Furniture Books

Whether you're a collector or would-be collector of american furniture, this is the single must-have book for you. Well-written and quite readable, this book is more than just a reference. Its engaging style and informative nature will make it hard to put down.It'll help you spot the best quality pieces and recognize those that have been tampered with. For the new collector buying from auctions or dealers, this book is priceless. It'll help you spot the best quality pieces and recognize those that have been 'restored'. If you want to really know what your colllecting, get this book first!

Having been sent this book as a present by a friend in the US, I felt I must tell others just what a treasure trove it is. It has been written by someone who not only obviously loves his subject, but who has written a clear, easy-to-read amd well-illustrated guide for those of us who have developed an interest in early American furniture but who lacked expertise. It also tells you how to care for furniture. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide for Collectors by John Obbard is filled with information about all aspects of furniture from this period. Chapter one starts with an overview of the furniture trade, followed by understanding period and style, evaluation of quality, identifying period workmanship, and identifying fakes and frauds. Each type of furniture has its own chapter (wing chair, Windsor, chest of drawers, desk, highboy, etc.). There are many illustrations, but the only photographs are on the cover. With all of this information covered, one can sense that this book states concepts "straight to the point". For example, on page 64, there is a paragraph which states to look for a detached shoe or two part shoe and that this is something to note with old furniture. A beginner is not going to grasp that concept from the paragraph and illustration. Regardless, this is a good review source for the experienced person or a good outline for a beginner. I have spent three times the price of this book for many with less information.

I bought this book because of the old milk can on the cover; I fell in love with the old kerosene heater instead. I went on a massive search to find a kersoene heater and once I found one, I had it cleaned and painted in one weekend. This book has great ideas and easy to follow instructions. I will definitely use this book again.

If you want to see more visit her new website at www.kandjcustommurals.com

Amazing work! Buy her pattern books, cd's and pattern packets too! You can't find them anywhere else.

Once again, Kerry Trout displays her work with beautiful photography and easy-to-follow instructions. I'm ready to hit the flea markets and start painting!!!

This is by far the best book on conservation i have ever read

Written as a guide for museum conservators by a conservator. Presents excellent practical information and presents a code of ethics. Anyone who owns, cares for or commercially works on antiques should read McGiffin's work.

At a workshop on conserving antiques given by conservators, this book was recommended as "one of the few reliable texts widely available." Their booklet describes the book: "Simple, easy to understand book on furniture care and simple treatments."

Garden Ornaments, 128 pages, over-size ppb... This book was a real problem for me to review . . . because I want to, and don't have room to describe about 20 of the 30 projects within its pages that are so:

1. Cool looking 2. Inexpensive 3. Comparatively easy 4. Unique 5. Creative

and because they use things like old clay pots, polystyrene fish boxes, rope, paint, orange boxes, old garden tool heads, new and old lumber, simple tools, etc. Some projects are quick and easy; some, like the mosaic table top and the garden awning, are more involved. All come with detailed instructions and photographs.

There are bird houses and feeders, fountains, planters, and boxes. I love the boxes. The trug, garden tray, farrier's or herb box, and orange box planter are elegant in a plain and primitive way. Filled with fresh produce, dried herbs and flowers, pots of seedlings or flowers, etc., etc., etc., they would make beautiful gifts. A sundial, weather vane, wind chime, wonderful garden markers, and planters . . . did you ever think of gluing rope to a clay pot? or screwing a clay pot to a clay tile to hang on a wall? These folks did, and more, and the results are beautiful.

The authors finish the book with several pages of instruction or ideas for using color, choosing and using paints and stains, creating simple finishes to protect and age wood, metal, and clay surfaces.

Garden Ornaments, 128 pages, over-size ppb.: This book was a real problem for me to review . . . because I want to, and don't have room to describe about 20 of the 30 projects within its pages that are so:

1. Cool looking 2. Inexpensive 3. Comparatively easy 4. Unique 5. Creative

and because they use things like old clay pots, polystyrene fish boxes, rope, paint, orange boxes, old garden tool heads, new and old lumber, simple tools, etc. Some projects are quick and easy; some, like the mosaic table top and the garden awning, are more involved. All come with detailed instructions and photographs.

