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Modern Shelves

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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 chaircrafted 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
Charlotte Perriand Nuage by Cassina Louis Vuitton Edition
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1956 and reissued in 2014 as a limited edition collaboration between Cassina and Louis Vuitton, the Nuage bookcase is a landmark work of modular des...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Ash

Contemporary Room Divider Shelving "30/30 L" in Oak by Casey Lurie Studio
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 Shelves

Materials

Wood

Casey Lurie Studio Modern High "Primo" Shelving System in Walnut with Brass
Located in Chicago, IL
“Shelving can be the most mundane thing you own, or it can be the beautiful bones of a room as pleasing to see as anything it displays. Casey Lurie’s Primo system would be the latter.” William L. Hamilton, The wall street journal The Primo shelving system is composed of notched solid wood planks...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel, Metal

Contemporary Shelving Room Divider "30/30 S" in Walnut by Casey Lurie Studio
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 ...
Category

2010s North American Modern Shelves

Materials

Wood

Pontile Bookcase, in canaletto walnut, by Accardi Buccheri for Medulum
Located in Meolo, Venezia
Bookcase made of a series of solid wood poles with circular section, veneered shelves with solid wood edging, all made of Canaletto walnut finished with transparent paint. The head of the poles is coated with a blue protective paint. The system is completed by two storage compartments that feature sliding doors with integrated handle. The library is shipped semi assembled. Libreria costituita da pali continui a sezione circolare in legno massello. Ripiani impiallacciati con bordatura in massello. Il tutto realizzato in noce canaletto finito con vernice trasparente. La testa...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Wood, Walnut

Casey Lurie Studio Modern Low "Primo" Shelving System in Walnut with Brass
Located in Chicago, IL
“Shelving can be the most mundane thing you own, or it can be the beautiful bones of a room as pleasing to see as anything it displays. Casey Lurie’s Primo system would be the latter.” William L. Hamilton, The wall street journal The primo shelving system is composed of notched solid wood planks...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel, Metal

Contemporary Shelving Room Divider "30/30 L" in Walnut by Casey Lurie Studio
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 ...
Category

2010s North American Modern Shelves

Materials

Wood, Walnut

1970s Arched Top Brass Étagère
Located in West Chester, PA
Arched top brass étagère with five glass shelves, USA, 1970s.
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Shelves

Materials

Metal

A Pair of Italian Iron Étagères with Glass Shelves, In the manner of Giacometti.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A stylish pair of étageres crafted in the manner of Giacometti with slender sculptural lines and understated elegance. Each unit features a dark patinated iron frame topped with bras...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass, Iron

Pastoe “Horizontals” A-Line Wall Cabinet by Shigeru Uchida
Located in Dronten, NL
Designed by Shigeru Uchida for Pastoe, this compact wall-mounted cabinet from the Horizontals A-Line series is a rare and elegant storage piece originally conceived for CDs. Uchida’s...
Category

Early 2000s Dutch Modern Shelves

Materials

Aluminum

Contemporary Room Divider Shelving "30/30 S" in Oak by Casey Lurie Studio
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 Shelves

Materials

Wood

Mobili Sintetici bench, in veneered plywood, by Cara\Davide for Medulum
Located in Meolo, Venezia
The basics of carpentry involve the mechanical and manual processing of wood, commonly in board-format where the most simple and fundamental processes are straight and inclined s...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Plywood

Amuneal's Brass + Glass Collector's Shelving
Located in New York, NY
Our Collector’s Shelving Units have been featured in award-winning residential, hotel, retail, and hospitality projects. Each year we produce hundreds of bespoke units, engineered an...
Category

2010s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass

Pontile bookcase and cabinet, in oak wood by AccardiBuccheri for Medulum
Located in Meolo, Venezia
Bookcase made of a series of solid wood poles with circular section, veneered shelves with solid wood edging, all made of Oak wood finished with transparent paint. The head of the poles is coated with a brick red protective paint. The system is completed by two storage compartments that feature sliding doors with integrated handle. The library is shipped semi assembled. Cod. e DIM: — PON bookcase W200 x H200 x D40 cm MATERIALS: oak wood COLORS: colors head poles Design by Accardi Buccheri for Medulum Libreria costituita da pali continui a sezione circolare in legno massello. Ripiani impiallacciati con bordatura in massello. Il tutto realizzato in legno di rovere finito con vernice trasparente. La testa...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Wood, Oak

