Daily eBay – Ernest Race Donkey bookcase

Ever had one of those moments when you arrive at a friend’s house and it’s so stunning, and packed with amazing furniture, that it makes you want to go straight home and put everything you own on Freecycle and start again?

I must have truly cool friends because this happens to me all the blinking time. A couple of friends in particular seem to have an acute eye for great and lasting design, and their homes have beautiful piece after beautiful piece. And oh no, I’m not at all secretly smiling now that more and more of said pieces are being crayoned on or splashed in baby vomit.

Today’s Daily eBay is exactly one of those classic pieces that would make your heart ache if you were to see it in anybody else’s house but your own. It’s the iconic Donkey bookcase by great 1950s British designer Ernest Race.

As well as the Donkey bookcase, Ernest Race designed the outdoor furniture for the Festival of Britain – the celebrated Antelope chair – and the award-winning B3 aluminium chair from 1945.

This Donkey bookcase has been discovered by Tom Burgess, 20th Century Design expert at Collinge Antiques, who describes it as “a really clever and useful design”.

It’s original but well worn. Not beyond restoration though. It’s current price is £206 and bidding ends November 19 at 9.55pm

See this item on eBay