Ever since Belle sang atop a rolling ladder in Beauty and the Beast, Chelsea has wanted one. My hunt for getting her one started almost a year ago, soon after we began planning to add built-in bookshelves to her library/office. I found a few online, but most were the wrong height or they were newer ladders with a very contemporary look.
Almost to the point of giving up on finding a used one, I reached out to the Putnam Rolling Ladder company. They are the ones who have been making those classic rolling ladders since 1905. They, of course, were willing to build one for our library, but the price was well over $3,000 for the ladder, hardware, and railing. Oh, by the way, that was with their least expensive unfinished wood option. I would have had to stain and assemble it once it arrived.
Recently, I was visiting my parents in Fortson, GA. The day before I was to leave I performed another online search for a rolling library ladder. A listing came up for the one in the photo above at the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Charleston, SC.
It was a Putnam rolling ladder within two inches of the height I had been looking for, vintage, and made of finished oak with brass hardware that would match the other fixtures in the library. It was exactly what I envisioned in my head, all for less than a quarter of what a new one would cost.
There was one problem – I was supposed to be catching a flight in Atlanta to fly back to Charlotte.
My dad recommended cancelling my flight and renting a truck or van to drive to Charleston (344 miles away), then home (another 233 miles). That’s what I did. It took an entire day but was worth it.
I am having to order the rail system from Putnam. That should arrive in about two months due to the installation brackets being on backorder.
Updates will be posted once everything is in place.