The first display shelves appeared in the Renaissance period. They gained popularity in Europe, where wealthy homeowners kept their luxury items on these open shelves. In the late 19th and the early 20th centuries, this type of furniture was widespread in the homes of all social classes. Display shelves were used for storing books, small household items—for example, a matchbox if the owner was a smoker—as well as personal papers, tin boxes, and the like. They were most commonly found in studies and drawing rooms, but could sometimes be seen in other parts of the house as well. Display shelves are present in many old photographs depicting interiors of Tomsk merchant houses of the early 20th century.

The display shelf from the collection of the Tomsk History Museum dates back to the beginning of the last century as well. During that time, interior design combined two popular trends: rather simple, compact shapes and the Art Nouveau style with its fantastical curves. This display shelf was made of wood on a lathe; this was the most common material used in furniture.

At the turn of the century, lathes existed in both manual and machine-powered variants. Their mechanisms evolved over time: first, they were fitted with steam engines, then internal combustion engines and electric motors. This expanded the capabilities of these machines, allowing furniture makers to experiment with the shape of their products. For instance, they began to use lathes for cutting convex pieces from wood. Sometimes these were separate pieces decorating furniture, while other times craftsmen shaped a single wooden workpiece into a whole row of round elements of different diameters, like, for example, the supports of the display shelf from our collection. Furniture with these interesting design elements quickly came into vogue and became very widespread in the early 20th century. Display shelves were not the only type of furniture made in this style: there were also cabinets, sideboards, and dressing tables.

The collection of the Tomsk History Museum contains 19th- and 20th-century furniture of various styles. Among them are items in the Art Nouveau style, which was very popular in the early 20th century; bentwood furniture; and exhibits that were made on a lathe.