Teak Bookcases
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Vintage Teak Bookcases
Glass, Teak
1950s Swedish Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Teak Bookcases
Teak
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
Late 19th Century European Arts and Crafts Antique Teak Bookcases
Wood, Teak
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Metal
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
2010s Brazilian Modern Teak Bookcases
Metal
1960s Italian Vintage Teak Bookcases
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Glass, Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak, Beech
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
2010s American Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Brass, Steel
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Beech, Teak
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Teak Bookcases
Glass, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Faux Leather, Beech, Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Brass, Metal
Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Teak Bookcases
Glass, Teak
1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Oak, Teak
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Teak Bookcases
Steel
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Rope, Teak
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Teak
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Teak Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Teak Bookcases
Oak, Teak
Vintage Teak Bookcases for Sale on 1stDibs
A vintage teak bookcase — or perhaps more than one — is essential to creating a cozy nook for any book lover.
As long as curious people have collected stories, we have needed a piece of storage furniture to stow them away and preserve them. When auction houses and book dealers proliferated by the late 17th century, the bibliophile was born. And, of course, as with any treasured decorative objects or collectibles, a book lover’s volumes were suddenly worthy of a luxurious display — enter the bookcase.
Americans of means during the 19th century took to amassing art as well as rare books, and bookcases of the era — rife with hand-carved decorative accents and architectural motifs — were ideal for displaying their handsome leather-bound wares.
Although our favorite titles may change over the years, the functionality and beauty of their home within our home is timeless. Even those who don’t covet the perfect home library can benefit from an attractive display case, as bookcases can easily double as charming étagères.
Appreciated for its dense grain and rich luster, old-growth teak was a sought-after material among mid-century modern designers who created bookcases and other structures for the home — and who also pushed teak to the brink of extinction.
“Teak is incredibly slow-growing, so much of what is still harvested is young, and from a sustainability standpoint, this is far from ideal,” says Brian Volk-Zimmerman of Volk Furniture in Brooklyn. When he does use it, he only goes for reclaimed teak, as many species of the tree have been over-forested.
It wasn’t always this way. In the previous century, according to Jenny Cashin — owner of the shop Mid-Century Modern Home, in British Columbia — Danish designers, and Scandinavian modernists in general, harvested teak as much as they liked. This enhanced their pieces’ handcrafted look and came to define the timeless simple shapes of mid-century modern design. While America embraced mass-produced design by the likes of Herman Miller and Charles and Ray Eames, Scandinavian manufacturers held fast to their handmade traditions, as seen in vintage Scandinavian bookcases from the 1950s and ’60s.
If you opt for a teak bookcase, experts recommend that it be oiled on a regular basis to maintain its original color.
Maybe you don’t wish to fill your storage piece so that your collection is snug within its confines. If not, incorporate extra space to allow for additional displays and decorative objects. And by introducing a striking dark wood Art Deco bookcase or low-profile mid-century modern design by Paul McCobb into your living room, your signed first editions won’t be the only items making a statement.
Find vintage teak bookcases and other bookcases on 1stDibs now.
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