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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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 chaircrafted 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
Modern Lage Bookcase Set/2, Brass, Oak Root, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Set of 2 Lage Bookcases, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Lage bookcase was designed to be the focal point o...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal, Brass, Steel, Stainless Steel

Cross Bookcase by Alva Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Cross Bookcase by Alva Design Materials: MDF veneered in natural wood, Tempered glass 12mm Dimensions: w 141 x h 182 x d 41,2 cm Finishing: Cristal glass Wood (availa...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Wood

Jacques Lucite and Brass Étagère
Located in New York, NY
Clearly cool. Our Jacques collection is the perfect blend of simplicity and glamour, modern and traditional. Shown in crystal clear Lucite with brushed brass. Also available in moody...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Capanna Solid Wood Library, Walnut in Hand-Made Natural Finish, Contemporary
Located in Cadeglioppi de Oppeano, VR
Capanna is a wall bookcase equipped with shelves and support floors and made of precious canaletto walnut finished with acrylic. The Italian artisan tradition is reinterpreted in a contemporary design to create a refined piece of wooden furniture...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Walnut

Set of 5 Strut Shelves from Souda, 84in, White, Modern Wood Wall Shelf, Bookcase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price includes 5 84" long white shelves with 15 white brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, brack...
Category

2010s American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal, Steel

Ben King Colorful Stand Designed by Thomas Dariel
Located in Geneve, CH
Ben King colorful stand designed by Thomas Dariel, Maison Dada. Measures: W 38 x D 36.6 x H 55 cm. Structure in MDF with painted ash veneer. Metal base plated with Champagne color...
Category

2010s French Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Enzo Mari Dima Modular Wall Shelving System
Located in Chicago, IL
Enzo Mari Dima modular wall shelving system for Simon International Dima Italy, circa 1970 Enameled steel, shelves adjustable with solid plastic holders...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Italian bookcase in wood of different shades by Pool Shop, 1980s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian bookcase in wood of different shades by Pool Shop, 1980s Bookcase with four rectangular shelves, entirely in wood of different shades. The shelves are supported by two L-shap...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Set of 4 Strut Shelves from Souda, 116in, Maple, Extra Long, Made to Order
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 4 116" shelves and 16 brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket finishes, and we can a...
Category

2010s American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal, Steel

Proportions of Stone Shelf 01 by Lee Sisan
Located in Geneve, CH
Proportions of stone shelf 01 by Lee Sisan Dimensions: W 110 x D 35 x H 150 cm Materials: Stainless steel, natural stone Each piece is made to order a...
Category

2010s South Korean Modern Bookcases

Materials

Stone, Steel

Newsletter Wall Bookcase
By Da A
Located in Milan, IT
A splendid piece of sculptural allure, this indoor-outdoor wall bookcase is composed of an elegant series of round shelves of decreasing diameter exquisitely crafted of steel. Boasti...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

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

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

DeCastelli Nippon Bookcase in Stainless Steel by Alberto Nason
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Nippon is a 'display case', a piece of furniture designed to hold books, objects and accessories. According to the needs of the space where it will be used, it can become a bookcase, display cabinet, a notice board...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Steel Etagere Room Divider Shelving - Customisable
By &New
Located in Leicester, GB
Modern freestanding shelves unit for books, objects and plants. The shelves are designed to look delicate and airy but strong. The straight back d...
Category

2010s British Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Contemporary Stained Fruitwood Three-Part Revolving Bookshelf
Located in Germantown, MD
A Contemporary Stained Fruitwood Three-Part Revolving Bookshelf Measures 21" in width, 21" in depth and 29.5" in height. Max. Book height is 11.5".
Category

20th Century Unknown Modern Bookcases

Materials

Fruitwood

White Frame Shoe Cabinet by Lassen
Located in Geneve, CH
White frame shoe cabinet by Lassen. Dimensions: D 70 x W 21 x H 42 cm Materials: Finér, Melamin, Melamine, Metal, Veneer Also available in different c...
Category

2010s Danish Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Glass and Walnut Wood Vertical Wall Cabinet
Located in Boston, MA
The Alambra wall unit designed by Giuseppe Bavuso is made with walnut veneered drawers characterized by traditional "dove tail joint" manufacturi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Walnut, Leather

Kartell Bookworm in Aluminum
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bookworm, the flexible bookcase, is the result of the encounter between the creativity of an artist such as Ron Arad, combined with Kartell's technology, giving life to a revolutiona...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Plastic

Capanna Solid Wood Library, Walnut in Hand-Made Natural Finish, Contemporary
Located in Cadeglioppi de Oppeano, VR
Capanna is a wall bookcase equipped with shelves and support floors and made of precious canaletto walnut finished with acrylic. The Italian artisan tradition is reinterpreted in a c...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Walnut

DeCastelli Existence Wall Five-Tier Bookcase in Brass by Michele De Lucchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
“Why should bookcases always be straight, long, vertical, right-angle planes to keep nothing but books perfectly straight and composed? [...] And don’t we like to keep a few small ob...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Pair of Modern Gray Bookcase Cabinets
Located in North York, ON
Pair of modern grey bookcase cabinets. New, made in the USA and custom finished by the Carrocel artisans. Minimalist design featuring 3 glass shelves and...
Category

