Bookends
1970s American Modern Vintage Bookends
Brass
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Bookends
Brass, Lead
Early 1900s English Victorian Antique Bookends
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Modern Bookends
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Bookends
Lucite
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Modern Bookends
Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Bookends
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
20th Century Modern Bookends
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookends
Marble
Late 19th Century American Victorian Antique Bookends
Bronze
1960s American Modern Vintage Bookends
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Bookends
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Modern Bookends
Acrylic, Lucite
Early 20th Century American Modern Bookends
Resin
Early 20th Century American Victorian Bookends
Metal, Brass
2010s Italian Modern Bookends
Marble
20th Century European Modern Bookends
Wrought Iron
19th Century English Victorian Antique Bookends
Pottery
Mid-19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Bookends
19th Century French Victorian Antique Bookends
Silver
Late 20th Century American Modern Bookends
Nickel
1960s American Modern Vintage Bookends
Stainless Steel
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Bookends
Slate
1870s English Victorian Antique Bookends
Wood, Porcelain
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Bookends
Brass
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.