Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Mid-20th Century Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Iron
1990s Philippine Egyptian Revival Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Stone, Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Marble
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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Walnut
Early 2000s American Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Metal
1960s American Post-Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Fiberglass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Plastic
15th Century and Earlier Egyptian Egyptian Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Stone
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Napoleon III Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Metal
1970s Unknown Hollywood Regency Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Stone
20th Century Philippine Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Horn
1930s French Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Metal, Copper
Late 20th Century British Colonial Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Bronze
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Metal
2010s Finnish Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Fabric, Fiberglass
Late 20th Century Philippine Regency Revival Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Brass
Late 20th Century Hollywood Regency Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Bronze
Late 20th Century Philippine Napoleon III Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Brass
Recent Sales
1950s French Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Animal Skin, Silk, Glass
1960s Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Malachite
1950s Danish Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
1960s French Retro Inkwell Desk Set
1950s Italian Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Brass
1950s French Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Marble, Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Leather
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Murano Glass
Late 20th Century European Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Glass, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Chrome
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Chrome
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Leather
1960s American Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Brass
1960s German Modern Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Crystal, Brass
Mid-20th Century Chinese Other Retro Inkwell Desk Set
Brass
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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