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Ladders For Sale
Rustic Antique Swedish Step Ladder
Located in Dallas, TX
Rustic Antique Swedish Step Ladder is a reminder of a bygone era, long before the days of Home Depot and Ace Hardware! When one lived out in a rural area an...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Rustic Antique Ladders
Materials
Oak
19th Century Expandable English Mahogany Library Bed Step
Located in Forney, TX
A wonderful, rare, antique expandable English mahogany bed step from the 19th century. Features an extending lower step with an inset tooled leather panel...
Category
19th Century Antique Ladders
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Industrial Professional Painters Ladder, Modernist Design
Located in Buffalo, NY
1940s Industrial Metal Professional Folding Ladder, Great design, Paint can holder can be for left or right handed.
Category
1940s American Industrial Vintage Ladders
Materials
Metal
Vintage Chinese Red Lacquer Elm Decorative Ladder
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Chinese Red Lacquer Elm Decorative Ladder
This vintage elm decorative ladder is from the south of China. With original color and patina. Used as a display for kitchen towels...
Category
1980s Chinese Chinese Export Vintage Ladders
Materials
Elm, Lacquer
English Antique Wooden Folding Ladder with Tray Shelf
Located in Atlanta, GA
This well-worn and tall late 19th century English seven step folding ladder features a tray shelf at the top and has the original brackets, hardware, and dowels. The weathered patina...
Category
19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Ladders
Materials
Metal
Antique Pine Steps
Located in Eindhoven, NL
Beautiful antique decorative pine ladder that can also be used daily if necessary. Entirely in good condition and with a beautiful aged patina.
Origin: England
Period: Approx. 1920...
Category
1910s British Vintage Ladders
Materials
Pine
Jugendstil prayer chair or altar, side table/display table/stairs Ca. 1890-1914
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Beautiful Jugendstil prayer chair or altar, also usable as side table/display table/stairs/bookcase.
Ca. 1890-1914, Netherlands.
Very beautifully executed in wood with curling openw...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Art Nouveau Ladders
Materials
Wood
English Late 19th Century Oak Five Steps Ladder with Brown Patina
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English oak step ladder from the late 19th century, with brown patina. Created in England during the last decade of the 19th century, this oak ladder features five steps connected...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Ladders
Materials
Oak
Vintage Italian Wooden Ladder
Located in Milano, IT
Beautiful vintage wooden rung ladder of Italian manufacture from the 1950s.
The ladder was made with sturdy and fine wood, still in excellent condition. The vintage ladder has seven...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ladders
Materials
Wood
Antique Original Patina Painted Finish Red Tall Library Bookcase Steps Ladder
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely original pine library steps or ladder
A good looking and decorative piece, I have seen these with glass shelves fitted and upcycled ...
Category
1910s English Edwardian Vintage Ladders
Materials
Pine
English 19th c. Oak Library Steps with Handrail
Located in Greenwich, CT
A set of English 19th century library steps with integral handrail. In solid oak with decorative trefoil cutouts. A useful piece that also lends an erudite and architectural elemen...
Category
Late 19th Century European Antique Ladders
Materials
Oak
Metamorphic Library Steps
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
A George III design, mahogany four-step metamorphic library coffee table, with decorative gilt incised leather top and leathered steps opening to f...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary English George III Ladders
Materials
Brass
Early 20th Century French Painted Library Ladder with Platform
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This early twentieth century French library ladder features an iron rod hinge that allows it to be folded flat for storing. Painted white, this ladder is fitted with three rungs and a slatted top platform to stand on in order to reach high shelves. An ideal piece for use as display space or as unique...
Category
Early 20th Century French Ladders
Materials
Wood
Midcentury Italian Carved Walnut Wood and Leather Foldable 3-Step Library Ladder
Located in Carimate, Como
Beautiful Italian carved walnut wood foldable step ladder with three stairs with great twisted turned legs. Each step is upholstered with the original red leather decorated with gold...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ladders
Materials
Wood, Leather
Kartell Upper Step Ladder in Citron in Yellow by Alberto Meda & Paolo Rizzatto
By Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stepladder has a strong personality and great functionality. It is also a successful marriage of form and function. Its pragmatism is made possible by the technology employed by...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ladders
Materials
Aluminum
20th Century English Library Step or Stairs/Stepladder, Victorian with Casters
Located in Berlin, DE
20th century English leather library step or stairs / stepladder, Victorian with casters
Solid wood mahogany stained. English library manager / stepladder 20th century, Victorian....
