EE Meyer for Binnehuis — Imbuia Bookcase, South Africa, c. 1960s–70s
Long, shallow, and quietly confident. This bookcase runs 183 cm in length yet sits just 24.5 cm deep — two open bays under a continuous top, with fully adjustable shelving throughout. The restraint is precisely what makes it work: clean lines, no ornament, and the warm, richly figured imbuia doing the talking. The waist-high top doubles naturally as a display surface.
EE Meyer for Binnehuis
A true treasure that encapsulates the essence of South Africa's most sought-after mid-century furniture manufacturer. With a legacy rooted in timeless craftsmanship and iconic design, EE Meyer creations have become highly sought after. Owning an EE Meyer piece means not only acquiring a beautiful work of art but also preserving a valuable piece of South African design history.
EE Meyer was directed by Gerhardt Meyer from 1966, Meyer was the South African master of understated midcentury elegance, and his designs became synonymous with a distinctly South African interpretation of modernist furniture: sober, clean, and generous in their use of solid imbuia.
Imbuia — sometimes called African walnut — is a hardwood native to the forests of southern Brazil and historically used extensively in South African cabinetmaking. Deeply figured, warm in tone, and extraordinarily durable, it is the material that defines the EE Meyer aesthetic.
The Binnehuis furniture stores were located in Cape Town, Stellenbosch Somerset-West, Newlands, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg and were owned by a Dutch businessman and his wife, Mr and Mrs van Ewijck, who moved between South Africa and the Netherlands. It seems they were most prolific during the 1960s.
EE Meyer for Binnehuis pieces are among the most collectible examples of South African mid-century design.
Imbuia is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Vintage pieces from before 1992 are legally permitted for sale.
EE Meyer for Binnehuis — Imbuia Bookcase, South Africa, c. 1960s–70s
Designer / Maker: EE Meyer (Gerhardt Meyer), for Binnehuis
Country: South Africa
Period: circa 1960s–1970s
Materials: Mainly solid imbuia
Dimensions: W 183 · D 24.5 · H 87 cmCondition Report
Presented in very good vintage condition. The wood has been cleaned and gently refinished, displaying a warm, even tone with minor wear consistent with age and use. Structurally sound, complete with all original adjustable shelves.
As with all authentic mid-century pieces, gentle signs of age remain and are considered part of their character.Photographed in natural light in our studio.
We photograph every piece honestly — what you see is what you'll receive. Before dispatch, each item is cleaned and finished with Osmo Polyx®-Oil so it arrives looking its best.
