Modern Bookcases
MODERN STYLE
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
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Style: Modern
Contemporary Room Divider Shelving "30/30 M" in Oak by Casey Lurie Studio
By Casey Lurie
Located in Chicago, IL
Part room divider, part bookcase, part screen, the "30/30" series is an extremely versatile shelving system.
Named for the degrees of the alternately angled dividers which give the p...
Category
2010s North American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Wood
Danese Milano Livorno 60 Black Bookcase in Metal by Marco Ferreri
Located in Hicksville, NY
Black Livorno 60 is a small bookcase with three shelves made in powder-coated metal. The design of the piece is minimal and is characterized by the simplicity of the form and materia...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal
Danese Milano Archivio Vivo Small Book Stand in Silver Aluminum by James Irvine
Located in Hicksville, NY
Archivio vivo is a bookstand that is available in two versions. The first version is freestanding and can be placed on a table or desk whereas the second can be fixed to the wall. Th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Danese Milano Archivio Vivo Medium Book Stand in Silver Aluminum by James Irvine
Located in Hicksville, NY
Archivio vivo is a bookstand that is available in two versions. The first version is freestanding and can be placed on a table or desk whereas the second can be fixed to the wall. Th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Cassina Veliero Bookcase in Ash by Franco Albini
By Franco Albini, Cassina
Located in Vancouver, BC
The iconic Veliero bookcase re-invents the concept of balance, becoming the furniture poster child for the visionary work of Franco Albini. Given its ...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Brass, Stainless Steel
Musa Ivory Bookcase
Located in Milan, IT
Intersecting elements arranged in impeccable harmony define the airy and dynamic silhouette of this bookcase, a superb design whose prized materials make it a plush accent in professional contexts or living rooms. The rectangular-cut, cylindrical metallic structure is upholstered in ivory leather and equipped with four crystal clear shelves...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Leather
Set of 5 Strut Shelves from Souda, Black, Extra Long, Made to Order
By Souda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 5 116" shelves and 20 brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket finishes, and we can a...
Category
2010s American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal, Steel
Amorph Flux modern wall mounted shelf red color lacquer
By Amorph Inc.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Flux shelf is a sculptural art furniture piece designed by Amorph. Flux could be fitted in modern office or home as a featured contemporary piece...
Category
2010s American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
Glass and Walnut Wood Horizontal Wall Cabinet
Located in Boston, MA
The Alambra suspended display case designed by Giuseppe Bavuso is equipped with an exclusive invisible mechanism for the opening of the flap door, specifically designed for this refi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Walnut, Glass
White Primitive Bookshelf by Studio Nucleo, Made in Italy
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The Primitive bookshelf was one of the strongest and most iconic products designed by Studio Nucleo. Initially made as a limited-edition product, t...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Plastic
Contempoary by Kostas Syrtariotis Bookcase Wood
By Interna8
Located in Pordenone, IT
Booktree is a bookcase for your home, a natural presence growing on the wall. It can live alone but prefers to host on its branches books, varius objects and memories, with silency d...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Wood
Contemporary Shelve Unit by Johan Viladrich, Collectible Design, 2020, Rotterdam
Located in Antwerp, BE
Collectible design; Contemporary; Johan Viladrich; Functional Art; Polyethylene; Sabine Marcelis; Everyday Gallery; French design; Art; Bookcase; Office furniture; Store furniture...
Category
2010s French Modern Bookcases
Materials
Plastic
Aria Bookcase / Space Divider
By Chendù
Located in Milan, IT
Iron and i-Mesh® bookcase and space divider, Aria separates without closing, moves and organizes the rooms leaving them in communication with each other....
