Desk Accessories
Late 20th Century North American Bohemian Desk Accessories
Stone
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Marble
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Ceramic
2010s North Korean Modern Desk Accessories
Shell
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Adirondack Desk Accessories
Bamboo
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
1990s French Modern Desk Accessories
Leather, Alligator
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal, Silver Plate
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Bentwood
20th Century Italian Desk Accessories
Stone, Marble
1840s French Louis Philippe Antique Desk Accessories
Cherry
1920s German Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1980s Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Acrylic
1990s Italian Desk Accessories
Murano Glass, Paper
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Steel
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Stainless Steel
1870s Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
1970s British Vintage Desk Accessories
Wood
1620s Dutch Baroque Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
2010s German Country Desk Accessories
Porcelain
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Steel
Early 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Gold, Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Chrome
1910s English Edwardian Vintage Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
15th Century and Earlier Congolese Mid-Century Modern Antique Desk Accessories
Petrified Wood
Late 20th Century French Desk Accessories
Leather
Early 20th Century German Jugendstil Desk Accessories
Crystal, Metal, Sterling Silver, Silver
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century Asian Desk Accessories
Stone, Bronze
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Marble, Metal
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Silver, Enamel
1990s Italian Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
2010s Brazilian Rustic Desk Accessories
Crystal
1930s Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
19th Century French Empire Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Bronze
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Leaf
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
1970s Japanese Showa Vintage Desk Accessories
Silk
1910s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century Austrian Black Forest Desk Accessories
Art Glass, Softwood
1910s English Art Nouveau Vintage Desk Accessories
Pewter
Early 2000s German Modern Desk Accessories
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
1740s Dutch Antique Desk Accessories
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal, Chrome
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.