Globe Wernicke
Globe-Wernicke Co. Ltd was an American furniture company based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The firm formed in 1899 when the Cincinnati-based Globe Files Company bought the Minneapolis-based Wernicke Company, which Otto Wernicke had founded in 1893. Globe-Wernicke was best known for high-quality office furniture, especially desks, bookcases, and shelves, with factories in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
The company patented the "elastic bookcase"—a modular, stacking bookcase also known as a barrister's bookcase. These glass-fronted shelves were typically 34 inches wide and made in oak, walnut, and mahogany. They could be arranged in many configurations by adding units of different depths and heights.
Today, these bookcases are collectible antiques and often fetch high prices at auctions and online. During World War II, about 90% of Globe-Wernicke's U.S. production was diverted to military equipment. In 1955 the company was acquired by City Auto Stamping Company, ending Globe-Wernicke as an independent brand.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:35 (CET).