PENGUIN DONKEY BOOK-RACK, CIRCA 1939

Arriving in Britain in 1938, the émigré Viennese architect Egon Riss produced several designs for Isokon, including the 'Donkey', the appeal of which was swiftly recognised by Allen Lane of Penguin Books, who sought to promote the design. The initial production of 100 sold out quickly and further production was halted with the advent of war.