A Mission, utilitarian style mobile shelving unit manufactured by the ‘Library Bureau Solemakers’ company that pioneered and specialized in furnishings specifically designed for use in public and institutional libraries during the first three quarters of the Twentieth Century. This book trolly, aka re-stacking cart, was likely made 1910-1930 although their product offerings were not subject to the dictates of passing styles instead opting for sturdy, solidly crafted desks, chairs, file cabinets, and the like to fill the operational needs of a library thus their broadly Mission, utilitarian style was dictated by function and durability with models often produced for decades without substantial change making specific dates of manufacture challenging. This vintage example, like most of Library Bureau’s output, is made of thick, solid white quartered oak. Its three oak shelves are affixed by exposed screws through the sides set in to aligned and pre-drilled holes allowing for easy re-tightening if needed after prolonged use. Leather strips set in to carved out channels along its edges acts as bumpers. The structure of the trolly is set upon four 5’’ hard rubber castors attached to cast iron mounts, two of which swivel and the remaining two have fixed positions. All three shelves are 14’’ in depth while the two lower shelves allow for height clearance of 12’’ with the top shelf having side supports extending upward 8’’ without height restriction. The underside of the trolly has 7’’ of clearance. A brass maker’s tag is attached to one shelf edge.