Category
20th Century English Ladders
Materials
Leather, Wood
Early Victorian Library Steps on Turned Legs
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Early Victorian Library Steps on Turned Legs
A great set of Early Victorian Library steps
This set of steps is in good condition, the top ste...
Category
Early 19th Century High Victorian Antique Ladders
Materials
Mahogany
Grdc Stamped Pitch Pine circa 1920's Original Aqua Green Paint Decorators Ladder
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer this lovely original circa 1910-1920 pine painted library steps or ladder which is stamped G.R.D.C
A good looking and decorative piece, originally made f...
Category
1920s English Edwardian Vintage Ladders
Materials
Pine
1900s French Vintage Fruit Picking Painting Ladder Library Ladder /Shop Display
Located in Markington, GB
1900s French vintage fruit picking / painting ladder.
This ladder will be great as an vintage library ladder
It is sturdy and usable.
We c...
Category
20th Century French French Provincial Ladders
Materials
Metal
Large Library Step Ladder Attributed to London Film School by Stephens & Carter
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
An imposing 1970 film prop ladder by maker Stephens & Carter, stamped L.F.S (London Film School). In good solid condition with nice wear and paint.
Original...
Category
Mid-19th Century British Mid-Century Modern Antique Ladders
Materials
Wood
Oak Metamorphic Chair
Located in Cheshire, GB
Oak metamorphic chair, in Jacobean style the panelled back with pierced decoration with scrolling foliage. To the solid oak hinged seat folding to fo...
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Ladders
Materials
Oak
Artie Ladder White
Located in Cincinnati, US
Scandinavian inspired blanket/towel ladder. Simple, minimal and clean rack.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Mid-Century Modern Ladders
Materials
Steel, Wire
Drab Hanger in Gold Stainless Steel, Heat Collection, Zieta
By Zieta
Located in Geneve, CH
Drab Hanger in Flamed Gold stainless steel, Heat Collection, Zieta
Dimensions: D 5 cm x W 46 cm x H 188 cm
Material: Stainless steel.
About the heat collection:
The heat uses hig...
Category
2010s Polish Post-Modern Ladders
Materials
Stainless Steel
Antique Original Painted "the Patient Safety Ladder Company" Decorators Ladder
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer this lovely original antique "The Patient Safety Ladder Company" decorators ladder
A good looking and decorative piece, I have seen these with glass shel...
Category
1910s English Edwardian Vintage Ladders
Materials
Pine
Burr Walnut Brown Leather Regency Metamorphic Reading Armchair to Library Steps
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this pair of large and collectable Regency style metamorphic armchair which converts into Library steps after the original 18th century design by Gillows of Lancaster with Burr Walnut panels
A very good looking and well made pair, I have never seen a Regency style piece with Burr Walnut panels before, the leather seat pads have been restored by my leather polishers, they have been hand dyed six times, antiqued and sealed
The period 1800-1825 was a great one for ‘patent’ or ‘metamorphic’ furniture This chair, which transforms into a short set of steps for use with bookshelves, is close to a design for a ‘Library Chair’ published in Rudolph Ackermann’s Repository of the Arts in July 1811, which was made by the London firm of Morgan and Saunders, of Catherine Street, Strand.
They were well known for their ingenious furniture, including reading chairs with writing surfaces attached and a great variety of travelling beds...
Category
18th Century English Regency Antique Ladders
Materials
Leather, Walnut
Vintage Pitch Pine circa 1920's Original Aqua Blue Paint Decorators Ladder
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely original circa 1910-1920 pine painted library steps or ladder which is stamped G.R.D.C
A good looking and decorative piece, original...
Category
1920s English Edwardian Vintage Ladders
Materials
Pine
Early 20th Century Pine Primative Gypsy Steps Fairground Carnival Folk Art
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A primitive set of painted pine steps, with decorative scallop edging.
Believed to of been the entrance steps to a gypsy caravan or the like, possibly fairground related.
