An étagère

An étagère is a piece of furniture introduced in France in the 2nd half of the 18th century. Its name was also taken from the French tradition. The French 'étagère' means 'shelf'. In contrast to hanging shelves, an étagère stands on the floor. Like other open shelves, it is used to display decorative objects or books. Different varieties of this practical, light, and mobile piece of furniture with a skeletal structure became popular during the 19th century. The displayed étagère comes from the late 19th century. The minimalism of its form was rewarded with the grandeur of the materials used: mahogany veneer, embossed leather lining the square shelves, and fine, ivory-encrusted ornamentation placed on the upper and lower mouldings. Edited by Teresa Bagińska-Żurawska https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9243-3967