2010s American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Mondrian Mid-Century Modern Bookcase, Unique Piece
Located in Miami, FL
Mondrian Mid-Century Modern bookcase, unique piece. In the taste of Mondrian, 1940.
Category

Mid-20th Century European Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Majj Studio 24-Legged Bookcase
Located in Seyrantepe, 34
24-Legged Bookcase can be located at various places in interiors according to usage. The size of the bookcase can be extended by adding modules. Each module is 150 cm length. The bookcase, which composed of two modules, has 24 wooden round legs. It is made of walnut veneered, silk matte varnish on mdf and raw walnut wooden lathe legs.
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Bookcases

Materials

Walnut

Italian modern black wood bookcase E22 by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern black wood bookcase E22 by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1970s Wall bookcase mod. E22 in wood and metal. It features three metal uprights, seven black lacquered wooden s...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Gritti Bookcase, by Andrea Branzi for Memphis Milano Collection
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Gritti bookcase in plastic laminate, wood, metal and glass. Designed in 1981, by Andrea Branzi. Andrea Branzi, architect and designer, born in Florence,...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Emerald Green Cerused Oak Modular Bookcase Room Divider by Lou Hodges, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This absolute show-stopper modular bookcase refinished in gorgeous emerald green cerused oak is by Lou Hodges, designed and produced in California in the 1970s and 1980s. You can con...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Oak

21st Century Perflect Bookcase in Metal by Sam Baron (Composition)
Located in Cantù, Lombardia
"A play of mirrors revealing new dimensions. Inspired by the middle age and renaissance gravures about the optical illusion and sense of depth, Perflect is a set of bookshelves...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Contemporary Inori Glass Bookcase by Setsu & Shinobu Ito for Fiam Italia
By FIAM
Located in Chicago, IL
The Inori modular bookcase, designed for Fiam by Setsu & Shinobu Ito, is the first system in the furniture industry entirely made of glass, and composed of modular elements. Showr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass

White Brera Bookcase, Designed by Lievore Altherr Molina
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 400 other unique products. (1.8) This bookcase main peculiarity are some vertical elements which break the linear con...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Lacquer

Karl Springer styled Lucite / Bamboo / Glass Etagere
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A very well crafted Etagere with clear Lucite posts straddled by hardened bamboo pieces woven to each corner making for nice detailed construction . Five glass shelves that include t...
Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Bookcases

Materials

Bamboo, Glass, Lucite

Gold Cerused Oak Modular Bookcase Room Divider by Lou Hodges, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ready to be that statement piece you need in the room, this gold cerused oak modular wall bookcase, which is finished on the back so can also be used as a floating room divider, is b...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Oak

Sky-Land Bookcase, 'Puntello Modulare' Modular and Adaptable Bookcase
Located in Milan, IT
Sky-floor bookcase 'PUNTELLO MODULARE' PUNTELLO MODULARE is a modular and adaptable sky-floor bookcase. Starting from our Prop, we have designed a modular system that allows you to ...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass, Iron

Modern Six Tier Etagere
Located in Westwood, NJ
Modern Six Tier Etagere, built from hardwood solids with beveled, ebonized, posts and rails. The shelves feature flat-cut paldao with a light transparent ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Kartell Bookworm in White
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bookworm, the flexible bookcase, is the result of the encounter between the creativity of an artist such as Ron Arad, combined with Kartell's technology, giving life to a revolutionary project produced on an industrial scale...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Plastic

Modern Bookcase Cabinet The Peabody Collection
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Designer: Lawrence Peabody Manufacturer: Craft Associates Furniture Period/Model: Mid-Century Modern Specs: Black walnut, Claro walnut veneer This Lawrence Peabody modern bookcase ...
Category

2010s American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Walnut

Kartell Sound Rack Modular Bookcase in Smoke by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Multi-shaped and multi-purpose shelving system, stackable and modular, offering the possibility of creating a variety of geometric and chromatic compositions. This accessory can play the dual role as both container and room divider. It is a go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Resin

Amuneal's 2 Bay Collector's Brass Shelving Unit+Oxidized Oak Adjustable Shelves
Located in New York, NY
This two-bay version of Amuneal’s collector’s shelving unit features solid machined brass fittings and posts in a warm brass finish. The unit mounts to the floor and to the wall to s...
Category

2010s American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Set of 3 Strut Shelves from Souda, 52in, Black and Walnut, Made to Order
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 3 52" shelves & 6 brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket finishes, and we can adjus...
Category

2010s American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal, Steel

Pink Cerused Oak Modular Bookcase Room Divider by Lou Hodges, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This absolute show-stopper modular bookcase refinished in gorgeous pink cerused oak with contrasting white grain is by Lou Hodges, designed and produced in California in the 1970s an...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Oak

Modern Contemporary Boxes in Orange and Green Mdf by Marc Morro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Olmo are a pair of stackable boxes with 2 different heights. They are made with different layers of MDF and plywood, what creates a light and resistant structure that allow them to s...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Bookcases