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Iron
Lucite / Bamboo / Glass Etagere in the Style of Karl Springer
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A very well crafted Etagere with clear Lucite posts straddled by hardened bamboo pieces woven to each corner making for nice detailed construction . Five glass shelves that include t...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Bookcases
Materials
Bamboo, Glass, Lucite
Kartell Adam Wood Bookcase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Adam Wood is Kartell’s first real bookcase for living areas. The shapes of its curved wooden shelves and 3-D painted steel frame have been optimised by CAD s...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Kartell Bookworm in White
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bookworm, the flexible bookcase, is the result of the encounter between the creativity of an artist such as Ron Arad, combined with Kartell's technology, giving life to a revolutiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Plastic
Blue Primitive Bookshelf by Studio Nucleo, Made in Italy
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The Primitive bookshelf was one of the strongest and most iconic products designed by Studio Nucleo. Initially made as a limited-edition product, t...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Small Suspended Bookcase Molteni&C by Gio Ponti - D.355.2 - made in Italy
By Gio Ponti, Molteni & C
Located in New York, NY
D.355.2 Small Suspended Bookcase by Gio Ponti.
Expert-crafted in Italy exclusively by Molteni&C.
As if floating in air, the D.355.2 small suspend...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Wood
GLASS SHELVES #1 '1976', by Shiro Kuramata for Glas Italia
Located in Macherio, IT
Glass Shelves #1 (1976) Shelves is shown here in the transparent glass. Bookcase characterised by the extraordinary formal cleanness and the golden proportions, entirely realized in ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Glass
NMSK, Alu Dry Joint Bookcase
Located in Milan, IT
NMSK is an object part of a series of furniture items made from a standard manufacturing process in metal carpentry, which is 2d laser cutting.
From a uniform metal sheets the obje...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Danese Milano Archivio Vivo Small Book Stand in Blue Aluminum by James Irvine
Located in Hicksville, NY
Archivio vivo is a bookstand that is available in two versions. The first version is freestanding and can be placed on a table or desk whereas the second can be fixed to the wall. Th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Danese Milano Gran Livorno Red Wall Bookcase in Metal by Marco Ferreri
Located in Hicksville, NY
Red Gran Livorno is a small, freestanding bookcase. It is the evolution of the Livorno bookcase, and maintains the same structural principals and minimal form. The piece is made of v...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal
21st Century Modern Steel White Bookshelves Wave Made in Italy
Located in Sant'Elena, IT
The Wave series is the result of a gesture, a natural movement that gives birth to sinuous and minimal forms without neglecting the functionality of the object. It consists of wall s...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
NOBRE Bookcase Lacquered in Custom Colors
Located in Frazão, Porto
The versatile Nobre bookcase can be used on the wall or as a room separator. Made of solid wood, Nobre is available in any lacquer or veneered wood colo...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Bookcases
Materials
Brass, Stainless Steel
Dove Grey Turtle Bookcase, Designed by Marcantonio, Made in Italy
By MARCANTONIO
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 400 other unique products. (2.2)
A multipurpose turtle: its carapace acts as a support for a series of accessories. Onc...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal
Corner Cupboard Shelf Coffee Table Storage Cabinet Bookcase Medulum
Located in Meolo, Venezia
Tables on one or more levels, furnish ironically without remaining unnoticed. Ideal companions for public and private environments and contexts.
The structure is a curved metal roun...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal
Baleri Italia Mac Gee Bookshelf in Metallic Silver Steel by Philippe Starck
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Mac Gee is the essence of a bookshelf. Philippe Starck cleaned and cleaned the structure to only keep the square root, the skeleton of a bookshelf. Therefore avoiding styles, the tim...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
Black Primitive Bookshelf by Studio Nucleo, Made in Italy
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The Primitive bookshelf was one of the strongest and most iconic products designed by Studio Nucleo. Initially made as a limited-edition product, t...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Plastic
Invisible Contemporary Bookshelf
Located in London, GB
Invisible began with a concept of ‘what if a furniture is invisible?’. To make the furniture be considered as if it
doesn’t exist though it actually exists, a space has been made wi...
Category
2010s Korean Modern Bookcases
Materials
Stainless Steel
Ego Hexagonal Modular Shelf
By Chendù
Located in Milan, IT
Pink Moon is a multifunctional, linear, refined and attractive furnishing accessory. It contains in a single two versions of itself for two complementary uses. In lacquered iron and ...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Iron
4 Shelves Bookcase American Walnut Molteni&C by Yasuhito Itoh - MHC.2
By Molteni & C
Located in New York, NY
MHC.2 Four Shelves Bookcase by Yasuhito Itoh. Expert-crafted in Italy exclusively by Molteni&C.
