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La Lettre, a painting by Abraham Solomon c. 1843

well-appointed desk is a thing of beauty and can bring a touch well-appointed desk would not be complete without a perpetual
of class to a home or business office. Antique desk accessories calendar. Since perpetual calendars could be used indefinitely, they
Aoften combine craftsmanship and style that are reminiscent of were often made of long-lasting materials like wood, metal, and stone
days gone by when letter writing was as much an art as it was a way and could be found in many styles. These desk calendars were not full
to present business correspondence within a formal setting. They add of information such as holidays or special events but were mainly used
timeless charm and personality to modern-day desks and many function to inform the viewer of the date and provide a quick visual of the
just as well today as they ever did while others just remind us of days current month. Depending on the age, style, maker, and materials,
gone by. vintage and antique desk calendars can be worth hundreds or thousands
of dollars. But many simple styles can be affordable and still function
LETTER RACK as they were initially intended while adding a touch of style.

Antique letter racks serve an incredibly simple purpose. They are
meant to hold letters and other paperwork upright to help keep it
organized. Letter racks are still commonly manufactured and used
today but the quality of an antique or vintage piece will usually be far
superior. Prices of antique letter racks can range from under $50 for
simple wooden racks to thousands of dollars for luxury items. They are
a simple way to add style and function to any desk.

English Victorian brass and oak perpetual desk calendar
photo: Newel Gallery

WRITING INSTRUMENT

No antique desk would be complete without a proper writing
instrument. Many homes and offices today are full of disposable
ballpoint pens, but feather quills were the most widely used tool for
hundreds of years. From the 7th century well into the 19th century,
there was little advancement. Feathers from swans, turkeys, and geese
were dried to remove naturally occurring oils. They were sharpened and
A Tiffany Studios gilt bronze early 20th century dipped in ink. It wasn’t until 1822 that the machine-made steel-point
letter rack recently sold for $1,000 at auction
pen was mass-produced and began to replace feather quills. Not long
photo: Fontaine’s Auction Gallery
after that, the fountain pen was introduced and by the 1880s it was
reliable but continually being improved upon. Once performance
DESK CALENDAR improvements were negligible, manufacturers began to focus on fancier
materials and designs to differentiate their high-end products. Pens
Most homes and offices use calendars to help keep track of became a gift item and status symbol. A beautiful, reusable fountain
important dates and holidays. While disposable paper calendars have pen still has a place on a well-appointed desk today, and demand for
become the norm and have been popular for over a century, a new and vintage pens is increasing as people look for ways to cut down
on single-use plastic.

26 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles