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Campaign Book Case

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Details

Size: 74.5 (H) x 34 (W) x 14 (D) inches
Material: Oak Wood

Description

Campaign barrister bookcase, also known as a stacking bookcase, in oak wood. It is most probably American, from Globe Wernicke. The bookcase is a modular design, allowing sections to be added or removed as needed. Each of the sections has a glass front that can be lifted and slid back for access. 
The Globe-Wernicke Co Ltd was an American furniture company based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of military equipment. Globe-Wernicke was formed as part of a merger in 1899 when the Cincinnati based Globe Files Company (est. in 1882) purchased the Minneapolis based Wernicke Company (founded in 1893 by Otto Wernicke).
The company patented the "elastic bookcases" also known as a modular bookcase or barrister's bookcase. Globe Wernicke barrister bookcases were popular for their functionality and flexibility. They were designed to be easily transported and reassembled, making them suitable for the military, as well as lawyers and academics who needed to move their libraries frequently. The modular design also allowed owners to expand their bookcases as their collections grew.

Campaign furniture was specifically made to break down or fold for ease of travel. It was designed to be packed up and carried on the march and has been used by travelling armies since at least the time of Julius Caesar! But it is mostly associated with the British Empire in the 19th and 20th century, when furniture was produced by the Army & Navy Stores. However, much of the early portable furniture would have been bespoke. It would not have been uncommon for a soldier to ask his local cabinet maker to take a domestic design and adapt it for travel. As demand grew, several well-known designers, like Chippendale and Sheraton, also began producing campaign furniture.
Campaign style furniture is historically lightweight, portable, and rugged, featuring strapwork and brass corners to protect the furniture in transport. The pieces typically feature handles, making them easy to carry when needed. Campaign furniture was also usually made of durable hardwoods such as teak or mahogany, chosen for their strength and ability to withstand the harsh conditions of military campaigns.