Beau...
Category
Early 20th Century Ladders
Materials
Pine
Ltd Edition Stewart Linford William Shakespeare Metamorphic Library Steps Chair
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this absolutely stunning, highly collectable, Limited Edition 52/150 Steward Linford William Shakespeare Metamorphic library steps armchair made from Historic Oak and Pewter from Shakespeare Warwickshire, exhibited in The Living Chair Museum
This is pretty much the best-looking chair I have ever seen and certainly the most decorative library steps. The design is based on a Regency Gillow’s of Lancaster model of a metamorphic library steps, the idea being with tall Georgian bookcases you have a reading chair next to the bookcase and when you need to get a book down from on high, you simply flip the chair top over and you have steps
This one has been specially made as a homage to William Shakespeare, the top of the back rest has been hand carved with a city scene depicting Shakespeare theatre, under we find a painted scene of Romeo courting Juliette, on the back you have William Shakespeare’s name hand carved in with the edition number 52/150, converting it to steps we find a pewter plaque...
Category
20th Century English Victorian Ladders
Materials
Oak
19th Century Mahogany Bedsteps with Chamber Drawer
Located in Charleston, SC
Great set of 19th century English mahogany and leather bedsteps with sliding chamber drawer.
Category
19th Century English Antique Ladders
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
George III Mahogany Bedside Step Commode, England circa 1815
Located in San Francisco, CA
Geo. III mahogany bed step commode with leather inset top.
Purchased in England in the 1960's, and used as a sofa side table in an anglophile's home in ...
Category
Early 19th Century English George III Antique Ladders
Materials
Mahogany
Beckford Bed Steps
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
A finely craved and decorated pair of bed steps in mahogany with leather inset treads and column supports.
We are currently working to a 30-36 week lead time.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary English Regency Ladders
Materials
Leather, Wood
Arts & Crafts Mahogany Metamorphic Library Chair, English, Late 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The side chair with turned back rails and legs converting to library steps.
Category
Late 19th Century British Arts and Crafts Antique Ladders
Materials
Mahogany
French 19th Century Orchard Ladder
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very charming 19th century orchard ladder from the South of France constructed from naturally washed wood. A terrific accent piece.
Category
19th Century French Antique Ladders
Materials
Wood
Old Pine Steps
Located in Eindhoven, NL
Old pine steps in perfect condition. Very stable and usable for several purposes.
Origin: England
Period: Approx. 1920
Size W. 74cm. D.43cm, H. 168cm.
Category
1920s Edwardian Vintage Ladders
Materials
Pine
Antique Italian Carved Walnut Wood Large Wood 3-Step Library Ladder
Located in Carimate, Como
Beautiful antique Italian carved walnut wood large ladder with three stairs. In typical tuscan style, with great design and amazing detail in the carved frame decors all-around the side shape and each step. Versatile and practical, the elegant library essential is in excellent condition with a rich walnut patina. Use this vintage staircase...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Ladders
Materials
Wood
1900s French Vintage Artists Painting Ladder / Library Steps / Shop Display
Located in Markington, GB
1900s French vintage fruit picking / painting ladder.
1900s French vintage artists painting ladder library steps / shop display
This ladder will be great as an vintage library steps...
Category
20th Century French French Provincial Ladders
Materials
Metal
19th Century Swedish Flower Table with Originalpaint
Located in Boden, SE
19th century Swedish flower table from Skelleftea Vasterbotten, Northern Sweden.
Untouched originalpaint.
Small wood damage on one foot.
Made in painted pine.
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Ladders
Materials
Pine
Fine French Nine Rungs Faux Bamboo Ladder
Located in Long Island City, NY
A fine French nine rungs faux bamboo ladder.
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Ladders
Metamorphic Chairs
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
A pair of George II design metamorphic library steps armchairs with shaped solid backs centered with painted scallop shell crests above hinged seats r...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary English George I Ladders
Materials
Wood, Leather
English Mahogany Three-Tiered Fitted Interior Leather Bed Steps, Circa 1820
Located in Hollywood, SC
English mahogany three-tiered bed steps with tooled green leather, hinged fitted interior compartments, and terminating on turned bulbous ringed legs, Early 19th century.
