Bookends
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Carrara Marble
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Brass
Mid-20th Century Chinese Bookends
Brass, Enamel
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Bronze
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Bookends
Onyx, Marble, Spelter
1920s American Vintage Bookends
Iron
1880s English Victorian Antique Bookends
Leather
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Bookends
Marble, Metal
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Bookends
Marble, Metal
1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Steel
1920s German Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Wood, Nutwood, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Bookends
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Bookends
Wood
1960s Israeli Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Brass
1960s Spanish Hollywood Regency Vintage Bookends
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Brass
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Bookends
Chrome
1980s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century European Art Deco Bookends
Glass, Wood
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Bookends
Oak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Chrome
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble, Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Lucite
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Bookends
Enamel
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Uranium Glass, Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
20th Century American Post-Modern Bookends
Brass
Early 20th Century American Modern Bookends
Onyx, Brass
20th Century American Art Deco Bookends
Iron
15th Century and Earlier Unknown Organic Modern Antique Bookends
Petrified Wood
1970s Italian Egyptian Revival Vintage Bookends
Ceramic
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble, Spelter
2010s American Organic Modern Bookends
Bronze
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Bookends
Marble, Bronze
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Composition
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Bronze
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Ceramic, Pottery
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookends
Plastic
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Bookends
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Cocobolo
21st Century and Contemporary American Bookends
Brass
1950s German Black Forest Vintage Bookends
Wood
1960s American Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Plaster
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Bookends
Coral, Gold Plate, Brass
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Bookends
Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Marble
Mid-20th Century Japanese Chinoiserie Bookends
Porcelain
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Iron
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble, Metal
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Crystal
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble, Metal
Mid-20th Century Korean Bookends
Brass
1980s Philippine Hollywood Regency Vintage Bookends
Multi-gemstone
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Iron
2010s Argentine Modern Bookends
Stone, Onyx, Metal
Mid-19th Century Italian Grand Tour Antique Bookends
Alabaster, Bronze, Spelter
Antique, New and Vintage Bookends
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.