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Modern Desk Accessories

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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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
Knotted Vide Poche Set of 2 Purple Desk Home Accessories By André Fu Living
Located in Admiralty, HK
Description: Tray set of 2 Color: Purple 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 Accessories

Materials

Leather

Herman Miller Signed Leaf LED Desk Lamp by Yves Behar Model G6510.3Y Modern 2007
Located in Miami, FL
Modern LED Leaf Desk lamp designed by Yves Behar and made by Herman Miller. Organic shaped steel in Dove gray with adjustable LED Arm and rotates. Touch controls at the base turn th...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal, Steel

Trash Can, Czechoslovakia, circa 1980
Located in Praha, CZ
Original never used condition with original box.
Category

1980s Czech Vintage Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

"Italo" Leather In and Out Tray Designed by Claude Bouchard for Oscar Maschera
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Italo" is a leather out tray and paper holder, designed by Claude Bouchard and manufactured by Oscar Maschera. Genuine Italian leather vegetable tanned. Colors combination to be cho...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

Knotted Tray Set Desk Office Home Accessories By André Fu Living
Located in Admiralty, HK
Description: Double tray set Color: Grey Size of big tray: 55.2 x 35 x 5.8 H cm Size of small tray: 38.8 x 16 x 2 H cm Material: PU Collection: Knotted.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Thai Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Faux Leather

Sculptural Desktop Pen Holder by Jiri Jelinek
Located in Tarrytown, NY
Art glass hand-carved, pen holder / paper weight featuring etched linear motif and layered red glass stripe by Jiri Jelinek. Jiri Jelinek (b. 1967, Cze...
Category

2010s American Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Art Glass

Soap Holder in White and Black Marble, by Matteo Cibic, Italy in Stock
Located in Milan, IT
Soap holder in white Michelangelo and black Marquinia marble. Size: 20 x 9.8 x 3 cm, smooth finishing. Commercial name: Domenico, Homage Collection by the Italian Designer Matteo Ci...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

Gold Plated Boy Holding a Large Jade Sphere on a Carrara Marble Base
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A square Carrara Marble base with a Gold Plated child holding a large Jade Sphere. The piece is unique and different - a compliment to many spaces. Works well on a desk or work sta...
Category

20th Century European Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Carrara Marble

Vintage Signed Molten Bronze and Black Metal Cascading Dali, Esque Sculpture
Located in North Miami, FL
This sensual and fabulous 2 part limited edition signed vintage sculpture is molten bronze cascading in a body form perched atop the black metal base. The bronze looks like rose gold...
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal, Bronze

Signed Glass Abstract Paperweight Red, Black, Orange, Gold, White For Desk
Located in North Miami, FL
This abstract art glass artisan paperweight is signed in cursive on the underside N Laso. It has bars of glass sticks in rows of red, black and white, orange copper rust and a gold small bat...
Category

1990s American Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Gold

Venini Two Colors Mini Hourglass/Clessidre, Unsigned
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a great and rare find because is one of the small hourglass ever made by Venini. Also this piece was purchased from a collection of a very important Hollywood Star estate. Th...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Murano Glass

New Modern Vase, in various marbles, creator Matteo Cibic
Located in Milan, IT
Vase in black Marquinia and white Michelangelo Marble, Size: 38.2 x 23.4 x 7.3 cm, smooth finishing. Commercial name: Tacca, Homage Collection by the Italian Designer Matteo Cibic. ...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

Letter Opener with Authentic Fossil Manticoceras - Unique and Exclusive Design
Located in Spilimbergo, IT
Add a touch of history and sophistication to your desk with this unique letter opener with genuine ammonite. A luxury accessory with an unmistakable design made from a real Manticoce...
Category

2010s Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Desk Glass fired two-tone stripes enamel on guilloche hand-engraved Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Desk magnifing glass in 925/1000 sterling silver with fire-enameled handle like lapis lazuli stone. Contemporary modern style. Lens diameter cm. 7, total length cm. 19.5. Silver weig...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Sterling Silver, Enamel

Cuyo Medium Alpaca Silver & Bordeaux Onyx Stone Pair of Bookends
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
Cuyo bookends are solid heavy beautiful pieces of geometrical onyx stone, mostly in square base and round top. Very sharm for a personal library. Our pieces are made by hand. One of...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stone, Onyx, Metal