Category
1820s English George III Antique Ladders
Materials
Leather, Mahogany, Pine
Brown Standing English Bamboo Magazine Rack Sheet Music Stand or Canterbury
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A beautiful chinoiserie standing magazine rack or sheet music stand. Lacquered pieces of bamboo are affixed together in an angled geometric desi...
Category
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Ladders
Materials
Bamboo
Heat Collection Drab Hanger in Gold Stainless Steel by Zieta
By Zieta
Located in New York, NY
The heat uses high temperature as a rarely used method of steel coloring. Excellent craftsmanship allows to achieve the desired tint and coloring, it brings out the hidden beauty of ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Polish Modern Ladders
Materials
Stainless Steel
Agwam Hangar Aircraft Service and Repair Fuselage Access Ladder Prop Treehouse
Located in Hyattsville, MD
A vintage relic sold as a prop. An antique collapsible Early-century wooden and steel ladder. Each Rung Segment is 14 inches and space between rungs is about 12 inches. Seems strong...
Category
1920s American Industrial Vintage Ladders
Materials
Steel
Bamboo vintage British Colonial Artisan decorative display stand or ladder.
Located in Bellport, NY
British Colonial artisan made free standing display stand or ladder, great bathroom piece or plant stand, not to be used as a climbing ladder.
Wonderful condition.
Natural organic bamboo furniture...
Category
20th Century British Anglo-Indian Ladders
Materials
Bamboo
American Studio Craft Artist David N. Ebner Library Steps in Walnut Wood
Located in Bellport, NY
An extraordinary and masterfully executed piece by American Studio Craft Artist, David N. Ebner. Library steps, shown in walnut wood, also available in other woods on request.
Not...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American American Craftsman Ladders
Materials
Walnut
Peat Bucket
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a very large English George III or Regency brass bound mahogany peat bucket. The bucket is in overall very good condition. The bucket features side...
Category
18th Century English Georgian Antique Ladders
Materials
Brass, Tin
Paint Splattered Simplex Safety Step Ladder
By Simplex
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Paint splattered simplex safety step ladder
This is a very useful and marvelous looking piece, the step ladder has 2 good long upright grab handles, it has a the Simplex snap acti...
Category
Early 1900s Industrial Antique Ladders
Materials
Pine
Large French Industrial Library Ladder, circa 1900
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A large French industrial iron library ladder from a bank, circa 1900.
Category
Late 19th Century French Industrial Antique Ladders
Materials
Iron
Girafa Ladder and Hanger in Hardwood, Brazilian Contemporary Design
Located in Sao Paulo, BR
This contemporary hanger or ladder is name the Girafa (Giraffe in Portuguese), Its playful design and its name explain the form and function of the Girafa ladder and hanger: to reach the highest spots.
There is no need to be stored in the utility room...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Other Ladders
Materials
Wood
18th Century, Italian Baroque Walnut Four Steps Staircase
Located in IT
18th Century, Italian Walnut Four Steps Staircase
Measurements H 84 x W 66 x D 64 (step depth 24) cm
The staircase was built in the eighteenth century in carved solid walnut.
The p...
Category
18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Ladders
Materials
Walnut
Pair of French Walnut Library Ladders
Located in New York, NY
Pair of French (19th Century) walnut library ladders with side railings and steps leading to a top platform (on casters) (attributed to Napoleon ...
Category
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Ladders
Materials
Walnut
Regency Mahogany Metamorphic Armchair
Located in Essex, MA
With horizontal tablet crestrail with scrolled ends over down scrolled arms raised on saber legs, chair folds forward to form a ladder.
Category
1810s English Regency Antique Ladders
Materials
Other
Regency Brass Inlaid Rosewood Metamorphic Bench
Located in Kittery Point, ME
The rectangular padded seat covered in brown leather, opening to reveal a set of library steps, over a solid inlaid seat-rail and ring-turned tapering legs ending in castors.
18in. high, 34 1/2in. wide and 16 1/2in. deep. Opened, 36in. high and 49in. wide.
