Have you ever had to keep multiple books open at the same time — perhaps with an essay or paper to write? Too many books on your desk soon become unwieldy, and you risk damaging pages and spines. What to do? One solution is this fantastic rotating reading desk from the National Library of Naples’ collections, displayed in the Sala Leggio at the Royal Palace of Naples!

This ingenious rotating system includes eight book stands rotated via a hand crank. Various forms of book wheels have existed since 1588, when Agostino Ramelli invented a large wooden wheel with shelves for use by scholars. The version pictured here bears an inscription: ‘Giovanni/Uldrich — Year 1792’. It originally belonged to the library of Queen Maria Carolina of Austria.

If only we all had space for one of these… or a beautiful palace to keep it in!

All images by Vera Patané

Find out more about the Royal Palace of Naples via: https://palazzorealedinapoli.org/en/sedi/palazzo-reale/