Gordon Bunshaft's Collection: Lighter, Paperweight, Shovel Pin and Glass Piece
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a collection of personal desk objects from the estate of Gordon Bunshaft, the influential American architect best known for his work with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and iconi...
Category

20th Century Unknown Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Modern Desk Set of Pewter for Letters and Visit Cards by Jean Goardere
Located in Schöfflisdorf, CH
Modern desk set of pewter for letters and visit cards by Jean Goardere Measures: 26 x 20 cm 5 cm 20 x 14 cm 3 cm 11 x 6 cm 3 cm.
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Pewter

Salta Medium Square Cream Onyx Stone Pair of Bookends
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
Salta province is called the beautiful, and this adjective introduces us to its profound beauty. Its fertile valleys, windy desert, colorful mountains and blue sky are the images tha...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stone, Onyx, Metal

"Carlo" Riveted Leather Wastepaper Bin by Claude Bouchard for Oscar Maschera
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Carlo" is a riveted leather wastepaper bin, designed by Claude Bouchard and manufactured by Oscar Maschera. Genuine Italian leather vegetable tanned. Colors combination to be chosen from the available range: tan, sienna, orange, red, red-purple, dark brown, khaki, blue, black. DIMENSIONS: D. 10.2", W. 10.2", H. 13.3" The leather is doubled to obtain greater thickness and a color contrast between inner and outer surfaces; it's then folded and held together by metal rivets: the object has taken shape. Leather, robust and soft, which maturates over time like wood, wine, brandy and cheese, is a material suitable for a living relationship with people and things it has to do with: it absorbs their scent and gives its own. It protects, gathers and changes shape, as it retains something of the life it once had. Past experiences in working with leather, with objects of common use transformed into their own form by the material of which they were made (baskets, boxes, trays, writing-desk items, small pieces of furniture, in addition to bags and cases, of course) have led Oscar Maschera to today’s production which has exceeded even the limits of explicit reality to get the pure form of the objects, reaching beyond the risky limit of mere functionality. CLAUDE BOUCHARD, interior architect and designer by training, is well known for his pieces of design in ceramics, porcelain, glass, metal and wood for firms such as Hermès...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal

Vintage Molini Clear and Black Lucite Column Table or Desk Lamp
Located in North Miami, FL
This handsome and modern square vintage lucite lamp is clear in the center banded by a black lucite base and top. It has a polished steel column in the center that looks like it is floating. It is in excellent condition and makes for a sensational desk or table lamp. This vintage lamp was never ever used. It has the two socket pull chains and is completely rewired. It also has the graduating stem pole to make a little higher. All is original inclusive of the finial. It is 7" H from the top to the bottom of the light bulb socket. It was made by the NY showroom Molini Southard from the time period. It is from the 1980s. New, never used. This great lucite square column lamp...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Chrome

Larry Mohr Abstract Elongated Angled Bronze Sculpture
Located in North Miami, FL
Connected angles, connected points make up this elongated bronze abstract Larry Mohr tabletop sculpture that is signed. It is an abstract sculpture that may have reference to birds i...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Bronze

Vintage Italian Silver Plate and Burgundy Crocodile Buckle Hinged Box
Located in North Miami, FL
This stunning and gorgeous Italian vintage hinged silver plate buckle box has a burgundy crocodile leather buckle part. It was professionally polished and t...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver Plate

Hermès Vintage Silver Plate Equestrian Paper Holder or Desk Accessory
Located in North Miami, FL
This wonderful vintage Hermès paper holder or letter clip is on the rare side. It is signed Hermès Paris and is polished silver plate. It was desig...
Category

1970s French Vintage Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Silver Plate

Wooden Christmas Tree Set – Cedar with Ceramic Tip, Large Size
Located in Orlando, FL
The modern ceramic-tipped Christmas tree brings a vibrant touch to your holiday décor with its rich color and sculptural form. This handcrafted solid cedar set features limited-editi...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Salta Round Black Onyx Stone Pair of Bookends
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
Salta province is called the beautiful, and this adjective introduces us to its profound beauty. Its fertile valleys, windy desert, colorful mountains and blue sky are the images tha...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stone, Onyx, Metal

