Bookends
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Glass, Art Glass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Glass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble, Metal
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble, Bronze
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Bookends
Travertine
1960s Organic Modern Vintage Bookends
Hardwood
Late 20th Century Hollywood Regency Bookends
Rosewood
2010s Spanish Modern Bookends
Travertine, Marble, Iron
1970s French Hollywood Regency Vintage Bookends
Brass
Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Bookends
Limestone, Marble
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Bookends
Rosewood
1930s American Federal Vintage Bookends
Iron
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Marble
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Bookends
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Pottery
1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Bookends
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Glass
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Lucite
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Brass
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Breccia Marble, Spelter
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Bookends
Coral, Gold Plate, Brass
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Bookends
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Brass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Bookends
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Glass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Bookends
Bronze
20th Century Italian Bookends
Terracotta
Mid-20th Century American Bookends
Chrome, Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Modern Bookends
Brass
1940s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Brass
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Bookends
Hardwood
1970s American Federal Vintage Bookends
Brass
1950s Vintage Bookends
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Bookends
Silver Plate, Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Bookends
Travertine
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Alabaster, Marble
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Alabaster
1950s Vintage Bookends
Resin
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Aluminum
1930s Vintage Bookends
Onyx, Brass
20th Century Bookends
Metal, Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Bookends
Brass, Copper
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Bookends
Marble
1950s American Federal Vintage Bookends
Brass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Murano Glass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Bookends
Marble, Spelter
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Bookends
Metal
Early 20th Century Regency Bookends
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century American Bookends
Bronze
2010s Bookends
Sandstone
Early 20th Century Regency Bookends
Leather, Wood
1980s American Modern Vintage Bookends
Brass
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Bookends
Metal
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Bookends
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bookends
Chrome
Antique, New and Vintage Bookends
A good pair of antique, new or vintage bookends will look wonderful in your reading nook. And the need for these trusty home accents has stood the test of time, which means there are many different kinds to suit any design taste or furniture style.
Bookends weren’t created until the 1870s. Serving faithfully in the background, they went unobserved for a while. The authors of the Oxford English Dictionary report that the term “book end” didn’t appear in printed material until 1907. The primary function of bookends is to ensure that your books remain upright in your bookcase, but style and form have taken the lead over the years. Furniture makers have ensured that bookends demand as much attention as the books themselves. Indeed, while competing with carefully curated first editions or rows of colorful spines is no small task, plenty of bookends steal the stage.
If you’re looking to add a dose of intrigue or decorative flourish to your reading room that will be difficult to ignore, stone bookends and metal bookends can take on the appearance of small, provocative sculptures rather than functional accessories to keep your books orderly on your shelves. Depending on what kind of textures you’re thinking of introducing to your home office or study, a pair of brass bookends or a bronze set will pop against your dusty hardcovers and any decorative objects you’ve accumulated while working to style your bookcase. A pair of mid-century modern bookends carved from dark, exotic woods such as teak can also introduce warmth to a home office or study. While teak was a favorite of designers who worked with furniture in the mid-20th century, all manner of wood bookends have emerged over the years, with some woodworkers carving ornate patterns or figures into their pieces.
Bookworms, take note: You can find an extraordinary range of antique, new and vintage bookends for your dazzling book displays and bookshelves today on 1stDibs.