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Price category: 2,500 - 5,000 usd / eur

This bookcase is a lovely example of mid-century design, blending form and function. The Italian design language of the 1970s looks just as attractive and fresh today as it did decades ago. Elegance and strength are cleverly combined in this minimalist piece.

Elegant in its simplicity, this bookcase places the emphasis on showcasing the material through a simple, uncluttered design. This model deserts any unnecessary ornamentation in favour of traditional form with the structure being both practical and aesthetically balanced. The proportions are carefully considered, offering a sense of harmony that aligns with the craftsmanship typical of Italian furniture design from the second half of the 20th century. This piece features open shelves and thanks to their arrangement and the large surfaces, the beautiful grain of the wood veneer is highlighted. The material is warm and expressive, enhanced by a natural finish that highlights it’s inherent richness. The bookshelf’s open and airy design offers a sense of visual lightness, making it equally suited to display treasured books or decorative objects.

A timeless piece, this bookshelf embodies the era’s philosophy of democratic design; functional, beautiful, and enduring. It serves not only as a practical storage solution but also as a quiet statement of mid-century elegance.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Some minor chips and scratches.

Dimensions:

33.46 in W x 8.66 in D x 58.66 in H

85 cm W x 22 cm D x 149 cm H

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Price category: 2,500 - 5,000 usd / eu‎

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Erling Torvits is one of those Danish mid-century designers of whom not much is known except for the material and aesthetic quality of his works. His best known designs are from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s, including this beautiful, understated bookcase.

Elegant in its simplicity, this bookcase puts the emphasis on showcasing the material through a simple, uncluttered design. As is the case with its Danish contemporaries, this model also deserts any unnecessary ornamentation in favour of the traditional mid-century design philosophy, which centres around craftsmanship and functionality. A “bogkasse”, or bookcase is an essential and timeless piece of furniture in Scandinavian homes, where it serves a role that surpasses pure functionality. This model features exposed shelves, which is an honest and functional design element. The six individual compartments can be arranged freely thanks to the small carved holes and pegs. The open design makes this model perfect to display anything, from books to design objects as there is generous storage space. Thanks to the airy arrangement of the shelves and the large surfaces, the design showcases the veneered exotic wood’s varied colour and rich grain beautifully. The pattern is so arresting that it can serve as a decorative element in a space on its own.

The Danish company, Klim Møbelfabrik, manufactured many of Torvits’s designs with a focus on Danish craft traditions. The Klim-based company has roots all the way back to 1930, and since its foundation, it has left an innovative mark on the Danish furniture industry.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use.

Dimensions:

59.05 in W x 10.03 in D x 41.53 in H

150 cm W x 25.5 cm D x 105.5 cm H

About the designer:

Erling Torvits was born in Brande Denmark in 1925 and graduated as a cabinetmaker in 1944. From there he went to Copenhagen and worked at the A.J. Iversen workshop before moving to Herning in Jutland where he set up a small design studio. There he was very active and worked together with many smaller furniture manufacturers all around the country - mainly focusing on cabinets and chairs.

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‎‎‎Price category: 5,000 - 7,500 usd / eur

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This bookcase is made out of thick plywood and features a sculptural and raw look that give it a lot of character.

The sides have rounded out edges that are wider at the base and gradually become narrower towards the middle. The slightly raised angle at the top gives this bookcase a distinctive appearance. At the base, a sculpted arch forms the four legs from the sideboards. The two shelves and top have the same measurements despite the illusion that the round shape of the sideboards create. The bookcase has its original bolts and rings on both sides and a beautiful, strong patina.

The shape of the design, the use of plywood and the distinctive bolts and rings are typical for the work of José Zanine Caldas and his manufactory, Fábrica de Móveis Artísticos Z of this period. However, official documents - as with many Brazilian works - have not yet appeared.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Wood has marks and cracks.

Dimensions:

35.63 in W x 11.82 in D x 31.5 in H

90.5 cm W x 30 cm D x 80 cm H

About the designer:

José Zanine Caldas was born in Belmonte, at the southern coast of Bahia, in 1919. Son to a doctor, Zanine was an autodidact who, from a young age, was fascinated with his environment, especially with trees.

While most architects of his generation studied extensively, Zanine developed his own style through doing and making, and at the age of 20 decided to exchange Bahia for Rio de Janeiro. There he opened up a workshop for architectural scale-models and had the chance to work with pioneering modern architects like Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer.

Large scale furniture with modern design and affordable prices. This was the great advantage of the joinery Móveis Artístico Z founded in 1948 by the architect Zanine Caldas, in partnership with Sebastião Pontes and Paulo Mello, was a great success at the time. Headquartered in São José dos Campos (SP), it maintained its production for almost two decades. The form of creation, idealized by Zanine, was opposed to the market of the time, which was either based on the production of handmade furniture, in solid wood, or in pieces produced in series with an unattractive design. Breaking these paradigms, Móveis Artísticas Z revolutionized manufacturing pieces with improved design and great popular appeal.

Inspired by the local craftsmen who carved boats and furniture from fallen trees, Zanine began experimenting with chiselling and carving large, sculptural works, which became the focus of his later career. Zanine became a big advocate for preservation and in the 1980's, he established the Foundation Center for the Development of the Application of Brazilian Woods (DAM), in an effort to educate and attempt to reverse the rampant destruction of Brazilian rainforests.

Up until his death in 2001, Zanine kept his natural visions alive, and would plant a new tree in place of any tree that was taken down for one of his projects. ~H.