41/1997

Collection

Furniture

Brief description

Three-tiered bookshelf made from oak with three metal supports, designed by Wilhelm Kienzle in 1930 and distributed in the United Kingdom by Isokon from 1934 to 1938.

Object name

bookshelf

Object number

41/1997

Production person

Kienzle, Wilhelm (designer)

Production organisation

Isokon (distributor)

Production date

1930 (designed)
1936 (manufactured)

Production place

Switzerland (designed)
England (retailed)

Period

Twentieth century (1900-1999)

Material

oak
metal

Technique

polished
bent

Physical description

This set of shelves is composed of three horizontal oak shelves supported by three flat metal supports, one at each end and one in the middle at the back. The supports are formed from four sections of bent metal painted brown, the ends of which are inserted into slots in the wooden shelves. There are three blue and white labels on the back of the wooden shelves printed with ‘Isokon Bookshelf Patent Application No 24811/35’. The label on the top shelf is partially lost. There are two 'coffee rings' on the top shelf and some water damage to the top and middle shelves.

Dimensions

Height: 66cm
Width: 92.2cm
Depth: 15.3cm

Website keywords

Decoration and furnishings
furniture

Label

Caption for Exploring 20th Century London website:
A Swiss designer, Kienzle, designed this oak bookshelf with metal supports in 1934 and a set was bought by Jack and Molly Pritchard, of Isokon. They acquired patent rights and it was the first piece of furniture their London firm distributed. It was sold flat-pack, intended to be assembled at home, and it was aimed at the same sort of consumer their Lawn Road 'minimum' flats were designed for: people living 'mobile' lives in small spaces with built-in or portable furniture.