The 'Happy Book' bookend by Gilde Handwerk, produced in Germany in the 1970s, embodies the postmodern playfulness and wit characteristic of its era. Crafted in ceramic with a warm, creamy beige tone enhanced by subtle brown shading in crevices and a lightly patinated matte finish, the piece depicts two upright books – each bearing a distinctly anthropomorphic face featuring rounded eyes, arched brows, pronounced noses, and gently outlined smiles. All edges are softly rounded and show faint handmade irregularities, with a seamless body construction. The object is both a functional bookend and a decorative shelf accent, displaying minimal, natural age-related discolorations without any chips or cracks – its overall condition is excellent. This ceramic bookend tells the story of the 1970s, a decade marked by the designers’ fondness for figural motifs and an openness to playful, light-hearted aesthetics. The book-shaped forms, gazing back with subtly smiling expressions, suggest a period when decor embraced experiment and irony. The matte finish and subdued patination evoke the domestic collectibles of the era, echoing a time when detail and a sense of freedom prevailed. The bookend would complement shelves in living rooms or home offices, paired with books bound in warm shades, placed on mid-century veneered shelving or simple, metal bookcases. It introduces a touch of whimsical postmodernism into eclectic, collector’s, or contemporary interiors that value expressive, unconventional details. It could be combined with 1960s and 1970s ceramics, colored art glass, or abstract wall graphics to create an intimate, personal vignette on any shelf.
DIMENSION
Height27 cm
Depth21 cm
Width12 cm
Dimension details
Width12 cm
Height27 cm
Depth21 cm
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