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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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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
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

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

"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

Rare Gunmetal and Black Lacquer Etagere or Bookcase by Karl Springer
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Rare 1970’s ‘Cole Porter Etagere’ or bookcase by Karl Springer. Constructed of metal with a polish gunmetal finish and black lacquered shelfs. It...
Category

1970s American Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Natural Walnut "Climb" Shelving System, Bashko Trybek
Located in Geneve, CH
Natural Walnut "Climb" shelving system, Bashko Trybek Dimensions: 135 L x 27 W x 185 H cm Materials: Walnut Boards, Black Wires Different finishes, colors and sizes are available ...
Category

2010s Polish Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Opinion Ciatti Ptolomeo Wall Large Bookcase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Ptolomeo Wall is the wall version of the Original Ptolomeo and could be defined as the ""column of knowledge”. A stack of levitating books or a ground-air column (floor-ceiling) for ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

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

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

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

Vitra ‘Self’ Sideboard/ Bookcase '2007' by Erwan & Ronan Bouroullec
Located in CULEMBORG, GE
Designed in 2000 and no longer in production today, this rare sideboard is Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec’s modern take on the classic masterpieces as designed by Charlotte Perriand and Je...
Category

Early 2000s Swiss Modern Bookcases

Materials

Plastic, Plexiglass

Majj Studio Rave Bookcase
Located in Seyrantepe, 34
It is a metal bookcase with a sculptural appearance for storing magazines, books and accessories. It is handmade by stacking 5 triangular metal shelves on top of each other. Its cylindrical feet have variable diameters. When positioned with our two pairs of seat...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

"Zigzag" Mirror Finished Steel Low Bookcase by Konstantin Grcic, Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Zigzag" is a low bookcase version, designed by Konstantin Grcic and manufactured by Driade, featuring structure and shelves in polished steel with mirror finish. Bookends in sheet m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Riva 1920 PIANO DESIGN BOOKSHELF BY RENZO & MATTEO PIANO
Located in Boston, MA
The impressive bookcase created by Renzo and Matteo Piano showcases a remarkable equilibrium between solid and empty spaces. Connected by just six pairs of stainless steel rods, it a...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Stainless Steel

Modern Italian-style Brass and Chrome Shelving Unit with Smoked Glass
Located in Greenwich, CT
Cipriani Tower Display Case is a modern metal shelving unit for use as a bookcase or open credenza solution. Features a harmonious combination of brass, ...
Category

2010s Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass, Chrome

Pair of Vintage French Moderne Brushed Oak Bookcases Display Cabinets
Located in Shippensburg, PA
PAIR OF FRENCH MODERNE OAK BOOKCASES One larger, one smaller, each with sliding glass doors unmarked circa 1960s Item # 402XAP21S A very relevant and useful pair of bookcases for ...
Category

20th Century French Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Oak

Yellow 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

Bookshelf Giralt
Located in Carnota, A Coruña, Galicia
This modular bookcase boasts a 1-meter width per unit and is expertly crafted from Oregon pine. Its middle shelf's height can be tailored to your preference. Designed with the purpos...
Category

2010s Spanish Modern Bookcases

Materials

Hardwood, Softwood

Bookshelf Giralt
Bookshelf Giralt
$1,898 / item
Modern Oak and Brass Bookcase Cabinet
Located in North York, ON
Introducing our new Modern Oak and Brass Bookcase Cabinet, proudly made in the USA. This stunning piece combines sleek design with functionality, making it the perfect addition to an...
Category

2010s American Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal, Brass

Modern Black Lage Bookcase, Brass Walnut, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Lage Bookcase, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Lage bookcase was designed to be the focal point of any offi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Bookcases

Materials

Stainless Steel, Steel, Brass, Metal

Italian modern Glass, wood metal Bookcase Gritti by Andrea Branzi Memphis, 2000s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Glass, wood and metal Bookcase Gritti by Andrea Branzi for Memphis, 2000s Floor bookcase mod. Gritti with a rectangular base, in wood, glass and metal. The peculiarity...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