Brass Signed Woman Seated Vintage Sculpture
Located in North Miami, FL
This lovely brass vintage limited edition brass abstract sculpture of a seated woman is signed but not legible and it is numbered 21 /100. It is great from all angles and makes a great desk or cocktail table accessory...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Wooden Christmas Tree Set – Cedar, Large Size
Located in Orlando, FL
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 Turkish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Menhir Black Marble Carved Bookend
Located in Mexico City, MX
Bookend in carved Monterrey black marble. Handmade in Mexico. Production time: 6-8 weeks for items without marble / 13-14 weeks for marble pieces. Shipping +10 additional business d...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Set 1 Small Cube Tray in Polished Brass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Trays in brass. The compositional scheme of this family of small trays is the axonometric isometric projection of two parallelepipeds which creates a three-dimensional optical effect...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

DeCastelli Riviera Pots 1 Flower 60 Planter in Stainless Steel by Aldo Cibic
Located in Brooklyn, NY
“I’ve always been drawn to nature as it manifests its strength in unexpected contexts”. With this, Aldo Cibic built a miniature natural landscape, poetically made of structures, cont...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stainless Steel

Editioned Italian Fornasetti Calendar Porcelain Plate, 2013
Located in Atlanta, GA
A vintage Italian decorative porcelain plate designed and made by Fornasetti. The commemorative plate is for the year of 2013. The plate was made in a limited edition of 92 out of 70...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Porcelain

"Proust" Leather Mouse Pad Designed by Claude Bouchard for Oscar Maschera
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Proust" is a leather mouse pad, designed by Claude Bouchard and manufactured by Oscar Maschera. Genuine Italian leather vegetable tanned. Colors combinatio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Leather

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Rectangular Small Tray in Polished Brass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
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 ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Wooden Christmas Tree Set JUNIPER – Cedar
Located in Orlando, FL
The JUNIPER decorative solid handmade Christmas tree set adds warmth to your holiday theme with its minimalist and natural design. Inspired by the aesthetic form of the juniper tree,...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Ghidini 1961 Tip Top Limousine Tray in Polished Gold Finish
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This exquisite tray is part of the Tip Top collection and was entirely made in stainless steel that was then given a brass finish to obtain its distincti...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stainless Steel

Pen holder in Heather Briar and Nickel-plated Brass - "Essences" Collection
Located in Spilimbergo, IT
Add a touch of elegance to your desk with the pen holder from the exclusive "Essences" collection, a refined accessory that combines contemporary design and fine materials. Made with...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry A4 Tray in Polished Brass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Trays in brass. The compositional scheme of this family of small trays is the axonometric isometric projection of two parallelepipeds which creates a three-dimensional optical effect...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Corporate Christmas Gift Box 2
Located in Orlando, FL
The Corporate Christmas Gift Box is a thoughtfully designed and unique gift set tailored to meet the expectations of the business world. Developed in collaboration with LEONE Patisse...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Oak

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Set 4 Large Parallelepiped Tray Set in Polished Brass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Trays in brass. The compositional scheme of this family of small trays is the axonometric isometric projection of two parallelepipeds which creates a three-dimensional optical effect...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Solid Wood Paperweight Set – BULLET
Located in Orlando, FL
Handcrafted solid wood office accessories stand out with their elegant and natural design, shaped through expert craftsmanship. Infused with the natural scent of cedar, this stylish ...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Rectangular Small Tray in Rose Gold Finish
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tray in copper with a rose gold finish. 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 paper...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Copper

Ghidini 1961 Omini Cards Holder in Polished Brass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Business cards holder in brass, ideal for holding cards.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Antique American Modern Sterling Silver and Glass Inkwell on Stand
Located in New York, NY
Modern sterling silver and glass inkwell on stand, circa 1920. Lobed melon-form glass bowl; sterling silver cover domed with overlapping ovoid ring finial. stand has well and large l...
Category

