From Lectern to Samoussin: a Fascinating History of Book Holder

The history of book holders is intimately linked to the evolution of our reading practices. From monastic lectern to library desk, each era has brought its innovations to improve our reading comfort.

The Democratization of Reading Supports

Over the centuries, reading supports have taken many forms, each responding to a specific use:

• Church lecterns, majestic and vertical, allowing standing reading before an audience, are still used in their modern versions by today’s speakers.
• From the 16th century, with the rise of printing that popularized cookbooks, reading stands also appeared in kitchens. They allowed following recipes without staining the pages of precious volumes.
• 17th-century library desks served to facilitate study and note-taking.
• In the 18th century, we discover increasingly ingenious objects such as Voltaire’s famous mortuary chair at the Carnavalet Museum, with its integrated tablet system combining both reading and writing functionalities.
• In the 19th century, Victorian salon artist easels, combining elegance and practicality, could accommodate both canvases and books or illustrated notebooks.
• It was during this same period that the first domestic reading supports appeared: mahogany table desks, articulated bed supports, small salon easels. These objects reflect a society where reading became an accessible leisure activity. The articulated bed supports of the Belle Époque were precursors to modern comfort. Their design continued to evolve. We admire the version of the Bruno Mathsson Reading Desk Produced by Karl Mathsson in Vrnamo, Sweden. Topped with its lamp, it’s a magnificent collector’s item for which one needs to budget accordingly. We can’t quite speak of democratization here 😉

The Digital Age and Modern Comfort Today

Our supports must adapt to multiple uses: paper books, e-readers, tablets. The challenge is to create versatile objects that respect our body while harmoniously integrating into our interiors.