Pocket Watch Inkwell
Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Inkwells
Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century Indian Other Desk Sets
Silver
Recent Sales
Antique Early 1900s British Edwardian Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1910s English Inkwells
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1910s English Inkwells
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Desk Accessories
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s English Edwardian Sterling Silver
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Sterling Silver
Crystal, Sterling Silver
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Early 20th Century Chinese Sculptures and Carvings
Coral
Antique 19th Century Indian Other Centerpieces
Silver
Antique 19th Century British Other Sterling Silver
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Other Sofas
Fabric
20th Century Danish Crystal Serveware
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Unknown Victorian Musical Instruments
Metal
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Indian Scholar s Objects
Gold
Antique Early 18th Century European Baroque Inkwells
Sheet Metal
Antique Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Mantel Clocks
Bronze
Antique 1810s British Regency Tea Caddies
Shell
Early 2000s French Sofas
Fabric
Antique Late 17th Century Japanese Furniture
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Rustic Toys and Dolls
Wood
Vintage 1910s French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century French Arms, Armor and Weapons
Ormolu
Antique Early 18th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Globes
Other
Finding the Right Desk-accessories for You
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.
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