Furniture Books

Although interesting for the idle reader, this book is a valuable resource for those writing in the period setting, with its detailed descriptions and illustrations of items considered mundane in this era but no longer in use today. Also a priceless resource for the reenactment community.

This lovely hardbound edition makes a great addition to any Eames collection. The contents include a brief history of the designers along with examples of their furniture. Each piece is shown in different settings and positions. Wonderful diagrams show the breakdown of the materials. It is written in german, french and english.

Though I didn't see the show for which this book serves as a kind of catalogue, my enjoyment of it isn't limited to that. I don't know much about the Colonial revival in American culture, and this book is a splendid introduction to the ways in which our present-day culture have been modelled and molded by a series of cultural enterpreneurs like Nutting, for history is invidious and in the post-modern condition we can no longer distinguish between what is "real" and what is the simulacrum. Nutting saw clearly how through mass production he could disseminate his own vision of what colonial New England history was like, in ways that would reinforce his own prejudices towards nationalism, etc., while gibing with his genuinely moving and democratic feelings towards beauty akin to the Arts and Crafts movement of the UK and the USA of a slightly earlier date. Thomas Denenberg has all the facts and figures at his fingertips--he's a wonderful companion and never allows the readers to lose sight of the overall picture amid the myriad pleasues of Nutting minutiae. I'll have to find out more about American historiography, especially if it's this deliciously presented.

Though it seems to have been well researched, this is not a scholarly work, at least not the usual kind. It is, rather, an informative, offbeat, and (at least to my mind) very funny account of humankind's efforts over the centuries to get a decent night's sleep. The arrangements, contraptions, and methods employed have been astonishingly varied and mostly unsatisfactory. Mr. Wright (a onetime R.A.F officer as I recall) is a graceful and witty writer, joining a somewhat Will Cuppy-ish sensibility to a smooth and civilized style. This has been for many years one of my favorite books (in the 1962 Routledge & Kegan Paul hardcover edition), and I'm delighted to see it back in print.

What a great little book; good photos and information. If you need a few good ideas this is well worth the money.

This book is THE KEY you need to make your friends jelous of the way your home is layed out. Mr. Joseph Barbotti is a design angel sent from the Design gods!!! My house looks unreal, and I never bought anything new. Mr. Barbotti I give you a 2 thumbs up and 10 bright and shiny stars. This book is a godsend for anyone who needs help with design!!!!!

Mr. Pearce takes readers through an informative discussion of the history of birdcarving and the selection of tools before embarking on the carving process itself. It is easy to read, quite informative, and very helpful with clearly outlined steps and pictures. Using primarily a knife and gouges, he takes the reader on a guided tour of how to utilize different cuts and techniques to "release the bird from the wood". The last part of the book is dedicated to painting technique. Once mastered, the reader can purchase the second book in the series which goes over advanced ideas.

Not knowing how to make your own curtains ? This is an excellent book for those of us not knowing were to start or what to do. The book has step by step instructions and all the need to know and tips of the trade. It has wonderful ideas and creative ways to make your home look modern and the pictures are a greate source of ideas. Congrats to Vogue and Butterick!

This book is filled with photos of contemporary art made with wood. There are discussions about wood, its properies and characteristics. But being a woodworker myself, I found those discussions basic.

All of the photos are in color. Many of the photos are accompanied by a brief disussion of the piece. While there is a lot of furniture here, the focus of the book is art.

Some of the pieces show are wonderful examples of fine craftsmanship and will endure for many decades. Other items are abstract--some people will like them, others won't and only time will tell if they are are masterpieces. A lot of turnings are included: several of Bihn Pho's turned vessels are shown. There are also many abstract turnings.

Many of the pieces are very 'art-y'. The object's usefulness is limited. However, there are still a good many pieces where both form and function are given equal weight. Several of the rocking chairs (all of which are Maloofian) are just as beautiful as they are functional.

If you are interested in the arts of New Mexico, specifically wood carving, than this is a book for your library. Orinally written in 1980, this is a study of the the revival of wood carving in New Mexico. The book is scholarly but yet easy to understand for the layman who is interested in wood carving. Although written by an anthropologist, and in essence is a case study of various families of wood carvers, the book is an easy read. The cultural portraits of the artists, as written by the author, is fascinating. The wood carvers covered are some of the best New Mexico has produced including a large section on Jose Dolores Lopez and his family. The Lopez family is detailed extensively, including a geneology table and various works by the different generations of wood carvers. Also included are Jose Mondragon, Patrocinio Barela, Jose Rafael Aragon and Luis Tapia, just to name a few. There are color plates that show the artists work but the majority of the plates are black and white. The book is a great reference source as it even has illustrations detailing the cuts neccesssary to achieve certain carvings. The carvings covered are bultos, polychromed retablos, chip carving, niches, sculptures and figurines used in altars and nativity scenes. The book also has information about the marketing and patrons of the artists works at the Spanish Market and other outlets like the Spanish Colonial Arts and Crafts Exhibition. Super photographs and an easy enough text to read make this a handy reference piece for anyone interested in wood carving.