Early 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Sterling Silver

FERMACARTE WITH AMMONITE contemporary design with authentic fossil shell #2
Located in Spilimbergo, IT
Thought of as paperweight for an eclectic desk or bookcase shelf, this delightful little unique sculpture transcends functionality to also be an exclusive and unique piece of fur...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Watch Box for Five Watches in Smoke Grey Oak, Red Ultrasuede Detail
Located in New York, NY
Box in polished wood for five watches lined in protective ultrasuede. Hinge in Ruthenium. Box only: watches are not included.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood

Italian modern purple rings for the perpetual wall calendar by Ring A Date, 2020
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern purple rings for the perpetual wall calendar by Ring A Date, 2020s Set of 3 round rings for the perpetual wall calendar by Ring A Date, in purple plastic. The ring has...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Plastic

Shagreen Leather Desk Set - Galucharme Collection
Located in Spilimbergo, IT
From the exclusive Galucharme collection, designed by Nino Basso, a refined coffee-colored desk set, perfect for those who love elegant and timeless design. Included in the set: • ...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Metal, Brass

"Love me Now" Marble Heart Gift by On Entropy in White Marble
Located in Athens, GR
"Love me Now" is a marble item designed to evoke the senses. It is shaped as an off-centered heart with a longer tail. Its finish and tactile surface make it a hearty volume, which i...
Category

2010s Greek Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Marble

Nautiloid Fossil Design Letter Opener - Unique Edition Fossiline
Located in Spilimbergo, IT
This refined letter opener with fossil handle is a desk sculpture by Nino Basso. The tapered, elongated shape of the fossil Orthoceras-set on a rocky layer-is a perfect match for the...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stone, Brass

Wooden Christmas Tree FIR – Cedar, Large Size
Located in Orlando, FL
The minimal solid cedar decorative Christmas tree is designed to enrich your holiday atmosphere, inspired by the elegant form of the fir tree. This handcrafted solid wood tree offers...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Small Parallelepiped Tray in Copper by Elisa Giovanni
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
The compositional scheme of this family of small trays is the axonometric isometric projection of two parallelepipeds which creates a three-dimensional optical effect implemented by ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Copper

Ghidini 1961 Tip Top Pencil Holder in Rose Gold by Richard Hutten
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
Pencil holder in stainless steel When you look at the top view of the Tip-Top series, all the triangles have the same size. In 3D these triangles have been stretched, which creates ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stainless Steel

Ghidini 1961 Tip Top Pencil Holder in Gold by Richard Hutten
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
Pencil holder in stainless steel When you look at the top view of the Tip-Top series, all the triangles have the same size. In 3D these triangles have been stretched, which creates ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Stainless Steel

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Large Parallelepiped Tray in Brass by Elisa Giovanni
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
The compositional scheme of this family of small trays is the axonometric isometric projection of two parallelepipeds which creates a three-dimensional optical effect implemented by ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Small Cube Tray in Copper by Elisa Giovanni
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
The compositional scheme of this family of small trays is the axonometric isometric projection of two parallelepipeds which creates a three-dimensional optical effect implemented by ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Copper

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Large Parallelepiped Tray in Copper by Elisa Giovanni
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
The compositional scheme of this family of small trays is the axonometric isometric projection of two parallelepipeds which creates a three-dimensional optical effect implemented by ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Copper

Ghidini 1961 Axonometry Small Cube Tray in Brass by Elisa Giovanni
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
The compositional scheme of this family of small trays is the axonometric isometric projection of two parallelepipeds which creates a three-dimensional optical effect implemented by ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Brass

Wooden Christmas Tree CEDAR – Cedar, Large Size
Located in Orlando, FL
The minimalist solid cedar decorative Christmas tree brings a natural and refined atmosphere to your holiday décor. Inspired by the elegant form of the cedar tree, these festive piec...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Cedar

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 Accessories

Materials

Brass

Wooden Christmas Tree Set CEDAR – Cedar
Located in Orlando, FL
The handcrafted solid cedar Christmas tree set is designed to complete your holiday theme with a warm and natural atmosphere. Inspired by the natural structure of cedar wood, the abs...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Desk Accessories

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Modern desk accessories for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique 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, stone and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern desk accessories made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original desk accessories, popular names associated with this style include Ghidini 1961, Danese Milano, Enzo Mari, and AIREDELSUR. 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 $15 and tops out at $57,800 while the average work can sell for $499.

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