Adventures in Picking: Vintage School Bookcase
Maybe it’s because I spend my days as a teacher, but vintage school items have always sparked joy in me. Naturally, when my mom found a vintage school bookcase with an old pencil sharpener still attached on Facebook Marketplace, I had to have it.
Backstory: I have been searching for a bookcase for my oldest son’s bedroom for the better part of three months. As we’ve gotten ready for the newest little addition to our family, I’ve had to think through the existing furniture in my oldest son’s room and determine whether it works better for him or in a nursery. He has the cutest little bookcase, just perfect for his small, preschool stature. However, the size of the bookcase and its two shelves make it even more practical for a baby’s nursery. So the hunt was on for a bookcase for his new bedroom.
I scoured thrift stores and antique stores with no luck. The day before the school bookcase came into our lives, my mom had actually driven with me to an antique mall an hour away to look at another FB Marketplace prospect. When we got there, the bookcase wasn’t at all what I had expected. Knowing I had driven all that way on a false lead, the antique shop owners stayed open for a us a few extra minutes so we could peruse the aisles. But all the bookcases that would’ve worked perfectly functioned as displays and weren’t for sale. One beauty caught my eye, but my concerns about its shelf depth and its $125 price tag caused me to walk away.
The search seemed so hopeless. Until this little beauty popped up.
The only problem? It was located two hours away. But I was desperate, and it was only $35. So I did what any sane person would do when in utter desperation: I borrowed a truck (thanks, Dad!), loaded up my mom and my three-year-old, and went to meet a total stranger three counties away.
It turns out, the gamble paid off. The bookshelf fits the space as if it were always meant to be there. We still have plenty of room to add more books, which my son, the avid reader, loves.
The bookcase certainly filled a legitimate home need. But even more than that, it served as a reminder that the perfect piece is always out there waiting. It’s never worth compromising price or style just to own a particular piece of furniture. Patience paid off big time, which I hope I’ll remember the next time I’m desperate for the perfect piece.
