, 1970s
Located in Den Haag, NL
Stich black leather desk set, consisting of 5 pieces, paper basket, paper tray, pen tray, post-it tray, paperclip tray. Signed with a silver A. 1970...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

Mid-century Modern desk accessories for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern desk accessories 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 accessories created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, glass and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern desk accessories made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Austria pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desk accessories, popular names associated with this style include Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Fratelli Toso, Walter Bosse, and Herta Baller. 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 $34 and tops out at $28,500 while the average work can sell for $548.

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