There are bird houses and feeders, fountains, planters, and boxes. I love the boxes. The trug, garden tray, farrier's or herb box, and orange box planter are elegant in a plain and primitive way. Filled with fresh produce, dried herbs and flowers, pots of seedlings or flowers, etc., etc., etc., they would make beautiful gifts. A sundial, weather vane, wind chime, wonderful garden markers, and planters . . . did you ever think of gluing rope to a clay pot? or screwing a clay pot to a clay tile to hang on a wall? These folks did, and more, and the results are beautiful.

The authors finish the book with several pages of instruction or ideas for using color, choosing and using paints and stains, creating simple finishes to protect and age wood, metal, and clay surfaces.

Garden ornaments are one of the hot decorating themes today. You see them in stores and catalogs all over. This book will inspire you to make your own unique and sophisticated items that will beautify and enhance your outdoor space for years to come.

The 30 projects include something for every taste and skill level. Some of my favorites are a stenciled sunflower tray, mosaic table, hammock, horse weather vane, garden awing, bat box, fish box planter, bird table, shell textured pot, evergreen topiary bird, window pane clock and a slate fountain. All have excellent step-by-step instructions accompanied by demonstrating photos. A number of the projects require basic woodworking skills and tools.

Following the projects are advice sections on using color, buying paints and stains, and choosing and preserving lumber. Instructions are included for creating five different simple finishes and for aging metal and terra cotta. A nice list of suppliers is in the back.

If you're looking to create some great summer projects to spruce up your garden this is the book for you.

Gorgeous photos, most in color; very readable text. Excellent heavy glossy paper, well done overall, well researched, well written. Super book on an artist who should be far better known than he is; a real genius.

A master of his trade, Grinling Gibbons astounds you with his work. In this latest book on Grinling Gibbons, David Esterly adds something new to the usual discussion. He disects and explains the techniques that Gibbons used to create his work. If you have marveled at Gibbons' work, you won't want to miss this book to have the secrets revealed at last.

Esterly has created scholarly yet engaging study of the life and work of Gibbons, arguably the greatest and most well known master of the art. Esterly delves into the thought processes behind the work of carving and reveals his intimate knowledge of the subject honestly aquired by countless hours at the carver's bench. Historians, woodworkers and art enthusiasts will be find his account of Gibbon's life and work as complete a treatment of the subject as they could hope to find. While there is much carefully explained technical information concerning the mechanics of carving and creating Gibbon's monumental works it is presented with rare clarity and enthusiasm. Any serious carver should own and study this unparalled work.

I own stacks of decorating, interior design and painting technique books, but none come even close to the wit and personality of Judyth Van Amringe's inspired volume "Home Art". The moment I set eyes on the deliciously painted and tufted couch on the cover of her book, I was hooked. With an armload of practical tips, Van Amringe challenges you to look beyond the "tried and true" interior designs tips. From lampshades strewn with silky fabric roses to the handpainted "Barnacle Table", you will find nothing here but pure inpiration and delight. Admittedly, some of the projects may not be your cup 'o tea, but rest assured, once inside the pages of this book, you will be hard pressed not to throw it down in search of something to paint, glue or stitch. This is must-have book...beg, borrow or steal, this is one for your shelves!!

Imaginative, intelligently-written and a comfortable glide into the wackier extremes of home decor...what an inspiring book. I doubt that EVERY project will appeal to the reader, but ALL of them display a thinking-out-of-box quality that will help inspire the reader into making their own home into a very personal expression of fresh decor. Enjoy!

I own stacks of decorating, interior design and painting technique books, but none come even close to the wit and personality of Judyth Van Amringe's inspired volume "Home Art". The moment I set eyes on the deliciously painted and tufted couch on the cover of her book, I was hooked. With an armload of practical tips, Van Amringe challenges you to look beyond the "tried and true" interior designs tips. From lampshades strewn with silky fabric roses to the handpainted "Barnacle Table", you will find nothing here but pure inpiration and delight. Admittedly, some of the projects may not be your cup 'o tea, but rest assured, once inside the pages of this book, you will be hard pressed not to throw it down in search of something to paint, glue or stitch. This is must-have book...beg, borrow or steal, this is one for your shelves!!

