Robert Adam bookcases - Exhibition

Commissioned by the 6th Earl of Coventry in the 18th Century, the bookcases were crafted by the same skilled makers responsible for three of Croome’s finest early Neoclassical interiors. More than simple storage, they were conceived as architectural features—integral to Robert Adam’s vision for the room and to the 6th Earl of Coventry’s ambition to “furnish his house with elegance” in the 1750s.

For over 200 years the bookcases remained at Croome, surviving as one of the last intact elements of the house’s original interiors after uncertainty over the mansion’s future in the mid-20th-century led to the selling of much of the collection. Aside from their association with one of Adam’s most celebrated early Neoclassical interiors, their acquisition by the V&A in 1975 recognised their national significance as outstanding examples of mid‑18th‑century English furniture.

We are now working towards reinstating the bookcases in the library at Croome. This will be a major conservation project and we are currently raising funds to support this work.

Discover the craftsmanship, history, and ambition behind these extraordinary bookcases, and be part of the next chapter in their journey.