Desk Accessories
15th Century and Earlier Congolese Mid-Century Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Petrified Wood
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Adirondack Desk Accessories
Bamboo
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Brass
1910s British Edwardian Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s British Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Bakelite
Late 20th Century Italian International Style Desk Accessories
Metal
1910s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Early 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Bronze
1960s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Art Deco Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Gold, Enamel, Sterling Silver
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1970s Hong Kong Space Age Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Silver Plate
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Hardwood
Late 19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1880s Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Silver Plate
Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
19th Century French Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
1970s Japanese Showa Vintage Desk Accessories
Silk
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Art Glass
1980s German Vintage Desk Accessories
Synthetic
1980s Dutch Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Nickel
Mid-20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Leather, Resin
Early 20th Century Austrian Black Forest Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Softwood
Mid-20th Century American Organic Modern Desk Accessories
Stone
Early 20th Century American Modern Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver, Enamel
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Horn, Wood
1980s Japanese Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1850s French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Enamel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Crystal
1970s Italian Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Late 19th Century British Antique Desk Accessories
Metal
1910s English Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bronze
1980s Hollywood Regency Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
1740s Dutch Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
1740s Dutch Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
2010s Chinese Qing Desk Accessories
Jade
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Late 20th Century French Desk Accessories
Leather
Early 20th Century American Edwardian Desk Accessories
Leather, Glass
20th Century Louis XIV Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Brass
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.