80s Red Bamboo Bookcase Cabinet
By Non-Standard Furniture and Lighting
Located in Milano, IT
Vintage bookcase cabinet made of red enameled bamboo with hinged doors, drawers, and wicker shelf with glass backing.
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Bamboo

80s Red Bamboo Bookcase Cabinet
80s Red Bamboo Bookcase Cabinet
$949 Sale Price
20% Off
Modern Manhattan Bookcase Made with Oak and Lacquer, Handmade by Stylish Club
Located in Seroa, PT
The Manhattan collection presents itself with a straight and rhythmic silhouette on both horizontal and vertical lines, invoking the constructions in height, provided by the technical/technological developments of modern architecture. Made of mate dark brown oak, the Manhattan bookcase has a design inspired by the lines of the Empire State Building in New York. Like the building, this is an iconic piece with elegant luxury finishes that can be combined with more industrial or modern spaces. It has eight doors and shelves for additional storage. Combine it with the rest of the range, making your living room a cosy yet sophisticated space. An imposing piece that reflects in the environment a unique sophistication. A luxury bookcase...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Bookcases

Materials

Oak, Lacquer

Opinion Ciatti Portariviste Magazine Rack
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Portariviste, an object that identifies exactly its function and there is no need for a different name to define it. Portariviste is so similar in the concept but so distant in the e...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

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 lif...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese 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 c...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Walnut

21st Century Matteo Zorzenoni Bones Bookcase Blue Lacquered Wood Bones Scapin
Located in Tezze sul Brenta, IT
Bones bookcase, Colorama Collection Design by Matteo Zorzenoni for Scapin Collezioni Soft lines and visual lightness are the key traits that dist...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Ash, Wood

Italian Modern Glass and Aluminum Wall Mounted Shelf
Located in Boston, MA
The Eos Shelf, designed by Giuseppe Bavuso, is an innovative wall shelving system. With a thickness of only 8 mm, the Eos design combines a lacquered glass top with a lacquered alumi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Aluminum

Italian modern bookcase with brown wood slats structure and glass shelves, 1970s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern bookcase with brown wood slats structure and glass shelves, 1970s Elongated bookcase with two bays. The structure is made of square-section wooden strips, and is paint...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Wood

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 Distressed Finish Hutch
Located in Westwood, NJ
Modern distressed finish hutch, made of solid pine and painted and then hand rubbed to show an antiqued look. The interior was fitted with wine racks, and drawers, with glass front d...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Asian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Glass, Wood

Pair of Modern Stainless Steel and Brass Bookshelf Stands Italy, 1970's
Located in North York, ON
Pair of Modern stainless steel and brass bookshelf stands Italy 1970's. In the style of Romeo Rega. All original in good condition, wear consistent wit...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel

Roche Bobois France, Black display case/architect library “Architecte
Located in Valladolid, ES
Unique and very refined display case or architect's bookcase from the renowned French firm Roche Bobois. It combines elegance with functionality thanks to its sophisticated and refi...
Category

2010s French Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Soft Shelves Green by Manon Ritaly
Located in Geneve, CH
Soft shelves green by Manon Ritaly Dimensions: 100 x 65 x 30cm Materials: Steel, fabric, foam, ceramic Manon Ritaly, Designer, visual artist, dream...
Category

2010s French Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Modern by Giuseppe Carpanelli Desyo Bookcase Sycomoro Wood
Located in Desio, IT
Bookcase without back. Its peculiarity is the doors that slide horizontally along the entire length of the compartment, closing the compartment that you prefer. The processing of the...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

Modern Freeform Steel and Glass Shelving Unit
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
A modern yet elegant steel and glass etagere. Brushed steel frame hols unique freeform glass shelves to create a sophisticated and modern look. Thick glass shelves in varying shapes ...
Category

