Sapiens Original Bookcase Sintesi H.79,6 inches (14 Shelves) Black/Anthracite

Those of you disappointed with Design Within Reach (DWR) decision to discontinue stocking the Sapiens Vertical Bookshelves rejoice. I bought my original shelves from DWR a few years back. I ordered a few more this spring but was told in late summer that they won't be stocking them anymore. So i waited and waited and saw these pop up a short while later here on Amazon.What I can say is that these are similar high quality versions as the ones sold by DWR. The DWR version were also made in Italy, probably from the same manufacturer. Here are the differences between the two. First the finish. The version sold here are black vs the DWR's dark gray - they also have white versions but I never owned those. The DWR also had a rougher powder coating to the finish whereas the Amazon version here has a smoother powder finish. The DWR shelve plates are slightly larger in dimension (8.25" x 6"). The Amazon version (7.5" x 5.5" see my photo). The quality of the steel appears to me to be the same as well as the overall design, spine and shelving plates. These could very well be the updated version from the same Italian manufacturer as the DWR shelves I bought years ago.It's important to note that when you order them here it is dropped shipped from Italy directly using FedEx. It takes a couple of weeks at least. Mine was delayed somewhat because FedEx said the customs forms were incomplete, prompting them to call me to get some final details. Also, the shelves arrived in these large cardboard boxes with the contents ratting inside (see my photos). At first, I thought they must have been damaged during transport as there doesn't appear to be any padding inside. They basically saran wrapped the entire kit into a bundle for transport (see my photos). Surprisingly, the system works as they were in prefect condition when I unwrapped them.The kit comes with just 2 screws to attach the base plate to the "spine", an allen wrench and 4 foot pads for the base plate (see my photos).I'm glad to know that I have a way to get more shelves in the future if I need it.

I too, had been looking for an additional stack to set along side my DWR purchase. I was dismayed checking DWr and finding they no longer sell Sapiens shelves.I had searched far and wide (on-line) for "cantilever shelves" looking for a matching unit. In my search, I noticed that the ones similar to my unit were referred to as "spine" shelves. A final search for "spine bookshelves" low and behold lead me right to Amazon! Reading the reviews I was happy to find I had found just what I had been looking for all along.I placed my order and got the expected delivery date of between November 17 and December 12. Since it was exactly what I wanted I went-for-it. Well, wouldn't you know it was delivered in less than a week!! So very happy!The color is slightly darker, though, not that noticeable even standing next to the original. As others have said the base stick-on feet/pads are not the same, though, I had some thicker ones in my shop I had bought from Rockler which I used. Situation solved.The only noticable difference seems to be the shelf spacing, and once the books are in place that isn't a problem either.All-in-all, I am extreamly please with my new stack. Great quality, great design, reasonable price and FAST delivery. Thank you.

Short review:I love this design. It is a minimalist, elegant and striking piece and always gets attention from visitors. It has a small footprint, and you can fit many books in a very small floor area. It has 14 shelves with enough space for 4-6 books per shelf.Unit arrived ahead of schedule (under 1 week) and was packaged well. Plastic wrap separated all of the steel pieces (prevented scratches) and the base was packaged separately. All pieces are finished in a durable, flat black powder coat. It is made it Italy. Setup was quick (under 5 minutes) and hex/Allen wrench was provided. Package indicates maximum of 2.5 kg (5.5 pounds/lbs) per shelf, therefore, it is suited for smaller books (trade paperback or "regular" hardcover). This unit will lean forward as you load books onto it. I recommend verifying level and plumb before loading. A heavily padded or thick carpet could prove difficult.This piece makes you change your book organizational style. You have less flexibility with this unit compared to a standard horizontal bookshelf. The books tend to be stacked in a pyramid formation for stability (per shelf and for the entire unit - larger books on the bottom). You can't rely on organizing by name/author. It is a bit impractical if you plan on retrieving any of the books frequently. Regardless, it LOOKS fantastic when completed.Other reviews (JCC and Amber R.) provide an excellent comparison of the differences between this unit and the "original" unit that was carried by Design Within Reach (DWR). Basically, this new unit is less sturdy compared to the original and will not accommodate larger/heavier books. The shelves are smaller and thinner, the base is thinner and there are no feet on the base. They provide peel-and-stick heavy felt pads. One improvement is that the screws are more robust - they switched to a flat (countersunk) head from the original pan head (see full disclosure at end).Longer review:This unit wants to be on a level surface, and will lean forward as you load books onto it. I did a test run and measured 1/4" - 1/2" lean depending on how heavy the books were. My hardwood floor was also not level. Therefore, I shimmed the base to ensure the tower was plumb (front/back and left/right), and I also elected to anchor the top of the unit to my wall before I installed books. I used 25# plastic coated wire looped around the tower/mast and secured to the backup wall with a hollow wall anchor. I did not install the peel-stick felt pads, but I did use them as shims under the base, along with varying thicknesses/lengths of cardboard on several of the sides to achieve a level base that would not rock back and forth.I plan on loading the lower shelves of this unit with with oversized art/architecture books. I'm aware these books will exceed the weight limits posted by the manufacturer/designer. I put "normal" books at the top of the unit (trade paperback and typical hardback sizes). If you place oversized books on the shelves, they will bend/fold over the edge of the shelf (especially the case for softcover books). So far, the unit remains plumb and the shelves are not bending.Full disclosure: I own two of these models, both originally purchased from Design Within Reach about 15 years ago. I purchased this new unit to replace one of those models which recently failed. I don't know if the original DWR model had a weight limit, but I suspect I have overloaded those units for a long time with heavy oversized books. The unit was clearly leaning forward (well over 1/2" out of plumb) and I wasn't concerned about it because it had remained stable for 15+ years. I suspect the excessive lean put additional strain on the original pan head screws, and one of the screw heads sheared off and the mast fell forward ripping through the tapped threads in the mast bottom - not recoverable. The new model flat screws are much stronger than the pan heads. For my remaining original unit, I also replaced the pan head screws with a larger socket cap screw with a lock washer. I also secured the top of each unit to the wall to hopefully prevent future problems.

I've ordered a number of these bookcases over the last year and every time they have arrived super fast and very well packaged. They look great, are very well made, and take up little floor space. My cookbooks are hardcover and quite heavy so to keep within the weight guidelines (and I weighed my books!) I was able to get 2 large or 3 medium-sized books to a shelf, but the bottom (floor) shelf can be loaded up and it gives extra stability. The four tiny cushion pads included aren't really useful so you'll need additional ones particularly at the front to help raise it to level it off once the shelves are loaded.Again, I love these and highly recommend them even if space isn't a problem.