Materials

Beech

Pair Mid-Century Vintage Solid Pine Low Bookcases
Located in Germantown, MD
Pair Mid-Century Vintage hand crafted Solid Pine Low Bookcases. Good vintage condition. Measure 30" in width, 11" in depth and stand 29" tall. Lower shelf clearance is 13" and uppe...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Pine

Bookshelf by Vlasta Kubusova
Located in Geneve, CH
Bookshelf by Vlasta Kubusova Materials: Wood, Nuatan bioplastic sheets Dimensions: W 201 x H 201.5 x D 45 cm Crafting plastics! studio was founded...
Category

2010s German Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Cityscape wall unit with display shelf Paul Evans
Located in Atlanta, GA
A custom made large wall unit by Paul Evans Studio for Directional. It consists of four portals with cityscape brass and chrome patchwork that support eight smoke glass shelves and a...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Bespoke Asymmetrical Bookcase of solid walnut by Jonathan Field.
Located in London, GB
Low curved bookcase in English walnut with panelled back, can be used centrally in a room or placed against a wall. Each end of the bookcase is made fr...
Category

2010s English Modern Bookcases

Materials

Walnut

Rustic Modular Chestnut Bookcase
Located in Milan, IT
Perfect for embellishing a bare wall in any rustic-chic decor, this modular bookcase is a showcase of cabinetry mastery. The minimal details allow the chestnut's rich grain to take c...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Modern Hobart Bookcase, American Oak, Bronze, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Hobart Bookcase, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Hobart bookcase captures the natural ebb and flow of life through its ingenious geometr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

DeCastelli Celato 160 Cabinet in Brass by R & D De Castelli
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Celato is a reference to what is concealed to keep a memory intact; it’s an archetype in which beauty is revealed in stages. A monolithic appearance makes Celato a contemporary menhi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

Set of 4 Strut Shelves from Souda, 84in, Black, Made to Order
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Price on this configuration includes 4 84" Shelves & 12 Brackets. This shelving system is really easy to customize: we offer multiple wood finishes, bracket finishes, and we can adju...
Category

2010s American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal, Steel

Contemporary Room Divider Shelving "30/30 M" in Oak by Casey Lurie Studio
Located in Chicago, IL
Part room divider, part bookcase, part screen, the "30/30" series is an extremely versatile shelving system. Named for the degrees of the alternately angled dividers which give the p...
Category

2010s North American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Italian Modern Wooden Glass Bookcase Zibaldone by Carlo Scarpa for Bernini, 1974
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Wooden and glass Bookcase mod. Zibaldone by Carlo Scarpa for Bernini, 1974 Bookcase mod. Zibaldone with structure in veneered wood and glass. This particular bookcase ...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

21st Century Modern Steel White Bookshelves Wave Made in Italy
Located in Sant'Elena, IT
The Wave series is the result of a gesture, a natural movement that gives birth to sinuous and minimal forms without neglecting the functionality of the object. It consists of wall s...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

FF Grid Shelving 1
Located in East-Bolton, Quebec
A slender tower-like sculptural bookcase, made from a rigid hand polished aluminum structure. Through the grid-like structure, a cast form of the collection's signature texture flows continuously through the layers. The polishing of the aluminum creates illusions of transparency on the outside, and interiors that glow, reflecting the light from the room. *Note: The model pictured has been sold, but commissions are available. About the Future Fossils Collection...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Aluminum

Deframe Large Bookcase
By Da A
Located in Milan, IT
This bookcase is a striking modern sculpture that will make a bold statement in any contemporary interior. Crafted of metal sheets with different textures, obtained with detailed laser-cut work, and welded together in a unique geometric composition, this piece features five long shelves...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Pacifico Evolution Bookcase by Lapo Ciatti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Modular open steel bookcase, available in three versions. The shelf desk is made of water-repellent, flame-retardant compact multilayer without formaldehyd...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Connect Bookcase or Shelf Customizable in Blackened Steel and Polished Bronze
Located in Vancouver, BC
The Connect bookcase is designed to express the process by which each piece is created, with visible construction and fastening details that are integral to the final piece. Traditional joinery techniques are used in conjunction with mass manufacturing technology to create this unique metal cabinetry...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Millerighe Bookcase
By Da A
Located in Milan, IT
Superbly crafted of white-lacquered steel, this bookcase will make a bold statement in both an indoor or outdoor area. Available in a wide variety of smooth finishes, this piece is m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Millerighe Bookcase
Millerighe Bookcase
$6,975 / item
Italian modern black steel bookcase by Philippe Starck for Baleri, 1984
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern black steel bookcase by Philippe Starck for Baleri, 1984 Wall bookcase entirely in black painted sheet steel. The five rectangular shelves with rounded edges on the fr...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Bear, Black Polar Bear Bookshelf, Made in France
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 500 other unique products. (2) The polar bear that is in perfect harmony with its function as bookshelves, gets heavier...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Bookcases

Materials

Laminate, Wood

White Primitive Bookshelf by Studio Nucleo, Made in Italy
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The Primitive bookshelf was one of the strongest and most iconic products designed by Studio Nucleo. Initially made as a limited-edition product, t...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Plastic

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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