Antique wooden library steps and ladders (see also metamorphic chairs)

A substantial table, equipped with drawers or cupboards, and sometimes with an adjustable reading rack, designed to stand in the centre of the library. They took the form either of a pedestal desk at which two people could sit opposite each other, or of a more conventional table form. The tops were generally lined with tooled leather. Many Australian examples in red cedar and sometimes stained pine survive from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Library steps were an essential piece of furniture in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in large libraries or homes with high shelves. They were designed to provide a safe and stable means of reaching books or objects on high shelves. The most common types of library steps that were in use during that period were:

• Folding library steps: These were designed to be easily stored when not in use. They usually had two or three steps and were made from wood or metal.
• Ladder library steps: These were freestanding ladders that had several steps and a more... handrail. They were typically made from wood and were often very ornate.
• Metamorphic library steps are in the form of a chair which opens up to become a set of library steps. These are quite rare and keenly sought when they come onto the market because of their dual function.