1980s Unknown Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

DeCastelli Celato 160 Cabinet in Stainless Steel 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

Stainless Steel

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

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

Italian Modern Red Three-Shelf Metal Bookcase, 1980s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern red three-shelf metal bookcase, 1980s Metal bookcase with three shelves in red painted metal with black rubber details. 1980s Good condition, some signs. Measurement...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modern backlight wall modular system by Acerbis. Italy 1970s
Located in Catania, CT
Very good vintage condition with normal trace of age and use for this modular bookcase designed by Roberto Monsani for Acerbis. Produced in Italy during the 70s and made from lacquer...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

"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

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

Pink 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

Fabric, 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

Industrial Congress Library in Black by Lips Vago, Italy
Located in Milano, IT
Lips Vago "Congresso" Modular Bookshelf - Black Steel, 1970s, Italy This iconic Lips Vago modular bookshelf, known as the "Congresso" model, is a perfect example of Italian industria...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Bookcases

Materials

Metal

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

Opinion Ciatti Ptolomeo Wall Medium Bookcase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Ptolomeo wall is the wall version of the Original Ptolomeo and could be defined as the "column of knowledge”. A stack of levitating books or a ground-air column (floor-ceiling) for e...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

Soft Shelves Black by Manon Ritaly
Located in Geneve, CH
Soft shelves black by Manon Ritaly Dimensions: 180 x 170 x 30 cm Materials: Steel, fabric, foam, ceramic Manon Ritaly, Designer - Visual artist, dr...
Category

2010s French Modern Bookcases

Materials

Steel

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

Into The Woods Bookcase, White and Brass, InsidherLand by Joana Santos Barbosa
Located in Maia, Porto
A long walk through a Swedish forest beneath intertwined branches of huge trees, was the inspiration of the dazzling Into the Woods bookcase. T...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Bookcases

Materials

Brass

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

DeCastelli Celato 80 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

Stainless Steel

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

Oak Contemporary Display Cabinet by Century Furniture
Located in Suwanee, GA
This is the Open Sky Tall Display Cabinet made by Century Furniture. This display cabinet features oak veneers with a natural finish and black metal accents. It has a modern design...
Category

2010s Philippine Modern Bookcases

Materials

Oak

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

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

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

Milonga Bookcase in Lacquered Iron with Flamed Oak Shelves by Paolo Cappello
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Milonga is a bookcase with long legs, set with a delicate cadence between spaces. Either as a partition between rooms or, more traditionally, against a wall, this is an indispensable piece for organizing your home library. As well as being technical, Milonga is bold and distinctive, and plays on the colours of the tubes and the layout of the shelves. Indeed, it is the sequence of the shelves that gives the bookcase its sense of movement, echoing the rhythm of the lines printed in the exercise books of our childhood. Additional Information: Material: Iron, oak Structure Finishing • Lacquered Antracite • Lacquered Bianco • Lacquered Bisanzio • Lacquered Bloody Mary • Lacquered Burro • Lacquered Creta • Lacquered Grigio Seta • Lacquered Mattone • Lacquered Nero • Lacquered Nuvola • Lacquered Pino • Lacquered Pompei • Lacquered Zucca Shelves Finishing • Lacquered 13 colours • Black Ash • Canaletto Walnut • Flamed Oak...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases

Materials

Iron

Modern Herringbone Oak Bookcase, Light
Located in Westwood, NJ
A Modern herringbone parquetry bookcase in our light oak Dusk finish with three veneered shelves and a herringbone parquetry design on the bottom drawer. It sits on tapered legs with...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Bookcases

Materials

Oak

Modern Rustic Oak Etagere, Light
Located in Westwood, NJ
A modern rustic-style light oak etagere with five oak-crafted display shelves firmly supported by a crossed "X" stretcher at its back. It is secured with a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Bookcases

Materials

Wood

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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