News & Views

10 January 2017

W. Lucy & Co. Perfect Adjustable Shelving

Retrouvius has just salvaged many sets of Edwardian era shelving from a well loved university library. Manufactured by W. Lucy & Co. Ltd, Oxford, from the late 1890's, it was named "Perfect Adjustable Shelving". It is extremely versatile with brackets running up and down a groove in the upright with shelves easily locked in any position. It can be configured in numerous ways for home and shop use - as bookshelves, storage, display and for hanging clothes etc.

We have four slightly different designs available: a narrow and wide decorative version, and a narrow and wide industrial version with a more minimal surface detail.

Also in News

28 May 2020

Conversations with The Calico Club: Episode 7

Finders Keepers. How to decorate using salvaged materials with Maria Speake

21 May 2020

Re-use starts on site

On site with one of our design studio's current projects...

18 May 2020

Lucy & Co Perfect Adjustable Shelving

Before the late 19th century all libraries were essentially a front counter beyond which the public were not admitted. Precious books were ordered and retrieved by their custodians, the librarians. As literacy increased and with social reform allowing greater access to books this system was superseded. A new practical storage for this new age had to be designed which allowed the public to roam free amongst the books and shelves in a way that they could not have dreamt of previously.