Emerald Green Cerused Oak Modular Bookcase Room Divider by Lou Hodges, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This absolute show-stopper modular bookcase refinished in gorgeous emerald green cerused oak is by Lou Hodges, designed and produced in California in the 1970s and 1980s. You can con...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Shelves

Materials

Oak

Customizable color USM Haller Media O2 Storage System
Located in New York, NY
Offered by M2L. With two drop down doors and one cable cut out. Designed by Swiss architect Fritz Haller and Paul Schaerer in 1963. Made from powder coated steel and chrome-plated...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Shelves

Materials

Chrome, Steel

Amuneal’s Collector's Hanging 2 Bay Brass and Glass Shelving Unit
Located in New York, NY
This Wall Hanging Brass and Glass Shelving Unit is part of Amuneal’s Collector’s Shelving System and features our precision machined brass fittings ...
Category

2010s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass

Kartell Sound Rack Modular Bookcase in Crystal by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Multi-shaped and multi-purpose shelving system, stackable and modular, offering the possibility of creating a variety of geometric and chromatic compositions. This accessory can play the dual role as both container and room divider. It is a go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Resin

Kartell Sound Rack Modular Bookcase in Nude by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Multi-shaped and multi-purpose shelving system, stackable and modular, offering the possibility of creating a variety of geometric and chromatic compositions. This accessory can play the dual role as both container and room divider. IT IS a go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Resin

Customizable USM Haller Side Table O118
Located in New York, NY
Offered by M2L. With one drop down door. Designed by Swiss architect Fritz Haller and Paul Schaerer in 1963. Made from powder coated steel and chrome-plated steel tubes, the USM H...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Shelves

Materials

Chrome, Steel

Suvretta Plastic Bookcase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Suvretta bookcase in plastic laminate was originally designed in 1981, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Plastic

Bertu Shelving, Modern Industrial Storage Wall Unit, Powder Coated Metal
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
This Industrial Wall Unit is made to work in any space that has the need for open shelving. It's made in the heart of Ohio with locally sourced wood. Each shelving unit is hand-made ...
Category

2010s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Metal

Opinion Ciatti Henry III Triangular Wall Shelf Left
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Well defined with contemporary lines, a geometric design and unusual shapes in order to surprise and astonish. Henri is the collection of shelves designed by Bruno Rainaldi, characte...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Stainless Steel

Amuneal's Black Wood, Steel, and Bronze Industrial Wall Mounted Shelving
Located in New York, NY
Amuneal's Charred Pine, Steel and Bronze Shelving with Formed Returns. This single bay Loft Shelving Series unit is wall-mounted to support five shelves, using custom machined brass fittings on bent steel posts. Amuneal’s proprietary machined hardware clamps onto the posts so that the shelves can be easily adjusted at any time. The burnt oak shelves are milled in house from pine before being hand-finished using the traditional Shou Sugi Ban process of burning the wood. Ebonized oak is a similar looking alternative black wood option. Once completed, the shelves are sealed with a protective coating that keeps that burnt finish from rubbing off. The combination of blackened steel posts, machined and patinated brass hardware and the charred oak shelves make this a stunning and sculptural shelving...
Category

2010s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass, Steel

Kartell Sundial Modular Bookcase in Crystal and White by Nendo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sundial is the bookcase whose dividing elements, placed in different directions, create a game of unexpected and original proportions.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Resin

Wall-Mounted Tidal Shelf in Black Powder-Coated Aluminum by Jonathan Nesci
Located in Columbus, IN
The wall-mounted, tidal shelf is formed out of 1/4 inch thick, powder-coated aluminum. Each shelf has a welded U-channel to the reverse of the shelf and ea...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Aluminum

Contemporary Plump Vanity in Pink, Translucent Polyurethane Resin by Ian Cochran
Located in New York, NY
Plump Vanity by Ian Alistair Cochran Solid Resin, 3 pieces W 40"x H 16" x D/L 16" W 101.6 x H 40.6 x D/L 40.6 cm The Plump Vanity in Gloss P...
Category

2010s Modern Shelves

Materials

Resin

Customizable Color - USM Haller Pedestal M Storage System
Located in New York, NY
Offered by M2L. With one 6" drawer and one 14" filing drawer and casters. Designed by Swiss architect Fritz Haller and Paul Schaerer in 1963. Made from powder coated steel and chr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Shelves

Materials

Chrome, Steel

Contemporary Room Divider Shelving "30/30 M" in Oak by Casey Lurie Studio
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 Shelves

