John Danner Revolving Bookcase


1900’s Revolving Bookcase 20” width x 56” height, signed Danner.

John Danner (1823 – 1918) invented and patented the pivot and post revolving bookcase in 1876. His bookcase hangs suspended from a simple cast iron bearing which sits on top of an inner column or post. The revolving mechanism consists of two nesting cast iron cones that provide a precise pivot point supporting the entire weight of the bookcase. The top support suspension design addressed the binding and racking problems of previous bottom bearing Lazy Susan type bookcases. “These cases, with their immense load, revolve with a slight touch of the hand; are noiseless in operation, and will last a lifetime. It is a compact, rotating square bookcase of 20 inches that can hold as much as an entire wall of books.

John Danner was born in Canton, Ohio. He established the John Danner Manufacturing Company in 1874. Yale College ordered a bookcase in 1877. He won a gold medal at the Paris Furniture Exhibition and sold his bookcases around the world.

This is a great original John Danner revolving bookcase and offered on the 2nd floor of the People’s Store for $1650.

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