Modern Bookcases
MODERN STYLE
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
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Style: Modern
Recognized Seller Listings
Thousand Legs Large Colored Wooden Bench Designed by Aldo Cibic
By Aldo Cibic
Located in Como, IT
Thousand Legs is a colored, lacquered and waxed "walking" bench that can have multiple lives: a
bookshelf, a TV-stand, or a place where to sit and tal...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Wood
Contemporary Bookcase C, Etched Brass, Pivoting Doors and Stone Elm Shelves
By SEM, Giacomo Moor
Located in Brooklyn, NY
SEM Pivot collection, bookcase C, simple and sculptural. The supporting structure is a rigid system of metal tubes to which are added shelves in beautiful stone elm wood combined with various lacquered...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Brass, Metal
DeCastelli Nami Modular Bookcase in Striped DeLabré Brass by Andrea Parisio
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Modular bookcase characterized by a sinuous course that also makes it a separate self-standing, if positioned in the center of the room to configure the spaces. In the “C“ compositio...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Brass
Modern Daniele Papuli for Dilmos Bookshelf Storage Handmade Paper
Located in Milan, IT
Totem sculpture of angular shape with support on the ground, made with strips of selected paper for weight and color for Dilmos Milnao. The Totem is equipped with an internal, laminated lamellar structure with three shelves. Metria is a single vertical element which in composition with several elements, it becomes a modular partition wall...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Paper
DeCastelli Yoroi Cabinet in Stainless Steel by Alessandro Masturzo
By DeCastelli
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Like the hard metal sheets that identify the armour of a samurai, the scales on the skin of this piece define its appearance. A dynamic shape, taking on the evocative strength of Art Deco furnishings...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Stainless Steel
Casablanca Wood Cabinet, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Casablanca cabinet designed in 1981 for Memphis by Ettore Sottsass, in wood and plastic laminated colors. This is an unlimited edition with a number...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Wood, Plastic
DeCastelli Yoroi Cabinet in Stainless Steel by Alesandro Masturzo
By DeCastelli
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Like the hard metal sheets that identify the armour of a samurai, the scales on the skin of this piece define its appearance. A dynamic shape, taking on the evocative strength of Art Deco furnishings...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Stainless Steel
Juno Book Shelves in Walnut Structure with Glass Door by E-GGS
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Juno is a container of stories. It is the attempt to reawaken the romantic side of the house, lost in the contemporary frenzy. It is the will to revive the concept of the glass cabin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Wood
"Zigzag" Bronze Painted Steel and Oak Veneered Low Bookcase by K. Grcic, Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Zigzag" is a low bookcase, designed by Konstantin Grcic and manufactured by Driade, featuring structure in bronze painted steel and oak veneered shelves. Bookends in sheet metal ste...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
"Virgo" Black Anodized Aluminum Open Bookcase Designed by Xavier Lust for Driade
By Driade, Xavier Lust
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Virgo" is a black anodized aluminum open structure and shelves, designed by Xavier Lust and manufactured by Driade.
Indoor use only.
DIMENSIONS:
D. 11.8", W. 47.2", H. 78.7"
"Virgo" is an "under tension" structure which assumes the typological image of a bookcase but it actually leads us to think about concave and convex surfaces relation, as well as about the energy of a bow-string. The “composition of forces” is clearly expressed by the finally achieved equilibrium. So thanks to its sculptural form, Virgo can be used as a wall bookcase and, above all, can be placed in the middle of a room.
