Lucite, Gilded Metal and Glass Shelving Unit by Charles Hollis Jones, American Work, Circa 1970

A superb shelving unit by Charles Hollis Jones, this piece exemplifies the designer's celebrated mastery of transparent and reflective materials. Constructed from lucite — the acrylic resin known commercially as Plexiglas, prized for its glass-like clarity and structural versatility — in combination with gilded metal supports and glass shelves, it achieves a remarkable visual weightlessness. Objects displayed upon its surfaces appear to float in mid-air, while the gilded metal hardware provides a note of Hollywood luxury that was the hallmark of Jones's signature aesthetic.

Charles Hollis Jones (born 1945, Los Angeles) became one of the defining voices of California luxury design in the 1960s and 1970s, earning the sobriquet "The King of Lucite" for his pioneering use of acrylic resin in furniture. His clients included celebrated names from American entertainment and culture — from rock stars to film directors — and his furniture graced the most glamorous interiors of Beverly Hills and Bel-Air. Jones single-handedly elevated lucite from an industrial material to the medium of choice for a generation of designers seeking to combine the opulence of gilt and glass with a distinctly modern sense of transparency and light.

This shelving unit would be a spectacular display piece for books, objects d'art or sculpture in any interior that prizes transparency and glamour. Its floating quality makes it ideal for a bedroom, living room or study where visual lightness is desired without sacrificing decorative impact. A signature work by one of America's most original and collected post-war designers.