Mid century Open bookcase by Gordon Russell

A mid Century rosewood bookcase produced by Gordon Russell in the 1970’s, as to be expected with any of his furniture it is great quality the sideboard has been restored where necessary and fully polished and is in excellent condition throughout

Age: 1970

Style: Mid century

Origin : England

Material: Rosewood

Condition: Excellent

Restoration: newly replaced shelves, fully polished

Dimensions: 100h x 107w x 32d cm

More on Gordon Russell

He was nine years old when his family moved to Repton and then, in 1904, to the Cotswold village of Broadway, Worcestershire where his father turned the Lygon Arms into a country house hotel. His attendance at Chipping Campden school meant that Russell saw the vernacular traditions of local craftsmanship and it also brought him into direct contact with Ernest Gimson and the Guild of Handicraft.

 

 Mid-century modern

The phrase was first used when art historian, Cara Greenberg, published her book in 1984. She describes how and why mid-century furniture developed and identifies some of the iconic designers between the 1940s until the late 1960s.

 

Bookcases were becoming more popular and one of the significant changes to modern homes during this time was the addition of offices. desks were another feature that appeared in-house designs during this time. It was only towards the at the end of World War II that modern design movement started to progress.

Towards the 1940s US soldiers returned home with their families which create a huge demand for tract housing. These houses were a simple design, and often builders took shortcuts so that they could be built at a faster pace. Houses also became larger in size and consisted of a commercial construction that represented the mid-century design emphasising clear lines and stylish angles.