Product Desktop Donkey Dimensions 80mm x 120mm x 70mm

Classic Modernism, Miniaturised & Re-purposed The Isokon Penguin Donkey bookcase; an iconic piece of continental Modernism. Designed in 1939 by Viennese architect Egon Riss for the British furniture company Isokon, the bookshelf was dubbed the 'penguin donkey' for its perfect fit of the newly released Penguin paperbacks. From its lollipop stick legs to its plywood curves, this was an iconic piece of design and an instant collector's item. A mark 2 version was later designed by British designer Ernest Race in 1960, and a third more recently by japanese design duo Shin and Tomoko Azumi in 2005.

The desktop donkey is not only a handy desktidy, but a homage to a timeless classic. Re-purposed and given a splash of colour. It would seem that Riss's genius knew no bounds, as he unwittingly created the perfect shelve space ratio (when scaled down) to accommodate an eraser, a sharper and some spare pencil leads. Even space to conveniently slot a pen, pencil and ruler. If you can't beat the originals playful nature and anthropomorphic shape, you can certainly copy it, shrink it down, stick a pen in it and appreciate its style.