Gerald Summers Bookshelves
British
Circa 1934
Designed by Gerald Summers (1899-1967)
Made by 'Makers of Simple Furniture' (1932-1940)
In 1934 Summers achieved a ‘Mondrian’ like perfection with his design for these L-shaped book shelves. The five units can be placed in a huge variety of combinations and with their asymmetric internal dimensions and exciting external silhouette they are quite unlike any other modular design before or since; yet as always they conform to Summers’ interdependence of form and function.
Dimensions of each unit: 102 cm x 51 cm x 23 cm (40 x 20 x 9 in)
Provenance:
Jessie Ball Collection 1935/7 – 2000
Andrew McIntosh Patrick 2000 - 2008
Bibliography:
‘Makers of Simple Furniture’ Catalogue 1934
Furnishing the small Home published London and New York 1930’s by the Studio Ltd.
The Design History Journal 1992 Vol.5 No.3
A History of British Design 1839-1970 Fiona McCarthy pub.1972
Exhibitions:
Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Vitra Design Museum
Phoenix Art Museum
Thirties British Art and Design before the War organized by the Arts Council of Great Britain, London 1979