Rooms organized during the Regency period as libraries often had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The upper shelves were difficult to reach, so movable library stairs were invaluable. Further, libraries were one of the most important rooms in a stately house, symbol of its owner's wealth, culture and status. As a consequence, designers, architects and cabinet or chair makers devoted much attention to its architecture and decoration. Hence, the emrgence of innovative ideas such as our bench.
Enter the Regency era metamorphic library chair/bench (chairs are more common than benches)!
The tables, chairs and stools containing library steps were patented in Great Britain by Robert Campbell in 1774 but this innovative chair-based design did not become immediately popular. Once the Regency was established, a neo-classical interpretation of Campbell’s Metamorphic Library Chair concept started to become popular in London. Any early attributions rely heavily on two contemporary sketches...
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Ladders
Materials
Brass
English Regency Metamorphic Library Ladder
Located in New York, NY
English Regency mahogany metamorphic library table/steps with hinged top & lion finial on a scrolled base. (with registry tag for J. Brodey, Bristo...
Category
19th Century English Regency Antique Ladders
Materials
Bronze
American Mahogany Serpentine Rail Library Steps, Circa 1810
Located in Hollywood, SC
American mahogany three-tiered upholstered library steps with serpentine rails, cross stretchers, and terminating on turned bulbous legs. Early 19th century.
Category
1810s American Regency Antique Ladders
Sicilian Painted Pinewood Tall Ladder with Tray Shelf
Located in Atlanta, GA
Folding ladder having seven steps and a slatted tray, retaining antique iron hinges and hook for storage, very stabile and usable condition, late 1...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Ladders
Black Forest Walnut Library Ladder
Located in New York, NY
Rustic Black Forest (19th Cent) walnut 3 step library ladder with carved branch design. (late 19th cent.)
Category
19th Century German Black Forest Antique Ladders
Materials
Walnut
Antique Style Ladder
Located in Tarrytown, NY
Nice decorative antique looking ladder. Washed green paint, worn look.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Adirondack Ladders
Materials
Wood
Vintage, New and Antique Ladders
Vintage, new and antique ladders are not only a must-have structure designed to safely reach higher places in your kitchen and the rest of your space. A ladder can also be repurposed as a decorative home accent for use in nearly any room in your home.
While the exact date that ladders were invented is unclear, a painting of a crude ladder that is believed to be more than 10,000 years old was uncovered in a cave in Spain.
Ladders have taken on all forms over the years to meet certain needs. Rope ladders have come into use for emergency rescues by air and sea, extendable ladders are still pivotal to the dangerous work that firefighters do daily, and stepladders are a big part of getting you where you need to go at home.
Antique ladders can be found in a variety of styles and materials. You can occasionally find a modest-sized antique stepladder, perhaps designed in the neoclassical style, that may have been for library use and resembles a short staircase with small drawers built into the front and the sides of the steps. On 1stDibs, browse a collection of wood ladders and metal ladders that were crafted in the modern, Georgian, Victorian and other styles.
Decorating with an old farmhouse ladder can give it a new purpose and also breathe a bit of life into a dining room, living room or mudroom. For those drawn to the warmth and coziness that farmhouse-style furniture and decor can bring into a space — which usually refers to an amalgam of other rustically rooted styles, such as cottage, French country and industrial — an antique farmhouse ladder can serve a functional purpose as well as meet your needs to dress up a space with creative flourishes.
Lean your wood ladder up against a wall and use its rungs to display your treasured mid-century modern textiles, rare books or potted plants. Drape your patterned dish towels over the ladder steps for easy access as well as to make sure your towels are clean and dry for the next round of dishes. Get some help to properly suspend your farmhouse ladder from the ceiling above your rustic farm dining table and hang your antique lanterns from its rungs and sides for a welcome experience at mealtime.
On 1stDibs, find an extensive collection of antique, new and vintage ladders today.
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Walnut Step Ladder
Antique Ladder Other
Vintage Step Ladder Wood
Vintage Wood Step Ladder Ladders
Mahogany English Library Steps
Vintage Step Ladder
Folding Step Ladder
Old Wood Ladders
Metal Step Ladder
Victorian Library Steps
Circular Staircase
Library Step Regency
Small Wood Ladders
English Step Ladder
Vintage Wooden Steps
Vintage Ladder Decorative
Vintage Tool Organizer
Tall Leather Books