Olivetti Bookcases

“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...

Danish Walnut Shelving System Royal by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s. This is a version of the Royal wall unit by Poul Cadovius with beautiful walnut veneered shelves. Designed in 1...

Studio BBPR for Olivetti, 'Spazio' sideboard, coated steel, plastic, vinyl, Italy, design 1959/60, production 1960s In 1954, Olivetti, the Italian office equipment manufacturer, hired BBPR to design their New York showroom on Fifth Avenue and to create their first series of office furniture, called Spazio (1959/60). This line included chairs, shelving, cabinet systems, and desks, just like the one shown here. It won the Compasso d'Oro Award in 1962. The cabinet contains compartments with drawers secured on both sides. The top is furnished with dark brown vinyl which adds a sturdy touch the overall industrial appearance. Studio B.B.P.R. was an Italian architectural partnership founded in Milan in 1932 by Gianluigi Banfi (1910-1945), Lodovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso (1909-2004), Enrico Peressutti (1908-1976) and Ernesto Nathan Rogers (1909-1969) who had studied at the Politecnico di Milano. B.B.P.R. was thus an acronym formed from the first letters of their family names. The architects found each other in their opposition to fascism in Italy in the 1930s and 1940s during Mussolini's autocratic regime. The architects therefore believed in developing a style that would have no references to contemporary politics. During the Second World War, they all joined the resistance. However, Rogers, a Jew, fled to Switzerland and both Belgiojoso and Banfi were deported to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, where Banfi died in 1945. Despite the immense loss of Banfi, their architectural practice continued in the same name as before after...

Mid-Century Modern 1960s George Nelson designed for Omni Systems, this is part for a wall unit, a four drawer cabinet with files in oiled walnut, no hardwa...

'Congresso' shelving unit by Lips Vago. In white lacquered steel, Italy, 1960s. With adjustable shelves. One available in white and a further seven in different colours. Please see a...

Mid-Century Modern 1960s George Nelson designed for Omni Systems, this is part for a wall unit, Two Drawer File Cabinet in oiled walnut, no hardware. I nee...

This is an Arco desk, designed by Studio B.B.P.R for Olivetti Sintesis in 1963. The piece was manufactured in Italy in the 1960s. The frame and base are made of iron, and it has a ca...

Workingroom ensemble in Eclectic style manufactured around 1920. Stained black beech in original condition. The set consists of a bookcase with glass doors, that is supplemented by...

This rosewood bookcase, known as model 35, is a brilliant example of the timeless elegance of Danish furniture design. With its rich wood material and careful construction, this book...

Studio BBPR for Olivetti, 'Spazio' sideboard, lacquered steel, faux leather, vinyl, plastic, Italy, design 1959/60, production 1960s In 1954, Olivetti, the Italian office equipment...

Beautiful and large shelving wall system/ bookcase with multiple possibilities of display. Designed by Tjerk Reijenga for Pilastro in The Netherlands during the 1960s. The system fea...

“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...