Railroad Bookends
Vintage 1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Steel
Vintage 1980s American Modern Desk Sets
Steel, Chrome
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Easels
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Antique Late 19th Century American Rustic Bookends
Iron
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Cut Steel
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Copper
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Chrome, Nickel
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Chrome, Steel
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Copper, Steel
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Steel, Nickel, Chrome
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Iron, Brass
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1970s American Modern Bookends
Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Iron
Late 20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Chrome, Nickel
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Gold, Iron
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Steel, Chrome
Late 20th Century Brazilian Industrial Bookends
Stainless Steel
Antique 1640s American More Desk Accessories
Iron
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Paperweights
Steel
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
Iron
Vintage 1960s American Bookends
Steel
Vintage 1970s American Decorative Objects
Steel, Brass
Vintage 1960s American Machine Age Bookends
Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Steel
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2010s Australian Modern Bookends
Bronze
Railroad Bookends For Sale on 1stDibs
Finding the Right Bookends for You
A good pair of antique, new or vintage bookends will look wonderful in your reading nook. And the need for these trusty home accents has stood the test of time, which means there are many different kinds to suit any design taste or furniture style.
Bookends weren’t created until the 1870s. Serving faithfully in the background, they went unobserved for a while. The authors of the Oxford English Dictionary report that the term “book end” didn’t appear in printed material until 1907. The primary function of bookends is to ensure that your books remain upright in your bookcase, but style and form have taken the lead over the years. Furniture makers have ensured that bookends demand as much attention as the books themselves. Indeed, while competing with carefully curated first editions or rows of colorful spines is no small task, plenty of bookends steal the stage.
If you’re looking to add a dose of intrigue or decorative flourish to your reading room that will be difficult to ignore, stone bookends and metal bookends can take on the appearance of small, provocative sculptures rather than functional accessories to keep your books orderly on your shelves. Depending on what kind of textures you’re thinking of introducing to your home office or study, a pair of brass bookends or a bronze set will pop against your dusty hardcovers and any decorative objects you’ve accumulated while working to style your bookcase. A pair of mid-century modern bookends carved from dark, exotic woods such as teak can also introduce warmth to a home office or study. While teak was a favorite of designers who worked with furniture in the mid-20th century, all manner of wood bookends have emerged over the years, with some woodworkers carving ornate patterns or figures into their pieces.
Bookworms, take note: You can find an extraordinary range of antique, new and vintage bookends for your dazzling book displays and bookshelves today on 1stDibs.
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