Fig. 11.
In the design for a book-castle (Fig. 11) the shelves and rails are arranged in such a manner that books may be slipped in from the front and also from both sides. The lower shelf is devoted to large volumes, portfolios, or serial publications in large sheets. The top shelf and the one under it are for volumes of medium size, while the small deck above the shelves makes a convenient receptacle for magazines.
The wood-work should be stained and varnished, or painted to match the trim of the room.
A Book-chair
A novel idea is shown in the illustration of a book-chair (Fig. 12). A Morris chair may be made over on this plan, if the side spindles are removed and the receptacle is constructed beneath the seat. A very low Morris chair cannot be used, however, since the available space between the seat-rail and the floor is too cramped. Both sides of the chair are arranged to receive books, and at the front a wooden panel is fitted below the seat-rail, as shown in Fig. 13.
Cushions of burlap, tapestry cloth, or canterbury cloth may be made to fit the seat and back; they are held on with straps. The cushions may be filled with feathers, curled hair, cocoa fibre, moss or even cotton batting. Javanese kapok is perhaps the best of the lower grade material. It costs twenty-five cents a pound, and takes about two and a half pounds for a chair.
The ornament at the front of the chair is painted on and outlined with the pyrographic point; or a dark-brown line may be painted on with a fine brush.
A Book-table
For a library or sitting-room, the book-table shown in Fig. 14 will be found a convenient and useful piece of furniture.