Materials

Wood

Wall mounted shelving unit in solid walnut by Jonathan Field
Located in London, GB
This wall-mounted shelving unit was part of a design project commissioned for a private client's home office. There is allowance for electric cabling to run from the back to the fron...
Category

2010s English Modern Shelves

Materials

Walnut

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 Shelves

Materials

Plastic

In-Stock Oak, Black and White 'Horizontale' Shelving Unit by Design Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
In-stock oak, black and white 'Horizontale' shelving unit by Design Frères. In the six shelves version. Hand polished and clear-sealed white oak shelves interspaced with matte black ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Shelves

Materials

Steel

Sarreid Wall Shelf, Carved Wood, Gargoyle, Lion, Made in Spain
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of Sarreid carved wood shelves. Can be used with glass top as seen in pictures or without. Made in Spain. Measures: Glass top is 108 (length)...
Category

1970s Spanish Vintage Modern Shelves

Materials

Glass, Wood

Pair of Late 20th Century Mahogany Hanging Wall Shelves
Located in Germantown, MD
Pair of Late 20th Century Mahogany Hanging Wall Shelves in very good Condition.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Shelves

Materials

Mahogany

Mirrored Pair Contemporary Shelving "Paso" in Walnut by Casey Lurie
Located in Chicago, IL
Paso shelving was designed to embody simplicity and harmony through the use of rhythmical geometries and warm natural materials. Alternating ladder-like shelves create discrete secti...
Category

2010s North American Modern Shelves

Materials

Wood

Kartell Sound Rack Modular Bookcase in Tangerine by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Multi-shaped and multi-purpose shelving system, stackable and modular, offering the possibility of creating a variety of geometric and chromatic compositions. This accessory can play the Dual role as both container and room divider. IT IS a go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Resin

Amuneal's Brass + Glass Collector's Shelving - Quick Ship
Located in New York, NY
Our Collector’s Shelving Units have been featured in award-winning residential, hotel, retail, and hospitality projects. Each year we produce hundreds of bespoke units, engineered an...
Category

2010s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass

Opinion Ciatti Henry II Triangular Corner Wall Shelf
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Well defined with contemporary lines, a geometric design and unusual shapes in order to surprise and astonish. Henri is the collection of shelves designed by Bruno Rainaldi, characte...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Stainless Steel

Oak and Brass Bookcase Shelving with Credenza by Amuneal
Located in New York, NY
Oak and Brass Bookcase Shelving with Credenza is the single bay version of Amuneal’s collector’s shelving unit featuring solid machined brass fitti...
Category

2010s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass

Stunning Christian Liaigre “Editeur” Shelf
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Incredible lacquered massacre ebony shelf with metal frame by Christian Liaigre. This is a tall piece. Purchased from Liaigre showroom in NYC in 2012. Great overall condition. Re...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Shelves

Materials

Ebony

Amuneal’s Collector’s 4 Bay Office Unit
Located in New York, NY
Four bays of our collector’s shelving system are used to create this modular office configuration with desk, adjustable display shelving, drawers and la...
Category

2010s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass

21st Century Matteo Zorzenoni Bones Bookcase Black PaintedWood Scapin Collezioni
Located in Tezze sul Brenta, IT
Bones bookcase, Colorama Collection Design by Matteo Zorzenoni for Scapin Collezioni Soft lines and visual lightness are the key traits that distinguish the Bones bookcase. Thanks t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Wood

Opinion Ciatti Henry III Triangular Wall Shelf Right
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Well defined with contemporary lines, a geometric design and unusual shapes in order to surprise and astonish. Henri is the collection of shelves designed by Bruno Rainaldi, characte...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Stainless Steel

Room Collection Shelf, Pine Wood Storage Blocks by Erik Olovsson & Kyuhyung Cho
Located in Stockholm, SE
Room Collection is a shelving system, various geometric voids inspired by architecture and the objects they can hold. When all the elements of ROOM are combined it forms either a long shelf...
Category

2010s Swedish Modern Shelves

Materials

Pine

Amuneal's Collector's 1 Bay Shelving Unit
Located in New York, NY
This single bay version of Amuneal’s Collector’s shelving unit features solid machined brass fittings and posts in a warm brass finish. The unit mou...
Category

2010s American Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass

Grey Wall Mounted Hypótila Shelving with Silver Aluminium Finish EX.7
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Materials: Aluminium Dimensions: D 26 cm x W 400 cm x H 70 cm The Hypostila shelving was designed in 1979 by Lluis Clotet and Oscar Tusquets to support important amounts of...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Shelves