I am a beginner in miniatures and this book has made all the things that I wanted to do seem possible. I can hardly wait to get started on some of the kits I had purchased and put up until my dollhouse was completed. I would recommend it to any person interested in modifying kits or constructing from scratch.

This is a fantastic book for the craftsman of miniature furniture and room settings. Suitable for the beginner or experienced modeler, the instructions here lead to stunning finished products.

Specialized tools and techniques for working in miniature are covered. The sections on building, modifying and enhancing furniture kits maximizes their usefulness.

More elaborate projects scratch built from patterns follow. These include tables, a large breakfront, and an upholstered chair and settee group.

Room construction and detailing ideas include floors, walls, ceilings, windows and wiring for dazzling lighting effects. The book concludes with a useful list of sources.

This is a fantastic book for the craftsman of miniature furniture and room settings. Suitable for the beginner or experienced modeler, the instructions here lead to stunning finished products. Specialized tools and techniques for working in miniature are covered. The sections on building, modifying and enhancing furniture kits maximizes their usefulness. More elaborate projects scratch built from patterns follow. These include tables, a large breakfront, and an upholstered chair and settee group. Room construction and detailing ideas include floors, walls, ceilings, windows and wiring for dazzling lighting effects. The book concludes with a useful list of sources.

This book is a nice easy read, but still packed with information and practical solutions.

Fun and easy to read, this is not the typical Feng Shui book. The information flows clearly in an understandable and organized format. Applying the information provided to your own surroundings finally makes sense. Thanks to the authors for simplifying the complicated and making it a joyful and informative read.

"Instant Feng Shui, Just Add Wind and Water" simplifies a sometimes nebulous artform and explains how our environment reflects our life's experiences. I wish I had bought this book instead of four others which made feng shui seem like too much work!

"Instant Feng Shui" is packed with hundreds of simple suggestions for enhancing one's life. It's well organized and written with down-to-earth practical advice on all the "hot" topics: money, relationships, career, health, family. For example, is your career flowing nicely or is it stalled? "Instant Feng Shui" offers lots of fun ways to enhance your environment for more harmony, abundance and wellbeing.

Miller and Kay tell you how to put the "spotlight" on the "abundance" area of your home. Get your career "flowing". "Heat up" your relationship corner with warm colors or earth elements. Simple and practical. Each chapter has wonderful affirmations to support your goals. This book teaches you to empower yourself by taking charge of your environment, whether it's your office, your apartment or your entire home. "Instant Feng Shui" is worth its weight in gold.

The book certainly did not look used - like brand new. I received the book in only a couple of days! Very impressed with the service and I emailed them with a thank you.

This is the best book ever on Molesworth. If you like Molesworth furniture and Native American art, this is a beautiful large colorful book. Dont miss out on this one. I think it will soon be out of print. Don't pass up a chance to visit Fighting Bear Antiques if you are ever in Jackson Hole.

Beautiful pictures. A must-have for anyone interested in this underrated artist, though the kitchiness of many of Molesworth's pieces has been ignored, and rightly so. Wonderful book.

A rich variety of houses, some grander than the others, but all well-to-do peoples dwellings. Some of the manors featured aren't very well known even in Sweden, but they certainly deserve their place here. The few I do miss are featured in "The Swedish Room" e.i. Lay-out-wise it is by now perhaps a little dated, but the auther knows his subject very well and the accompaning photos are mostly marvellous. When a Swede writes on Swedish interiors the result is accurate as this book shows.

This is another great book for Swedish decorative detail .A great asset in the decorative artist`s Library.A good source for Bolander`s beautiful wall murals. Great photography with excellent detail shots .A beautiful and knowledgable book. I am a decorative artist specializing in custom painted furniture for decorators and designers and have found this book to be a great resource and very helpful in my work.

This book is a treasure of neoclassicism in Sweden. It is supported by sensible (not gushy interior design talk) text and is logically sequenced.

The pictures and additional material is excellent; although the lighting in some of the photographs is less than perfect.

This is an inspirational reference for the topic.