Designer bookcase for a modern living room - Mascheroni

An open double-sided shelf designed as a dual-function partition and a bookcase. It was developed as an interior decoration element suitable for both homes and unconventional offices. Material and components: shelves made from solid slats of walnut, ebony, and other wood essences — both sides are finished with natural leather. The partitions are made of slightly aged bronze. For lengths up to 410 cm, there are fifteen supporting bronze structures divided into three rows; for lengths up to 300 cm, bronze structures are arranged in ten units across two rows. Each handcrafted Italian product by Mascheroni bears a plaque engraved with the brand name “Mascheroni srl Made in Italy,” confirming its authenticity.

MASCHERONI was founded approximately 40 years ago in Cabiate, a town near Milan, in the heart of the Brianza manufacturing district, where its headquarters are located. The company did not rest on its laurels; it began designing and producing special items and complete sets of exclusive furniture for demanding clients seeking top-tier products, initially in Europe and later worldwide. Mascheroni now operates in over eighty countries.

Today, MASCHERONI is one of the few companies that oversee and control the entire production cycle, ensuring excellent quality at every stage—from raw material selection, through manufacturing, to custom services. Everything is based on teamwork, as well as the skills and craftsmanship of individual artisans. Most elements of each product are handmade and produced using the latest machinery. However, everything is then assembled entirely by hand, and it is no coincidence that one of the company's main goals is to ensure continuity by maintaining high levels of employee training and further development. Therefore, each senior master craftsman is paired with a junior artisan to complete their specialization and also become a master.

Striving for excellence and continuous innovation are the fundamental principles that characterize Mascheroni products, making the company recognized worldwide.

Extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of the materials used, manufacturing methods, and problem-solving solutions inherent to the products, combined with ongoing investments in research and development, ensure that the products are durable and retain their value over time. Quality inspections are meticulously carried out throughout the entire production cycle, and raw materials are thoroughly examined to ensure quality compliance at each stage. The finished product undergoes detailed testing to confirm proper functionality and is thoroughly analyzed to ensure it meets the aesthetic expectations set in the original design.

What quality of leather does Mascheroni use?

The leathers typically used in our sector are about 1.1 to 1.2 mm thick because they are cheaper and easier to process. These more common leathers are not part of Mascheroni's sample range. The thinnest leathers the brand works with are around 1.4 mm, which is the baseline. All prices listed are for products made with leather of this thickness. The company also offers various categories of leather, all significantly thicker and more challenging to work with, but providing greater durability for the final product. What makes their leather so difficult to process, besides being two or even three times thicker than standard leathers, are the physical properties of the leather: for example, “vegetable-tanned leather” is particularly hard to bend.

NATURAL LEATHERS by Mascheroni

These leathers are tanned to preserve all the natural features and perfection of the leather itself, including animal life marks such as small insect bites, wrinkles, and various grain patterns. All these signs attest to the product’s genuine naturalness and should therefore be considered as quality features. Mascheroni’s goal is to ensure the best possible leather cutting so that these “marks” do not appear on visible parts of the products. European bovine leathers, mainly, with a thickness ranging from 1.4 to 1.5 mm, are chrome-tanned, drum-dyed with aniline dyes, with a natural, full grain. They have a soft, warm, and incredibly beautiful appearance. European bovine leathers, mainly, with a thickness from 1.6 to 1.8 mm, chrome-tanned, drum-dyed with aniline dyes, full grain. Nearly translucent, almost smooth surface with aniline effect, “hard” and sturdy.

PELLE 3M / A

European bovine leathers, 2.2 mm thick, chrome-tanned, drum-dyed with aniline dyes, full grain. Feels like silk. A wonderful and delicate material of unmatched beauty. Small imperfections guarantee that the leathers are natural.

PELLE 3M

European bovine leathers, 3–4 mm thick, chrome-tanned, drum-dyed with aniline dyes, full grain. Nearly 4mm thick, ensuring long durability. The surface bears remarkable natural animal life marks. Full grain. Strong and warm.

Vegetable-tanned leather

European bovine leathers, 2.2 mm thick, vegetable-tanned, full grain. Semi-translucent, smooth surface, strong and warm. An excellent material, incredibly beautiful. Available only as half hides. Vegetable tanning uses an ancient recipe that combines traditional processes with all currently available technologies. This process is carried out by tanners who pass their careful and passionate craft from generation to generation, transforming raw hides into leather without harming the environment in any way. It relies on natural tannins extracted from trees, modern technology, and a long processing time. Truly, the transformation of raw hide into leather—unique and one-of-a-kind in the world—takes nearly 40 days. Vegetable-tanned leathers bear the marks of our life. They age but do not deteriorate. It is precisely these changes and personal use over time that attest to the product’s naturalness.

Over the years, the tannin dyes give the leather warm hues that tend to stand out on the surface of each element during use. Therefore, products become unique, personal, and one-of-a-kind for each user. The product tends to change depending on how it is used, revealing its best side. Choosing a product made from this leather means owning an elite and truly unique item.

The use of tannins results in products of extremely high quality: soft and smooth leathers, marked with full and shiny dyes, finished in all possible ways, suitable for any application. These products also boast enviable mechanical wear resistance, are fully sustainable, and maintain resistance to water and temperature—parameters often considered important limitations for natural products.

The result is a product that excels in every way, combining excellent technical properties with the craftsmanship of materials from bygone eras, featuring warm colors and a unique design. It is a product that will last and improve over time, and can be safely disposed of at the end of its lifecycle.

Wood

The Mascheroni wood collection includes over 10 different wood species from the “Mascheroni Wood Color System” catalog. The company strives to select only the best parts of the wood. The main structures of sofas and armchairs are mostly made of solid wood. In contrast, in furniture production, solid wood is used only partially. This varies depending on the product, shape, and the desired aesthetic effect, which may require the use of solid wood, plywood, shaped plywood, wooden slats, roots, and other enhanced materials.

Proof that the Mascheroni product stands out for its quality and materials used is also reflected in the weight of the final product. On average, the finished product weighs 50% more than a standard product. Knowledge of wood prompted the company to thoroughly explore various possibilities offered to create new and increasingly exclusive collections. The final product is the result of artisans' wisdom and innovation.

This signifies a desire and meticulousness to meet the demands of Mascheroni's very discerning clients—people who want special, tailor-made products with a very high level of craftsmanship. It is undoubtedly a very challenging field, but one that allows the company to express its potential and ultimately brings great satisfaction.

Italian art and cultural heritage have always been at the heart of the brand's pride and identity. Throughout its history, Mascheroni has financed the restoration of some of Canova's artworks, organized art awards, supported historic sites such as Libreria Bocca (the oldest bookstore in Italy), and continuously funds important associations like FAI (Italian National Trust), which protects, restores, and opens historic sites and buildings across Italy to the public.

Manufacturer information