Furniture Books

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.

This book is part of a series that Mary Engelbreit issued a few years ago. The book series is comprised of these nifty little books filled with great ideas, depending on the topic. The photos in this particualar book are absolutely amazing, just as all of M.E.'s books have wondeful photos. Ideas are easy to follow. Very inspirational.

PS: this book was written in 1999 but the information still holds true, ---even in 2007!

Great book with looks of interesing ideas and techniques. Sumptuous pictures which are a feast for your eyes. Lots of excellent ideas...well worth it! You'll enjoy.

This is a typical Mary Engelbreit book with lavish pictures and a "vintagey", comfortable look. Where some of her books are more for ideas than how-to's, this one is not. While you will most definitely find much inspiration in these pages, it also includes shopping lists and detailed instructions for recreating these looks in your home. There are many painting techniques described, including striping, sponging, glazing, and a few more!

I've just recently begun studying Shaker furniture and I am very pleased with this book. It covers a wide range of pieces from the Pleasant Hill community and it provides some good background on each piece. The photographs accompanying each piece are also excellent. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in learning about Shaker furniture.

This is a good book with amazing photos. The background story is very informative.

Shaker furntiture has always appealled to me and seeing the pieces in a traditional setting is an extra.

I would recommend this book.

I have read the book through twice now and it just keeps getting better and better. I have read extensivly of the eastern settlements but knew very little about the western groups. I enjoyed seeing the differences as well as the similarities in the way of life and the furniture. The book was a nice balance of how life was day to day and the furniture they created. This is the second book I am aware of written by an experienced woodworker so the insights are of more interest than the usual picture/history book we see so many of. The other is by Chris Becksvoort, which I have equally enjoyed.

I also enjoyed the drawings by Kerry's brother. I think those added greatly to the book. I know when I look at an old piece of woodworking I am some time before I can see the structure in the design. The drawings help me to see this much cleared and sooner.

All in all, I highly reccomend this book be added to the libraries of the serious funiture builder or collector as well as those interested in history. It gives an overall view of what was going on in that part of the country at that time and how the Shakers reacted to it.

Highly educational resource. I bought this book to transform my old white French Provencal bedroom set into something that looks more sophisticated. Looking forward to using the skills and materials that are well outlined in this book.

This title is an excellent guide for beginners who want to reurbish old pieces or make new, mass produced furniture look expensive and antique. The illustrations are very helpful.

This book haves step by step illustrations and instructions on how to do antique effects. This book is one the best books I've bought to do antique effects for frames, chairs, cabinets, bed frames etc. The book list all the materials and the techniques.

all the major folk artists are represented here, which is astonishing since they all come from alabama. this is an excellent companion piece for any folk art collector; it makes you feel like you know the artists. loads of color photos of the actual art work

all the major folk artists are represented here, which is astonishing since they all come from alabama. this is an excellent companion piece for any folk art collector; it makes you feel like you know the artists. loads of color photos of the actual art work

Book is well presented in both written content and photography. Well-organized and thoughtfully written with a generous helping of quotes from the artists themselves, this book documents a very important genre of American Art. Many of these artists portray visions of a long-forgotten South. My thanks to the authors for this beautiful documentary of visionary Alabama Artists.

A must-have reference book for designers, design enthusiasts, or fans of French Art Deco. Ruhlmann was one of France's most prolific furniture designers, and one of the greatest artistes of our time.

Although he was criticized for creating objects only for the elite, everything he created is museum-quality and will be forever coveted by anyone with an appreciation for true Art Deco design. His use of rare and luxurious materials such as ebony and other rare woods, vellum, ivory, bronze, tortoise-shell, shagreen, doeskin, morocco, and eggshell lacquer only highlighted the beautiful forms he imagined, and pushed the boundaries of cabinet-making skills to have created. His invention of the `fuseau' leg enabled his craftsmen to make some of the most elegant furniture ever produced.

The many photos and sketches included of furniture, lighting, rugs and interiors of his design are invaluable to anyone in the trade. A true bible in every sense of the word and a great source of inspiration.

This book is a must for any collector or fan of French art deco/art moderne style. The photography is superb, and the text is wonderfully informative.

This book is a must for designers. The best book i have seen on the Deco Style. A fantastic artists shows his best work. Sketches and photos are perfect.

June Sprigg's great introduction to the Shakers has happily been reprinted. It is a most beautiful book.

It's rare that something that looks at first glance like a "coffee table book" that should be admired largely for its pictures but that also contains such a thoughtful and illuminating text.

There is no other book that shows as clearly how the Shakers connected practicality and simplicity with elegance and harmony of design. The photographs are subtle, understated but quite lovely to linger over.

It's easy to dismiss the Shakers as a fringe group, and few up us would embrace their doctrine of celibacy. But June Sprigg documents the appeal of their fundamental values: Do all your work as if it was to last for 1,000 years, but live your life as if you knew that the Judgment Day was coming tomorrow. Her ability to articulate this apparent paradox makes this a spiritually moving book.

Buy it as a gift for anyone interested in design, or with a serious interest in religion. And be sure to order two copies--you'll want one yourself.