An eye-catching piece, this 4-shelf bookshelf by Yasu...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Walnut
Contemporary Floor to Ceiling Bookshelf Bookcase Storage Unit Brass Metal
Located in Milan, IT
Bookcase 02
Floor to ceiling bookcase entirely made of brass. The structure has no visible joints or screws becoming an asymmetric shape that merges organ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Brass
Liber Glass Bookcase, Designed by Luca Papini, Made in Italy
By Papini
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 400 other unique products.
Bookcase, showcase or bed side table, available in different sizes. Wooden drawers mat white or RAL lacquered. Available in transparent, extra clear and smoked glass.
Designed by Luca Papini...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Glass
Contemporary Half Moon Etagere
Located in Westwood, NJ
A contemporary-style half-moon etagere with a light and airy design. The tall frame has been given a high polished gold finish and surrounds each of the six...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal
21st Century Modern Bookshelf with Agglomerated Wood Top Ethrio Made in Italy
Located in Sant'Elena, IT
This is a very flexible shelving system that can suit any type of space. With a simple shifting in the assembling of the shelves, a variety of possible configurations is available, d...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
21st Century Modern Bookshelf with Agglomerated Wood Top Ethrio Made in Italy
Located in Sant'Elena, IT
This is a very flexible shelving system that can suit any type of space. With a simple shifting in the assembling of the shelves, a variety of possible configurations is available, d...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
Set of 2 Strut Shelves from Souda, Black, Made to Order
By Souda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 2 52" Shelves & 4 Brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket ...
Category
2010s American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal, Steel
Contemporary Leather Double Bookcase Scala, Stephane Parmentier for Giobagnara
Located in Warsaw, PL
Double bookcase by Stephane Parmentier for Giobagnara.
The object presented in the image has following finish: F82 Rust Nappa Leat...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Leather, Wood
Contemporary Wooden Two Eyes Bookcase by Rejo Studio
Located in Riyadh, SA
This Artistic bookcase has unique two windows for your books, inspired by the Architecture of Ancient Oriental Houses.
Dimension. W 50 x D 40 x H 160 cm
Material. Oak wood
Year...
Category
2010s Saudi Arabian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Oak
Danese Milano Archivio Vivo Large Book Stand in White Aluminum by James Irvine
Located in Hicksville, NY
Archivio vivo is a bookstand that is available in two versions. The first version is freestanding and can be placed on a table or desk whereas the second can be fixed to the wall. Th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Modern by Carpanelli Gae Bookcase
By Carpanelli
Located in Desio, IT
"Gae" modular bookcase is inspired by the volumes of Piazza Gae Aulenti in Milan. The materials used for the compositions are precious woods such as light Tay, Dark Tay, Canaletto Wa...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Leather, Wood
Contemporary Bookcase Floor to Ceiling Storage Unit Brass Marble Bookshelf
Located in Milan, IT
Bookcase 01
Floor to ceiling bookcase featuring 3 back-painted glass doors colored in cold tones, marble or onyx top, lacquered wooden interior and brass shelving. Each of the three...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Marble, Brass
Bear, Black Polar Bear Bookshelf, Made in France
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 500 other unique products. (2)
The polar bear that is in perfect harmony with its function as bookshelves, gets heavier...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Bookcases
Materials
Laminate, Wood
Bear, White Polar Bear Bookshelf, Made in France
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 500 other unique products. (2)
The polar bear that is in perfect harmony with its function as bookshelves, gets heavier...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Bookcases
Materials
Wood, Laminate
Set of 4 Strut Shelves from Souda, Black, Made to Order
By Souda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 4 84" Shelves & 12 Brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket finishes, and we can adju...