Materials

Aluminum

French Modern Style Forged Bronze and Woven Rattan Étagère, Sculptural Form
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
French Modern Style Forged Bronze and Woven Rattan Étagère, Sculptural Form A sculptural and generously scaled French Modern-style étagère, beautifully crafted from forged bronzed m...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Shelves

Materials

Metal

Contemporary Book Shelf Stand in Brazilian Hardwood by Leo Strauss
Located in Atibaia, BR
The book shelf column is a piece of unique construction and design. Its geometric shapes, straight angles and simple lines, significant characteristics of the modernist movement in B...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Shelves

Materials

Brass

Wall Mounted Sit/Stand Desk "Muro" in Oak and Stainless Steel by Casey Lurie
Located in Chicago, IL
Wall anchored stainless steel rails support three wood shelves of varying depths. Each shelf serves a different function: shallow for small objects and pictures, medium for books and larger objects...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Shelves

Materials

Steel

Vitra Planophore Bookshelf Roomdivider Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby Jean Prouvé
Located in Munster, NRW
Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby have designed Planophore 2014 for Vitra as a dual-purpose - room divider and bookshelf. Its open sides create a horizontal emphasis underscored by the solid shelves with rounded bottom edges, which are reminiscent of aircraft wings and appear to float on the vertical panels. This also explains the name of the shelf: the original Planophore made its debut in 1871 as the first stable model aeroplane...
Category

2010s German Modern Shelves

Materials

Aluminum

TRANSFIX Storage Unit in Glass, by Marc Krusin, Kensaku Oshiro from Glas Italia
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Transfix storage unit is shown here in the transparent extralight glass. Display and storage unit and element dividing and screening the spaces, obtained by gluing slabs of laminated...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Glass

Casey Lurie Studio Modern Low "Pylon" Shelving System in Ash
Located in Chicago, IL
The “Pylon” profile comprises overhanging, interleaved shelves grounded by stacked, conical spacers. These solid elements add visual weight and totemic structure to the shelf system’...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Shelves

Materials

Metal, Brass, Stainless Steel

Kartell Sound Rack Modular Bookcase in Marine by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Multi-shaped and multi-purpose shelving system, stackable and modular, offering the possibility of creating a variety of geometric and chromatic compositions. This accessory can play the dual role as both container and room divider. IT IS a go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves

Materials

Resin

Jade Formless Fiberglass Wall Shelf by kar
Located in Geneve, CH
Jade Formless Fiberglass Wall Shelf by kar Unique Piece Dimensions: W 65 x D 73 x H 15 cm. Materials: Fiberglass. Available in Moss Brown or Jade colors. Please contact us. As each...
Category

2010s Chinese Modern Shelves

Materials

Fiberglass

California Modern Cerused Oak Modular Bookcase Room Divider by Lou Hodges, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 80's light blue cerused oak modular wall bookcase, which is finished on the back so can also be used as a floating room divider, is by Lou Hodges and was designed and produced i...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Shelves

Materials

Oak

Pink Cerused Oak Modular Bookcase Room Divider by Lou Hodges, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This absolute show-stopper modular bookcase refinished in gorgeous pink cerused oak with contrasting white grain is by Lou Hodges, designed and produced in California in the 1970s an...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Shelves

Materials

Oak

Late 20th Century Mahogany Hanging Wall Shelf
Located in Germantown, MD
Late 20th century Mahogany Hanging Wall Shelf in very good Condition.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Shelves

Materials

Mahogany

alvar aalto 111 shelf
Located in Tomi, Nagano
1940' alvar aalto design 111 shelf. This is made in Hedemora for export to abroad aalto furnitures during WW2.
Category

1940s Finnish Vintage Modern Shelves

Materials

Birch

Contemporary Minimal Sculptural Metal Black Corner Shelf, USA, in Stock
Located in Chicago, IL
This contemporary sculptural single metal minimal corner shelf is perfect for any space be it a living room, office, or bathroom. In stock: These Minimalist shelves, whether insta...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Shelves

Materials

Steel

1970s Chrome & Glass Geometric Étagère Bookshelf
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stylish Mid-Century Modern chrome and glass étagère from the 1970s. Featuring a bold geometric chrome frame with five glass shelves, this piece combines sleek design with practical d...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Shelves

Materials

Chrome

Modern shelves for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern shelves 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 shelves created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, wall decorations, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern shelves made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original shelves, popular names associated with this style include Marcel Wanders, Moooi, Souda, and Casey Lurie. 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 shelves differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $11 and tops out at $88,764 while the average work can sell for $3,091.