Art Deco Bookcases
Art Deco bookcases and open shelving in burr walnut veneer, made by hand: the Burlington, 180 cm high with twelve compartments open front and back, and the compact Savoy with two open tiers. Neither has doors or glass, so books and objects stay in view. Three pairs of bronze bookends, with elephants, lions or parrots, complete the collection.
Buying an Art Deco bookcase: open shelving, a side cabinet and bookends
Kuzco Art Maison offers new furniture, made by hand in the manner of French Art Deco, with real veneer rather than MDF boards covered in printed foil. The principal piece is the Burlington Art Deco bookcase, twelve compartments in burr walnut, 180 cm high, its compartments open at front and back and its upper corners rounded. Beside it stands the compact Savoy Art Deco side cabinet, two open tiers in burr walnut, equally open, together with three pairs of bronze bookends that turn each shelf into a small scene. Every piece is chosen after art-historical study led by the curator Lilly-Ann de Zeeuw, MA, and the collection serves private buyers as well as interior designers and stylists.
What defines our Art Deco bookcases?
The bookcases combine storage with the formal language of Art Deco: straight, stylised lines, warm woods and a high-gloss varnish. Their main traits:
- Burr walnut veneer – a lively figure full of swirls and dark knots, never repeated from one piece to the next.
- High-gloss varnish – built up in several coats, it gives the wood depth.
- Stylised geometry – straight frames, rounded upper corners and carcasses raised on black spheres.
- Open compartments – with no doors or glass, books and collected objects stay in view, as on the Burlington bookcase.
The full introduction to the style is on our page of Art Deco furniture, to which these two pieces also belong.
Bronze bookends: sculpture with a purpose on the shelf
A bookcase needs more than shelves. Our bronze bookends are small sculptures that hold the books upright and complete the piece at the same time. They follow the animalier tradition, which in nineteenth-century France rested on the study of living animals. There are three pairs to choose from: elephant bookends in bronze, an Art Deco pair with green patina; lion bookends in bronze, a pair with blue-green patina; or, with more movement, parrot bookends in bronze, an Art Deco pair with dark patina. All are cast by the lost-wax process and patinated by hand. More work in this vein is found in our collections of bronze sculptures and animal sculptures.
The mistake most often made when buying an Art Deco-style bookcase
The mistake made most often is to decide on the strength of a photograph, not the construction. A tall piece of furniture must be stable and heavy enough not to tip over, especially if it has glass doors; many cheap 'Art Deco-style' bookcases are light MDF with a printed foil that imitates burr walnut veneer. That only shows when they are seen and touched. Be wary of terms such as 'foil', 'print' or 'melamine' and, with a display cabinet, check the hinges, the glass and the back panel. Our pieces are new, made by hand in the tradition of the period and as stable as present-day furniture: bought once, and bought well.
Not sure whether a model will suit the space? An appointment in Amsterdam or at the Bleiswijk workshop allows it to be worked out together.
A curator's view of furniture
Furniture is looked at here with a curator's eye: a bookcase is more than a place to store things; it is the piece that gives a room its order. Each model is therefore chosen for its form, its material and its finish.
- Made by hand – genuine burr walnut veneer and a high-gloss varnish in several coats.
- Buyers in over ten countries: interior shops, designers, decorators and stylists.
- Open construction; every piece in the collection is open shelving, without doors or glass.
- Insured shipping across Europe – protected from the workshop to the door; heavy furniture travels on a pallet.
- Selection by Lilly-Ann de Zeeuw, MA – curator, art historian and artist; every choice starts from art history.
Private clients have been welcome since 2026 and may withdraw within fourteen days; trade clients place orders through their own account.
Frequently asked questions about Art Deco bookcases
What are Art Deco bookcases?
Newly made bookcases that adopt the language of Art Deco: strict geometry, warm woods such as burr walnut, and a gloss varnish. The ones in this collection are open, so books and objects always remain on view.
What is the difference between a bookcase, a cabinet and a display cabinet?
A bookcase is a piece with open shelves; a cabinet closes with doors, and a display cabinet has glass doors to show a collection and keep it free of dust. The Burlington is an open bookcase and the Savoy an equally open side cabinet: neither has doors or glass.
What is the Burlington made of?
The Burlington has burr walnut veneer over a stable core and a high-gloss varnish applied in several coats, which brings out the swirls of the figure.
Are there smaller Art Deco pieces too?
Yes. Besides the bookcase there is the Savoy side cabinet, a compact piece with two open tiers that fits beside a sofa, a bed or an armchair. More tables and other pieces are in Art Deco furniture.
What are bronze bookends?
Heavy cast sculptures that keep books upright. Ours, with elephants, lions or parrots, are cast by the lost-wax process and patinated by hand, in the animalier tradition.
What do the Art Deco bookcases cost?
Each product page gives the current price of the Burlington, the Savoy and the bookends.
Can private clients buy, and how does delivery work?
Yes. Since 2026 anyone can order directly through the website and may cancel within fourteen days. Each piece is packed carefully and travels insured throughout Europe; the heaviest furniture on a pallet.
Where can the bookcases be seen in person?
By appointment in Amsterdam (Hekelveld 1-1, office and gallery) or at the Bleiswijk workshop; the complete collection is always online.