Category
2010s American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal, Steel
Nendo Small Drop Bookcase in Matte Lacquered Laser-Cut Sheet Metal by Cappellini
By Nendo, Cappellini
Located in New York, NY
An ingenious challenge against the force of gravity, the Drop, by Nendo, is a two-sided column bookshelf offered in 3 different heights. The Drop bookshelves are made of Matte lacque...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal
Set of 4 Strut Shelves from Souda, Modern White Wood Wall Shelf/Bookcase
By Souda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price includes 4 84" long shelves with 12 white brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket fin...
Category
2010s American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal, Steel
Milonga Bookcase in Lacquered Iron with Flamed Oak Shelves by Paolo Cappello
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Milonga is a bookcase with long legs, set with a delicate cadence between spaces. Either as a partition between rooms or, more traditionally, against a wall, this is an indispensable piece for organizing your home library. As well as being technical, Milonga is bold and distinctive, and plays on the colours of the tubes and the layout of the shelves. Indeed, it is the sequence of the shelves that gives the bookcase its sense of movement, echoing the rhythm of the lines printed in the exercise books of our childhood.
Bookshelf with structure in iron rebar lacquered in the listed colours. Shelves in flamed oak...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Iron
Danese Milano Bincan Leggio Book Stand A3 in White by Naoto Fukasawa
Located in Hicksville, NY
Bincan leggio is part of the Bincan collection, which was designed for the work place and can be adapted to any environment whether internal or external, public or private. The lecte...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal
Baleri Italia Mac Gee Bookshelf in White Steel by Philippe Starck
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Mac Gee is the essence of a bookshelf. Philippe Starck cleaned and cleaned the structure to only keep the square root, the skeleton of a bookshelf. Therefore avoiding styles, the tim...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
Musa Brown Bookcase
Located in Milan, IT
An elegant piece that can serve as a room divider and bookcase, this superb design allows to store books and display collectibles on four crystal shelves (clear, bronzed, or smoked) ...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Leather
Simply Modern Bookcase
Located in Westwood, NJ
An elegant modern open bookcase with a lacquered interior, leather-wrapped drawers and our Cardamon finish frame and handles, with brushed brass f...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Bookcases
Materials
Leather, Wood
Matassa Large Bookcase in Black Iron Rebar, by Luigi Semeraro
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This Matassa bookshelf with structure in iron rebar is varnished in white or black, with shelves in flamed oak, Canaletto walnut or lacquered in black or white. Available in two different heights and sizes. Here you are shown the Matassa bookcases in black iron rebar, in the large size.
Luigi Semeraro, born in Varese in 1978, product and interior designer, graduated at Design University, Politecnico di Milano. During the training, he enriches his academic and professional experiences in Italy and abroad, ranging from product to graphic design. He begins his career as a designer, realizing with a team the project “Piu YIU”, Chinese temporary restaurant, presented at the Dining Contest of “Salon Satellite” in 2004, in collaboration with Sawaya and Moroni...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Iron
Set of 4 Strut Shelves from Souda, Black and Maple, Made to Order
By Souda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 4 52" shelves & 8 brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket finishes, and we can adjus...
Category
2010s American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal, Steel
Lensvelt Job Cabinet
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Cabinet
Lensvelt Job cabinet red, an archetype of the Classic storage cabinet designed by Studio Job, with a special twist. The case has a gigantic gold-colored key that gives the...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
Contemporary Leather Bookcase Scala by Stephane Parmentier for Giobagnara
Located in Warsaw, PL
Leather bookcase by Stephane Parmentier for Giobagnara.
The object presented in the image has following finish: F09 Brown Nappa Le...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Leather, Wood
Set of 2 Strut Shelves from Souda, Black and Maple, Made to Order
By Souda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 2 84" shelves and 6 brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket finishes, and we can adj...
Category
2010s American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal, Steel
Set of 4 Strut Shelves from Souda, Maple, Extra Long, Made to Order
By Souda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 4 116" shelves and 16 brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket finishes, and we can a...
Category
2010s American Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal, Steel
Modern bookcases for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern bookcases for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage bookcases created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, more furniture and collectibles, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern bookcases made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Denmark pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original bookcases, popular names associated with this style include DeCastelli, Kartell, Souda, and Danese Milano. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for bookcases differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $120 and tops out at $96,530 while the average work can sell for $3,910.
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