Furniture Books

Barry Harwood has compiled a remarkable amount of material on one of the most elusive furniture makers to emerge in late 19th century America. Harwood's impressive catalog, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art's extensive collection of Hunzinger furniture, documents the impact of this nearly forgotten designer on late 19th-century American taste. Many of the chairs show the splendid upholstery of the day; others show surprisingly pared down designs which have been called "proto-modern" in spirit.

A meticulously documented look at a fascinating furniture designer of the turn of the century. The book depicts the Hunzinger exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum and gives the reader an understanding of what makes this period of patent furniture so inovative. A must for the collector! It lets you identify pieces whether or not they are signed. A must for the restorer! It describes original upholstery.

This book is a great read whether you want to refinish something or just read about it. The author takes you through a few common situations and shows you the best ways to creat a treasure - sometimes from JUNK! I especially liked the last section - tips for furniture care - very useful information!

Learn from the best and benefit from the author's many years of personal experience. Illustrations are great. You must have this book if you plan to attempt any furniture refinishing and/or repairs.

I had to make a quick decision.....I had some emergency repairs I was trying to get to. I am not a professional.I wanted a "dictionary" of suggestions.....this book did exactly what the title promised. there are a lot of clever tips here....stuff you would never think of, let alone hear about. "Three thumbs up."

This book is an excellent reference manual for home furniture repairs. The alphabetical listings make it very simple to look up tips without having to do extensive research. The repairs can all be done with things found in your house, making them inexpensive and easy to complete. I can't think of a better reference guide for repairing your own furniture.

This book is a beautiful work of art and informative too. The photographs are lovely and the gardens chosen as material here are to-die-for. I've already used one of the projects included in the text...it was really fun...and it worked! Anyone interested in gardening (or just some wonderful photographs of some incredible places) would love this book...

East Coast-Centric - this is a stylish guide to garden ornamentation. From rooftop terrace gardens overlooking Manhattan's Central Park incorporating bas-relief fountains festooned with putti, designated to help filter noise - to philosophers' busts arranged totem-style in old Philadelphia.

An overly exuberant South Beach garden is a carnival of color and kitsch, and some might say questionable taste. A large statue of Venus ala Bottacelli - Birth of Venus - is embellished with hand painted eyelashes. Similarly, the statue of Neptune's trident has skewered a plastic lobster. Some of this garden's whimsy works more successfully than others do.

South Beach aside, most entries are staid East Coast establishment estates that most likely shop for their trinkets at Barbara Israel. Symmetry is a requisite in the classic tradition, with enough of an occasional incongruity to keep the eye refreshed.

Those of us without architectural elements recovered from 18th Century castles outside Paris, can look and marvel at the beauty, collect a myriad of fresh ideas if we are creative faux artists, and enjoy the exceptional photography. This is now a discount book. I recommend it.

Who would have thought that the ornaments which adorn our gardens can be so diverse, calming and even whimsical. Take a look at Garden Ornaments: Pots, Pergolas, Pedestals and More, authored by E. Ashley Rooney, published by Schiffer and containing over 440 color images. My favorite is on page 14 and is a contemporary female figure. She always makes me chuckle. There is the section on animal topiary. The aculptures might as well be alive. For those who wish to obtain these wonderful items, Ms. Rooney has included a section on resources and suppliers.

I need to give this book to all my winter-hating friends, who dread those falling temperatures. What lovely art is portrayed here. I never knew there were so many different types of sculpture, pots, water gardens, etc. that could be used to decorate those blank spaces in a garden, lengthen a pathway, or accenuate a corner. This book gives me new dreams and hope for the next year. The foreword by Elizabeth Schumacher is replete with information.

Just as Gord Peteran is no ordinary furniture maker, this is no ordinary 'flip through once, tuck it away on the shelf' book. Gord's work is rich in symbolism and skilfully crafted, from a wide variety of materials and with many underlying concepts beyond the inherent functionality of furniture.

