Mid-Century Modern Wooden Bookends, 1960s, Set of 2

A pair of supports with a compact, architectural design, made of wood in a warm, honey-brown hue. Each bookend consists of a rectangular base and a vertical element that provides a stable support for books. Between the base and the vertical element is a solid, horizontal cylinder with a smooth surface, serving both as a structural element and the bookend’s main visual accent. The character of the objects is defined by the contrast between the rectangular planes and the distinctly defined form of the cylinder. The rounded edge of the upper part of the vertical panels introduces a subtle organic element into the geometric structure. The visible grain pattern and the variation in the wood’s tones emphasize the natural character of the material and its noble patina. The form of the supports represents a type of modernist functional object in which decorative appeal stems primarily from its proportions, construction, and treatment of the material. Similar wooden supports with simplified, geometric forms were present in mid-20th-century European design, particularly within the Mid-Century Modern and Scandinavian Modern movements. This preserved set is an example of an object in which function has been subordinated to a clear spatial composition.