Shaker: Life, Work and Art is a beautiful book. I first saw acopy several years ago and was disappointed to learn that thehardcover version was out of print. The book has short narrative sections that provide insight into Shaker history, work, and communal and spiritual life. One section captures a "typical" day in the life of the Brethren and Sisters. The enlarged font is easy on the eyes and the top of each narrative page is headed by the famous Shaker wall pegs. The narrative sections are separated by numerous pages of high quality, well-captioned color photographs of Shaker crafts, furniture, and architecture. Lots of beautiful pictures! The Shakers legacy still seems to have a profound impact on our contemporary lives in spite of (or perhaps because of) the simplicity of their work and their unusual communal way of life. Although this book does not present a comprehensive history of the Shakers, it does an admirable job of providing an insight into the lives of these interesting people. This book is deserving of any coffee table and should get a lot of attention in your household. END

June Sprigg's great introduction to the Shakers has happily been reprinted. It is a most beautiful book.

It's rare that something that looks at first glance like a "coffee table book" that should be admired largely for its pictures but that also contains such a thoughtful and illuminating text.

There is no other book that shows as clearly how the Shakers connected practicality and simplicity with elegance and harmony of design. The photographs are subtle, understated but quite lovely to linger over.

It's easy to dismiss the Shakers as a fringe group, and few up us would embrace their doctrine of celibacy. But June Sprigg documents the appeal of their fundamental values: Do all your work as if it was to last for 1,000 years, but live your life as if you knew that the Judgment Day was coming tomorrow. Her ability to articulate this apparent paradox makes this a spiritually moving book.

Buy it as a gift for anyone interested in design, or with a serious interest in religion. And be sure to order two copies--you'll want one yourself.

The first and last word in the history of dolls' houses
A long time coming, and well worth the wait. Brought to us by the author who wrote the very first history of dolls' houses in the US, this comprehensive volume, in the works for the past 6 years, was finally published just before the author's death. An overview of her considerable collection, it is a dip into another world- fascinating, richly illustrated- with words as well as gorgeous color photographs. It is an engaging and indespensible resource for anyone interested in architecture and historic preservation, social history, or the decorative arts, as well as those interested in the history of childhood playthings and miniatures. Weighing in at almost 5 pounds, every ounce is worth every penny!

The book itself is perfect, a must for every collector of antique dolls' houses. Shipment was extremely well cared for, communication superb. Many thanks, I'll buy again soon, it was a great pleasure!

Flora Gill Jacobs shares her collection as though you were able to spend months with her personally. If you ever wished you could get in to the archives, to really and truly speak with the expert, to understand the particular details of other time periods, to hear the adventures of acquisition, this book will will be deeply satisfying. This is no dry catalogue. Anyone with the slightest interest in the architecture and artifacts of the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth century will be enchanted. Surely those who have the imagination to mentally inhabit a small scale world will appreciate the beautiful photography. Collectors will find the pictures invaluable. The images present the objects as you might view them yourself. First the overall view and then many of the fine details separately. Mrs. Jacobs writing draws the reader close, whether you are a child transported by imagination or an adult collector searching for information. If you are interested enough in this topic to read the reviews, then you certainly will be satisfied with this book.

This will be released by Taunton Press, supposedly October 2005. Good thing I didn't win one on ebay. Wait for the new one, or wait for used prices to drop.

November 2005: Now Taunton tells me they will only release this book with the slipcase set that contains all three volumes. That's disappointing. Still, I guess that they will eventually release this book by itself. Probably sometime after the holidays.

This is a great beginner level to intermediate level book for building furniture. Lots of photos of different ways to make joints. Although this book is short on words, it makes up for it by showing how to make joints and furniture. Tage Frid is a master craftsman and this book is a no nonsense guide on woodworking.

...that provides solid information on building and designing furniture. This focuses more on the design part while the first two books in the series focus on basics and techniques.

I'm an artist with a particular interest in the decorative arts - and, while I can't say much about the text (I haven't read much of it), the artwork shown in this book is exquisite. I purchased this book for the eye candy - and there's quite a bit here to be had.

The book focuses on hand-painted Tibetan furniture, and it's the highly stylized, decorative, and "folky" painting which I find so appealing in the work presented. The book is richly illustrated with many examples, the examples are well photographed, and the printing is high-quality.

If you're an artist, it's a great reference book - there are many decorative motifs and design ideas from which you can "steal", "borrow", "adapt", or otherwise use as inspiration in your own work.

This beautiful book offers much more than a generous selection of wonderful photographs! It is historically informative and well organized so that it is easy to read for both the professional and collector. If you are interested in Tibetan antique furniture-this is the publication for you!

This is an early book--one of only two at the present time--focusing on Tibetan furniture from the perspective of the antiques field. Tibetan furniture is an area that will surely find a wider, recognized place given the growing role of some Asian countries, especially China and India, in global political and economic affairs. Already one sees a growing interest in Chinese antiquities and art. As Buckley notes, the time when a survey of ancient and older Tibetan furniture including many photographs such as found in this book is possible is likely passing because many of the finer pieces of Tibetan furniture are already scattered in private homes and museums throughout the world and there is already considerable interest in this field among Hong Kong and other regional dealers. Although the author admits he is "biased toward chests," these serve sufficiently for instruction and examples on the construction, materials, dates, and carvings, illustrations, and other decorative and symbolic features of all Tibetan furniture. "The echoes of contacts with peoples all over Asia can be traced in the designs found on Tibetan furniture." Yet the furniture and its designs are not a simple imitation or composite of forms, designs, etc., of other cultures, but shown the stamp of the "unique identity" of the Tibetan people and culture so that Tibetan furniture is unmistakable. The illustrations and symbols of Tibetan furniture are usually related to the Tantric Buddhism of Tibet. Buckley's book is not only a guide to identification of the desirable antique Tibetan furniture, but it also relates the historical and cultural context of the furniture. The author is a recognized expert on antiques and collecting currently living in Beijing.