Mid-Century French Louis XIII Carved Walnut Spiral Library Four-Step Ladder
Located in Dallas, TX
Elevate your interior with this refined mid-century French library ladder in the Louis XIII style. Crafted circa 1960, the piece is made of solid walnut and features a graceful carve...
Walnut
Spiral Library Stairs from the Collection of Thierry Despont, France
Located in New York, NY
This piece came from the personal collection of Thierry Despont (1948 - 2023), perhaps best known for his architectural practice—which played integral roles in the restoration of the...
Brass
18th Century Walnut Library Stairs from Northern Italy
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in walnut, the amazing fretwork of this flight of library stairs is distinctly Italian. The stairs, which date to the 1700s, would have been used functionally to reach th...
Wood, Walnut
folding ladder - L&O Design Velco Legnano Italy 1970
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
rare plastic design foldable ladder by L&O Design for Velca Legnano Milano and produced by Cycolac - Italy good working condition with slight signs of patina. No brakes/no chips
Metal
American Mahogany Serpentine Rail Library Steps, Circa 1810
Located in Charleston, SC
American mahogany three-tiered upholstered library steps with serpentine rails, cross stretchers, and terminating on turned bulbous legs. Early 19th century.
$880Sale Price|20% Off
Bamboo 5 step ladder
Located in Pasadena, TX
This is a vintage 5 step ladder constructed of all bamboo. It comes from Asia and is sturdy enough for use or it would make a nice decorative item.
Bamboo
Andrianna Shamaris St. Barts Bleached Reclaimed Teak Wood Steps
Located in New York, NY
These steps were hand made in the spirit of wabi-sabi, a Japanese philosophy that beauty can be found in imperfection and impermanence. It’s a beauty of things modest and humble. It’...
Wood, Teak, Reclaimed Wood
Antique English Hand-Crafted Wooden Four Step Library Stairs & Attached Banister
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This set of antique hand-crafted library stairs is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from England and date to approximately 1820 and done in a period Early Victorian style. The four step wooden...
Wood
Antique Original Painted "the Patient Safety Ladder Company" Decorators Ladder
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer this lovely original antique "The Patient Safety Ladder Company" decorators ladder A good looking and decorative piece, I ha...
Pine
Vintage Italian Architectural Spiral Library Steps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Enhance your space with these Vintage Italian Architectural Spiral Library Steps. Designed with American style in mind, these elegant steps feature a striking spiral design and class...
Rattan
$3,233Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Mahogany Library Steps
Located in Cheshire, GB
Set of substantial 19th-century mahogany bedside steps, the three treads inset with a replaced burgundy tooled hide. Raised up on four mahogany-turned le...
Wood
$1,630 / item
Midcentury Aircraft Ladders
Located in London, GB
A rare set of aircraft hanger ladders. Four available. Great sculptural design and form. Perfect for a library or outside to hang things off...
Metal
Pair of Wooden Stairs Designed by Jules Wabbes, Belgium
By Jules Wabbes
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of wooden stairs designed by Jules Wabbes, Belgium.
Wood
Vintage Pitch Pine circa 1920's Original Aqua Blue Paint Decorators Ladder
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely original circa 1910-1920 pine painted library steps or ladder which is stamped G.R.D.C A good looking and decorative piece, original...
Pine
Grdc Stamped Pitch Pine circa 1920's Original Aqua Green Paint Decorators Ladder
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer this lovely original circa 1910-1920 pine painted library steps or ladder which is stamped G.R.D.C A good looking and decorative piece, originally made f...
Pine
$883
Pine Ladder
Located in London, GB
This vintage ladder is a charming example of mid-century utilitarian design, crafted from solid pine with a clear, natural finish. The wood exhibits a prominent, straight grain and o...
Pine
While they’re best known for their functionality, a well-designed set of vintage, new or antique stairs can also make as much of an impact in your space as any other piece of well cared for furniture.
From mid-century modern stairs to Victorian stairs to Art Nouveau stairs, different movements in design over time saw furniture makers exploring a range of inspirations as well as working with a variety of materials. This is good news for you, as it means that stairs have been designed in a wealth of furniture styles over the years and that there is a perfect set of stairs for every space.
A library ladder, whether it’s going to serve its primary purpose or be used as a home accent, is a common example of interior stairs that help make the most use of vertical space. A set of stairs for your home library is going to allow you to reach those coveted rare volumes from your lofty well-appointed shelves. And because you’ve invested so much time in styling your bookcases or library shelving, why not own an appropriately decorative structure to access your books?
Hand-carved embellishments in post toppers and stair pillars distinguish Victorian-era stairs from other periods. Furniture designed during this time period, which occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria in England, was luxurious. Even furnishings as functional as stairs were made from dark woods such as mahogany or rosewood and boasted ornate curved lines and stately proportions. All those who are fascinated by Art Nouveau furniture know that designers of the period sought freedom from the stuffy social and artistic strictures of the Victorian era. Art Nouveau staircases were highly decorative, including striking iron spiral staircases with intricate latticework on the risers and works carved in oak with newel posts that saw an integration of natural world motifs.
No matter how they are incorporated into a home or office, vintage, new and antique stairs can be practical and aesthetically pleasing — the very definition of art meeting functionality. Find yours on 1stDibs today.