This beautiful catalogue of his work, created for his travelling exhibition through the Milwaukee Art Museum, encompasses rough sketches, meticulous renderings, excellent photographs, personal musings, and Potent Quotes - also his fabulous and very funny "Top 10 Shop Rules". The photography of the work is exquisite, offering both overviews, detail shots, and 'in situ' examples, and the many gate-fold layouts allow far larger views of individual pieces that might initially be surmised by the small scale of the book. There are also a wide variety of essays and abstractions regarding his work and its place in the pantheon of Studio Furniture making, as well as observations into each of the individual works featured.

The first edition (2500 units) of the catalogue itself is also a wonderful piece of bookbinders art and design, and features an unusual cover binding, a rich array of papers, and it begs to be explored in in its own right.

Gord Peteran is a fine craftsman with an even finer sense of visual playfulness. Furniture is not usually smile-producing, but the premier exhibit of his works, Furniture Meets Its Maker, does just that. Massive doors become canvasses and wood scraps from the workshop floor become tables. Peteran terms his work "furnitural" - a nod to the sculptural element in what he does.

The book is a wonderful thing. The long foldout pages allow the viewer to enjoy the details of his craft and the text reflects the artist's obvious capriciousness. The paper is of a fine quality and adds to the pleasure of this volume.

See the works in person while you can, and get the book to continue the enjoyment.

This book has lots of beautiful photos. If you like "classic herman miller" by Leslie A.Pina ,You had to buy this one. I promise you like it!!!

This book is superb - well laid out with beautiful historical photographs. Also contains a great overview of the history of Herman Miller, including design and release dates for classic furniture by Eames and Nelson. A great book for the retro furniture enthusiast.

This book is everything I wanted. The illustrations are bery good and informative.

I have just started collecting Heywood-Wakefield furniture. I began after seeing a show on Home and Garden TV Network on the reissued Heywood-Wakefield line currently being manufactured. I ordered a catalog from them, visited their web site, then started looking for dealers here in Dallas. Long story short, I found a gentleman here in Dallas who buys and sells antique Heywood-Wakefield pieces. I looked at what he had to offer, and ended up spending a small fortune on several pieces for my bedroom and living room. He swore by this book. This is the Heywood-Wakefield collector's Bible. It has a comprehensive list of nigh every piece Heywood-Wakefield made from about the '20s on. It has pictures of all the pieces, comments on the piece's designer(s), history, and most importantly, an updated (1999) pricing list. Buy this, and you and your dealers will always "be on the same page," literally, when it comes to discussing pieces. This is especially helpful to those who are buying from dealers cross-country. A definite must-have!!!

I am a custom carpenter in Metro Detroit, and purchased this book a while back as an idea book for wall systems. I have been verry pleased with the book. It has great photos of a wide variety of ideas that can actually be used in a normal person's home. It also presents well to my customers. Many do not. I would definately recommend this book.

In Wall Systems, Scott Anderson and the editors of Sunset Books presents the non-specialist general reader with an impressive collection of ideas for truly great wall system options for creative interior design. Wall systems are an excellent way to organize and display one's possessions without becoming lost in clutter. From open shelves to extensive home theater systems, pullouts, lighting matters, and much more, Wall Systems presents ideas, and tips from what variety of wood to use to finding the right knobs, sample styles of storage furnature, and splendid full-color photographs to reveal a wide range of possibilities to embellish and enhance any home.

The book arrived sooner than I could of imagined. Great condition. Quick Delivery

For those who appreciate fine furniture, this is a wonderful book. Litchfield provides the reader a historical perspective on the evolution of furniture that is truly eye-opening. The drawings of the various pieces are spectacular. In their way they are more descriptive than photographs; although the book could have benefited from some well chosen color photos.

The book contains more than 200 illustrations/sketches from every major historical period (up to the 1890's) and is a historical treasure. It is a must for those of us who are addicted to the Antiques Roadshow.