Desk Accessories
1930s American Vintage Desk Accessories
Iron
1850s Antique Desk Accessories
Glass
Mid-20th Century Central American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Lucite
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Leather
2010s Argentine Modern Desk Accessories
Onyx, Stone, Metal
Late 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Silver
1930s Danish Bauhaus Vintage Desk Accessories
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Plastic, Acrylic
20th Century Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Teak
Late 19th Century Antique Desk Accessories
Iron
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Cherry
1850s French Napoleon III Antique Desk Accessories
Enamel
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Desk Accessories
Walnut
1880s Antique Desk Accessories
Crystal, Silver Plate
Late 19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Desk Accessories
Ceramic
2010s Mexican Modern Desk Accessories
Resin
1920s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Bronze
1930s British Other Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Desk Accessories
Wood
2010s English Modern Desk Accessories
Cement
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Resin
Early 20th Century Art Deco Desk Accessories
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Murrine, Uranium ...
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Hardwood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Murano Glass
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Desk Accessories
Leather
1960s German Brutalist Vintage Desk Accessories
Metal
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Steel
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
20th Century Chinese Desk Accessories
Metal, Other
2010s Brazilian Minimalist Desk Accessories
Steel
Early 20th Century South African Desk Accessories
Bone, Wood
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
Brass
1950s Italian Art Deco Vintage Desk Accessories
Brass, Tin
1980s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Plastic
Early 2000s Italian Space Age Desk Accessories
Foam
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Tin
20th Century European Desk Accessories
Shagreen
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Desk Accessories
Metal
19th Century French Antique Desk Accessories
Marble, Brass
Late 20th Century Unknown Rustic Desk Accessories
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
1840s English Early Victorian Antique Desk Accessories
Brass
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Desk Accessories
Marble
20th Century Arts and Crafts Desk Accessories
Copper
1970s French Vintage Desk Accessories
Silver Plate
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Desk Accessories
Lucite
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.