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Antique Shelves

Explore the timeless craftsmanship and delicately ornate details of our collection of antique shelves. Whether you’re using antique shelves to display your favourite accessories and trinkets, or you need a place to store books, ceramics and more, we have you covered. Antique aficionado or craving a smattering of traditional splendour for your storage, browse our edit now to find your dream piece.From the rich mahogany tones of Edwardian display shelves to the more embellished French antique wooden shelving, there’s sure to be something housed in our curated edit to make you swoon.Every piece of antique shelving is hand-picked for its authenticity, character, and provenance. Shop sustainably and enjoy browsing our one-of-a-kind pieces. Bring fascinating stories into your home through our selection of striking antique shelves for sale in our marketplace today.

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Antique wooden shelves for sale in our marketplace

At Vinterior, you’ll find antique shelves for sale in a range of striking styles. From the dark mahogany and ornate carving of the 1700s to the gleaming pine wood and organic forms of art nouveau furniture, our marketplace contains one-of-a-kind pieces spanning nearly four centuries. Antique shelving is simply any shelf unit or set which was created more than 100 years ago. You’ll find everything from delicately carved ornate walnut Victorian pieces to simple oak units which were built to last. Pair them with our other pieces of antique furniture and complete a characterful look for your period home.

What is the history of antique shelving?

Many innovations and new ideas were born during the Elizabethan period that ran from the 1500s to early 1600s, along with them were the creation of oak and fruitwood furniture. The owners of these beautifully carved pieces of furniture tended to be noblemen who moved between their houses, leading to the trend for bulbous legs and bun feet to keep furniture sturdy and hard-wearing. Italian influences and more pine furniture were introduced to antique shelves during the Jacobean era. And later still, the Restoration period brought with it the French and Dutch influences we’re so accustomed to in British furniture styles today. This included carvings of foliage and veneer finishes. Japanese finishes were introduced in the Queen Anne period when antique shelves remained rare, as literacy levels were low and not many could afford more than simple, functional furniture at home.

Furniture manufacturing on a larger scale wasn’t introduced to the U.K. until the Georgian era when household incomes started to rise. With this increase came the introduction of designer names like Sheraton and Chippendale. These popular antique shelving designs are still sought after by many collectors today. The Regency era brought ornate designs and ancient influences from Rome, Greece and Egypt, while the Victorian times were full of inventions which introduced a range of styles to antique wooden shelves. By the reign of Edward VII, we can see more uniform styles, as machines started to create furniture on a larger scale.

Looking for more beautiful shelves? You can also browse more modern styles, including industrial shelves, shabby chic shelves or our full selection of vintage shelves.


Where to buy antique shelves online in the UK?

Antique wooden shelves have historically been hard to come by. Those which have survived over 100 years are in shorter supply than more modern designs and are usually tucked away in small local boutiques. That’s where Vinterior comes in. We bring you beautiful antique shelves for sale from all over Europe. And when you buy from us you’re supporting our community of over two thousand small local boutiques. Don’t delay. Peruse our collection of antique shelving to find your one-of-a-kind today.

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Why shop with us

Character
Choosing pre-owned furniture, each piece with its own story, is the fast track to creating a more characterful home.
Sustainable
Buying pre-owned means shopping sustainably and choosing a better future for the planet.
Quality
Our sellers offer quality products and expertise helping you find one-of-a-kind pieces that have stood the test of time.
No lead times
Cut out the long lead times when you buy furniture already in circulation.
Returns guarantee
We offer a 14-day return guarantee & free cancellations.
Customer service
We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service, with direct access to our highly-rated CX team.