Martin Nyrop bookcases

This set of three bookcases was designed by Martin Nyrop and produced by Rud Rasmussen in Denmark during the 1930s. The pieces originate from Copenhagen City Hall, providing a well-documented institutional provenance that underscores their historical and architectural relevance. Nyrop, best known as the architect of Copenhagen City Hall, frequently applied architectural principles to furniture design, emphasizing solidity, rhythm, and material honesty.

Each bookcase is constructed in solid Oregon pine, a material chosen for its strength, pronounced grain, and warm tonal range. The surfaces display a rich variation of amber, honey, and deeper brown hues, enhanced by decades of natural aging. The vertical side panels are visually substantial, framing open shelving with a strong architectural presence. The shelves are fixed and evenly spaced, creating a balanced internal structure suitable for books or display objects. Subtle stepped detailing along the shelf edges and upper rails reflects Nyrop’s characteristic attention to craftsmanship and proportion.

The overall expression is restrained yet monumental, bridging late Arts and Crafts traditions with early Scandinavian functionalism. The design prioritizes durability and clarity of form, resulting in bookcases that function equally well as individual pieces or as a coherent group arranged together.

The set remains in vintage condition, with clear signs of use consistent with age and long-term institutional use. These include surface wear, scratches, patina, and tonal variations in the wood, all of which contribute to the authenticity and character of the pieces. No structural issues are noted.

Each bookcase measures approximately 63 cm in width, 37 cm in depth, and 145 cm in height, corresponding to about 24.8 x 14.6 x 57.1 inches.