Coin Paperweight
20th Century Greek Classical Greek Paperweights
Sterling Silver, Bronze
20th Century Unknown Paperweights
Crystal, Bronze
20th Century Unknown Paperweights
Crystal, Bronze
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Silver
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Paperweights
Marble, Metal
Antique 19th Century American Paperweights
Iron
Late 20th Century American Paperweights
Copper
Vintage 1980s Italian Paperweights
Silver
People Also Browsed
Late 20th Century Italian Games
Mahogany
Vintage 1940s Danish Medieval Decorative Boxes
Bronze, Iron
2010s American Paperweights
Glass
Vintage 1940s Swedish Decorative Art
Glass, Wood, Paper, Organic Material
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Jewelry Boxes
Brass, Bronze
20th Century Italian Animal Sculptures
Murano Glass
Vintage 1920s Danish Decorative Boxes
Metal
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Glass
Vintage 1930s French Belle Époque Decorative Boxes
Crystal, Bronze
Antique 1850s French Victorian Jewelry Boxes
Bronze, Enamel
Vintage 1980s American Modern Paperweights
Crystal
Antique 1880s French Gothic Revival Jewelry Boxes
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Decorative Boxes
Ceramic
Antique Mid-19th Century English Glass
Glass
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Jewelry Boxes
Bronze
Vintage 1940s Swedish Decorative Art
Glass, Wood, Paper, Organic Material
Recent Sales
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Desk Accessories
Brass, Copper, Nickel
20th Century British Paperweights
Sterling Silver
20th Century British Paperweights
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Australian Spanish Colonial Paperweights
Hardwood
20th Century British More Silver, Flatware and Silverplate
Sterling Silver
20th Century British More Silver, Flatware and Silverplate
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Modern Paperweights
Metal
Vintage 1910s American Arts and Crafts Desk Sets
Bronze
Vintage 1970s French Modern Glass
Crystal
Late 20th Century Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Brass
Early 20th Century Chinese Decorative Objects
Soapstone
Antique 19th Century French Models and Miniatures
Bronze
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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