A rare and well-preserved 18th-century travelling library of English publisher John Bell's Poets of Great Britain. Complete in their two original travelling library cases resembling four folio volumes, and containing 109 volumes. Featuring authors such as Chaucer, Spenser, Milton, Dryden, Pope, Gay, Swift, Addison, and more. Housed in two original brown calf travelling library cases resembling stacked folio books, red morocco spine labels, decorated in gilt, each with hidden key lock compartment on spine (keys not present), rubbed and scratched, small loss in upper corner of second case; each lined in matching marbled paper and green felt. From the collection of Justin G. Schiller.
Monday, 2 December 2024
John Bell's Travelling Library
Thursday, 19 September 2024
Edwardian mahogany carriage seat
The pull-out double-wingback seat with two reading rests, on turned fluted legs with castors, the back and sides fitted with an arrangement of drawers, adjustable shelves and green velvet-lined hinged display compartments, stamped CHARLES HINDLEY, WELBECK STREET, LONDON
47.1/2 in. (121 cm.) high; 70.1/2 in. (179 cm.) wide; 42 in. (107 cm.) deep
Monday, 19 February 2024
The Library-Go-Round
The Library-Go-Round adds a distinctive difference to your library, a unique way to show off your favorite tomes and a useful method of conducting research and taking notes. The five shelves of this revolving book display, inspired by one owned by Thomas Jefferson, can hold several books at various levels and angles and are also useful for note-taking and cross-checking information from several sources. The spinning lazy susan-style base of this rotating bookcase is perfect for spotlighting rare first editions, specialty books, favorite artwork and photographs. The Library-Go-Round folds up neatly into a 12" box when not in use.
Wednesday, 3 January 2024
Friday, 24 February 2023
Abraham Lincoln's law office bookcase
This five-shelf bookcase was once owned and used by the future president in his law office in Springfield, Illinois. Though simplistic in design, it is accented by a thin midnight-blue velvet trim. The two doors of the bookcase are missing.
Currently at auction with Heritage Auctions
Thursday, 1 December 2022
The Library at Elsinore
Bookcase installation by Tom Phillips, who died earlier this week.
Books, acrylic and pigment ink
151.7 x 114 x 20 cm"The mock bookcase contains real books overpainted in grey with titles borrowed from Hamlet in black. These are titles of actual books by actual authors in order of the apprearance of their words in the play. There must of course be more no doubt being borrowed as I write but these are all that my research has turned up. Most are (rightly I presume) obscure but others are by known writers from Lloyd George to Graham Greene with, most recently, Alan Bennett's Single Spies (Simon Callow suggested, he claims, this brilliant choice of title)."
Tuesday, 29 November 2022
Monday, 28 November 2022
Dachshund bookcase
The "Dachshund" sideboard. A wooden sideboard with a twist. This sideboard develops a rotated tail end where you can store books or other items in a more special way.
Wednesday, 16 November 2022
A bookish blade
A knife, with metal blade and fitting, the handle of carved fruitwood, Northern European, 18th/17th century or earlier. 8 5/8 in. (22 cm.) length, 3 1/4 in (8 cm.) circumference. The handle in an unusual design of four stacked books, showing carved covers, clasps, banded spines, and fore-edges with traces of red staining still visible. (Wear commensurate with age and frequent use.)
Friday, 14 October 2022
The Book Lover's Joke Book
My latest book is out now! Here's the blurb from the publisher (the British Library):
The Book Lover’s Joke Book is the funniest book about books you’ll ever read. You’ll find jokes about writers, agents, publishers, librarians, grammar, poetry, bookcases, and lightbulbs. There are rib-ticklers for typographers, crackers for critics, and badly foxed quips about antiquarian bookshops. Here too are the best literary April Fool’s (the joke’s on you), rejection letters (the joke’s on the publisher), cookbook jests (the joke’s a bit crumby) and wardrobe puns (the joke’s Narnia business). This delightful literary celebration will make every bibliophile laugh out loud, even in the library.
And here are some examples:
His new novel is called Nagb. It’s pretty controversial. In fact it’s bang out of order.
A man talks into a bar. You’ll have to leave, says the landlord, we don’t serve your typo in here.
My enormous plate of spaghetti got into the Guinness Book of Records. I’m having a devil of a job cleaning it off.
What do cows shout if they don’t like a play? Moo
How many Dylan Thomases does it take to change a bulb? None. They just rage, rage against the dying of the light.
- I fancy a curry tonight I think I’ll go for a Tarka Masala.
- Don’t you mean a Tikka Masala?
- Nope, it’s quite similar, but it’s just a little ‘otter
This morning I forgot the French word for strawberry, so I had to look it up in a fraise book.
Louise Glück, Patrick Modiano and Kazuo Ishiguru go into a pub and order three pints of beer.
“That’ll be £21 please,” says the barman. “You know,” he says proudly, “we don’t get many winners of the Nobel prize for literature in here.”
“At £7 a pint I’m not surprised,” says Ishiguru.
I couldn't find the Mills and Boon section at the library so I asked the librarian and she told me I’d been looking for love in all the wrong places.
Available wherever good books are sold but ideally from your local independent bookshop.
Thursday, 6 October 2022
Bookshelves in the Age of the COVID-19 Pandemic brings together perspectives from literary studies, book history, and publishing; investigates the complex relationship between the material book and its digital manifestation; deals with the cultural phenomenon of visible bookshelves brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some open access material.
Thursday, 29 September 2022
Bibliothèque Portative du Voyageur
A 38-volume early 19th century French travelling library containing the works of ten 17th and 18th century French authors including Corneille, Voltaire, Molière, Fénelon and Racine, many with portrait frontispieces. Bindings are in full leather, the page edges gilded, and the spines and covers decorated with gilt tooling. The carry-case, in the form of a book, is 25x35cm, with marbled paper edges. Each book measures 9cm tall.
Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Book crib
Designed in 1941. Made of Beech with 3 compartments.Treated with clarcoat. Length 500, width 270, height 270 mm.
Tuesday, 30 August 2022
Cosomopolitan picks Rooms of Their Own
Large thanks to Cosmopolitan which has picked out Rooms of Their Own to feature in their list of "32 Gift Ideas for Writers That’ll Get Those Creative Juices Flowing". Here's what they say:
Sometimes the best way to cure writer’s block is to get lost in a fascinating book, and this one will definitely do the trick. It takes readers around the world to show where 50 of the most beloved writers and authors ever found their inspiration.
Tuesday, 26 July 2022
Monday, 25 July 2022
Friday, 1 July 2022
Friday, 24 June 2022
Gothic coffer book chest
The coffer is made of wood, covered with leather, with a metal lock and fittings. Leather straps were threaded under the bands on the side for it to be used as a carrying case. Attached to the inside of the lid is a woodcut depicting God the Father in Majesty; it is derived from a liturgical book printed in Paris in 1491.
Wednesday, 1 June 2022
HOMCOM bookcase storage reading seat
You can now stop the search for the best reading spot at home thanks to this HOMCOM bookcase seat. Made from particle board for strength and reliability over the years, the base is crafted into a design which features six open cubes for handy storage, with a curved cut-out seat and soft padded cushion to allow you to comfortably immerse your head into your book for hours. Sleek rustic brown in colour, it will sit in any style room with ease in a unique design.
Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Ouseburn Bookshelf
Handcrafted from solid wood its geometric design creates plenty of storage space with its discrete pockets of shelf space.