Early 19th Century English Mahogany Folding Library Steps Chair

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Circa 1815 English Mahogany Metamorphic Folding Library Steps Chair. Metamorphic library steps are a type of dual-use furniture, consisting of … Read more Circa 1815 English Mahogany Metamorphic Folding Library Steps Chair. Metamorphic library steps are a type of dual-use furniture, consisting of a small folding staircase that can be transformed into a chair. Lovely button and studded pale tan leather seat with casters on the bottom of feet for easy mobility. It is a perfect chair for any study or library. When transformed into 4 steps, the 4th step is 28.75 inches in height and the length from front to back is 39 inches. The steps themselves are 19 inches in width. Weighs approximately 50 lbs.

Metamorphic library steps were first built in the mid 18th century for the private libraries and offices of the European nobility or the Bourgeois. Library rooms often had high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The topmost shelves were difficult to reach, so movable library stairs were created as a form of domestic furniture. See less