XAVIER LUST studied interior design at Institut Saint Luc...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Contemporary Bookcase A, Etched Brass, Pivoting Doors and Stone Elm Shelves
By SEM, Giacomo Moor
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sem Pivot collection, Bookcase A, simple and sculptural. The supporting structure is a rigid system of metal tubes to which are added shelves in beautiful stone elm wood combined with various lacquered...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal, Brass
Gold Contemporary Modular Bookshelf of, 24-Karat Gold-Plated
By Paolo Rizzo, SEM
Located in Brooklyn, NY
SEM Gold collection, modular bookshelf of interlocking steel elements plated in 24-karat polished yellow gold. Elements measurement: (35/30/25/18 cm)...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel, Gold
"ZigZag" Bronze Painted Steel and Walnut High Bookcase by K. Grcic, Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"ZigZag" is a high bookcase, designed by Konstantin Grcic and manufactured by Driade, featuring structure in bronze painted steel and Canaletto walnut veneered shelves. Bookends in s...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
Nendo Large Drop Bookcases Matte Lacquered Laser-Cut Sheet Metal for Cappellini
By Nendo, Cappellini
Located in New York, NY
An ingenious challenge against the force of gravity, the Drop, by Nendo, is a two-sided column bookshelf offered in 3 different heights. The Drop bookshelves are made of matte lacque...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Metal
"ZigZag" Black or White Painted Steel High Bookcase by Konstantin Grcic, Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"ZigZag" is a high bookcase, designed by Konstantin Grcic and manufactured by Driade, featuring structure and shelves in steel finished with epoxy paint in white or black colors. Boo...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Steel
Rossana Orlandi Aqua Shelf B in Mirrored Silver by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
The collection is characterized by the use of two materials and two textures that are brought together to create a dialogue, mirroring the rela...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mauritian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Rossana Orlandi Aqua Shelf C in Mirrored Gold by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
The collection is characterized by the use of two materials and two textures that are brought together to create a dialogue, mirroring the rela...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mauritian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Rossana Orlandi Aqua Shelf C in Mirrored Silver by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
The collection is characterized by the use of two materials and two textures that are brought together to create a dialogue, mirroring the rela...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mauritian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Rossana Orlandi Aqua Shelf A in Mirrored Silver by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
The collection is characterized by the use of two materials and two textures that are brought together to create a dialogue, mirroring the rela...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mauritian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Rossana Orlandi Aqua Shelf A in Mirrored Gold by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
The collection is characterized by the use of two materials and two textures that are brought together to create a dialogue, mirroring the rela...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mauritian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Rossana Orlandi Aqua Shelf B in Mirrored Gold by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
The collection is characterized by the use of two materials and two textures that are brought together to create a dialogue, mirroring the rela...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mauritian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Rossana Orlandi Odyssey 360 Bookshelf in Silver by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
Turnable bookshelf made of silver mirrored acrylic and aluminum lining and supported by a natural coral stone. Internal part in a genuine turquoise Italian...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
Rossana Orlandi Rochester Bookshelf in Wenge by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
The design of the items in this collection is complex and elegant. The Rochester collection features a sideboard, a cabinet, a shelf and a set ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mauritian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Brass
Rossana Orlandi Odyssey V Anthracite Cabinet by Francesco Messina for Cypraea
Located in Milan, IT
Designed by Francesco Maria Messina
Odyssey collection aims to surprise and to astound through the contrast between the Natural elements and man-made materials that merge into one...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mauritian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Aluminum
“Contaminazioni Geometriche” Library in Black and Yellow Wood by Emanuela Crotti
Located in Milan, IT
This beautiful library/storage is linked with memories, represented by little objects, images fragments of the artist’s life all combined together to creates stunning tableaux vivant...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Wood
"Ercole e Afrodite Composition 8" Black or White Modular Box System by Driadelab
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Ercole e Afrodite Composition 8" is a modular combinable box system on a base made of poplar chipboard, reinforced by an inserted tubular steel, with bleached oak or grey painted oa...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Stainless Steel
Montefeltro Bookcase by Michele De Lucchi
Located in Milan, IT
Montefeltro bookcase by Michele De Lucchi.
Italy, 2008. Prototype. Limited Edition of 6 examples. Oak frame, walnut elements, linseed oil finishing. Signed: M. de Lucchi 2008. Measu...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Materials
Oak, Walnut
Modern bookcases for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern bookcases for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage bookcases created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, more furniture and collectibles, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern bookcases made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Denmark pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original bookcases, popular names associated with this style include DeCastelli, Kartell, Souda, and Danese Milano. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for bookcases differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $120 and tops out at $96,530 while the average work can sell for $3,910.
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