Furniture Books

This book is a must-have reference for anyone interested in the decorative arts. I am a decorative painter and am always on the look-out for reference books that not only teach about the history of the art, but also contain many pictoral examples for inspiration. This book fits the bill.

As a beginning collector of American painted furniture and decorations I found the book to be an exciting new resource. The layout and development of the book is very well thought out and presented. It is definitly a must for anyone interested in learning more about the subject especially for those persons unfamiliar with the subject. My only reason for not giving the book five stars is that I would like to have seen more. It would have been great to have seen a much larger publication on the subject from Schaffner and Klein.

an essential guide for anyone interested in this subject matter. covers all eras and styles. THE book to collect and most definitely to give as a gift.

This book is a must-have reference for anyone interested in the decorative arts. I am a decorative painter and am always on the look-out for reference books that not only teach about the history of the art, but also contain many pictoral examples for inspiration. This book fits the bill.

The photographs in this book are a visual feast for anyone who enjoys American painted furniture. As a collector of old chairs I particularly enjoyed the regional histories and the comparison of high style and country pieces. The appendices on paint and gilding were fascinating. More information on restoration and conservation issues would have been invaluable. (The authors must have encountered much of this information in the course of their extensive research.) This book will be an often-used resource as well as a rainy day 'escape' for many years to come.

A very well written book with lovely and truly beautiful illustrations. Highly recommended!

In this fascinating book, De Dampierre brings a fresh perspective to world history by describing it through one of the most ubiquitous items in our daily lives: chairs. In doing so, she has produced a highly enjoyable read for both the sophisticated antique collector and the general student of history.

I have read Chairs; A History and find it to be fasinating from two view points. One is that it is more than a history of furniture, it is a social history of the people who sat in the chairs and their times and their culture. Secondly I will retain it for years as one of the most complete reference books on the cultural periods discussed. Finally it is beautifully illustrated and written and should be in everyone's library.

No one who has seen my home would expect me to have anything to do with a furniture book. But some perceptive friend gave me this book and now I get it! Under Ms. de Dampierre's tutelage, I have grown to understand how pieces of furniture are a reflection of the times in which they were created. This study of chairs is no less fascinating than any great work of art history and the author does an incredible job of detailing changes in social and political currents which impact the design and use of each chair in her exhaustive chronology. As importantly, the pictures are beautiful; the book is worth buying for them alone.

Florence de Dampierre has produced what will certainly be not only the definitive guide to the chair itself but also a witty and learned look at how modes of communication in differing cultures governed the kind of furniture people invented for themselves. The scope of the book is huge, ranging from the cradle of civilization in Mesopotamia and Africa to the chair as modern art. I recommend it highly, both for serious collectors as well as anyone who has ever thought twice about the provenance of the place they've just sat down in. The book is copiously and beautifully illustrated, so it makes a lovely gift.

I've never written a review before but I felt compelled to spread the word about this book. It's incredible! Every design featured in this book is a masterpiece of creativity. After viewing the art, I can't wait to get started on a project of my own. And the best part is that each design in the book is explained out step-by-step from materials needed to simple techniques. As if that wasn't enough, the back of the book even has templates so you can recreate the exact design if you wish. For inspiration, you can't beat this book.

If you have thought of exploring mosaics and want interesting and exciting new approaches and sound technique this book will do it.

This is a great book for inspiring creative ideas for making outdoor mosaics. Well written, beautifully photographed, the book shows original problem solving techniques not found in other "how-to" mosaic book...particularly in the construction of 3-D objects. Ms MacKay is a talented writer and mosiac artist.

The subtitle of this book is Dazzling Projects and Innovative Techniques and it certainly delivers! It's full of rich, vivid, full color photographs and instructions for interesting and creative projects, most of them 3-D. I was very excited to learn about epoxy putty and how to use it to create curved structures out of backer board or wire. A few of my favorite projects in this book: Snake-In-The-Grass, Gazing Face, and Reflecting Birdbath with View. Your garden will never be the same!

This book is a great read for aspiring mosaic artists and for beginners. The beautiful pictures show what is possible, the text is well written, and the "how-to" part is easy to follow.
This is a book for those who want to venture beyond the commonplace in mosaics.

Lena

Ms. Ridley provides instructions for many settings, but many of the techniques and projects could be used anywhere, such as the flooring or stove used in the Scandinavian room or the instructions for making blinds in the modern room. The pictures are great and really help explain what's going on. NOTE: includes ideas for creating a modern room -- rare in miniatures!

The only book that shows you how to create luxurious Colefax & Fowler interiors in miniature. 'The Yellow Drawing Room' is a superb variant of Nancy Lancaster's famous, full-scale classic. If you like stately English houses, this book is a Must. Not a book for beginners.

This book provides ideas and directions to create the wonderful room scenes Ms. Ridley has designed. It also provides detailed instructions and tips about a variety of other subjects of interest to the minaturist such as working with polymer clay and converting common household items into exquisite 1:12 scale pieces. The detail included is extraordinary and inspirational. I highly recommend this book!

Jessica Ridley has miniatures in her genes. After all, her grandfather was the designer and builder of Queen Mary's Dollhouse. :-) She is a miniaturist and faux painting artist who incorporates her specialty in her projects, giving the reader alternatives to the usual approach to dollhouse decorating -- namely siding for the exterior and wallpaper for the interior.

She teaches techniques for faux finishes, customizing and building furniture and accessories, as well as using interesting and unusual materials. The instructions are illustrated with plenty of color photographs, so you can see how the project looks at the different stages.

I highly recommend this book because I think that it stirs up your creative juices and inspires the miniaturist to try something new and personalized in their projects, while at the same time saving money. Who could ask for more!

this was my first dollshousebook ever, and still is my most favorite one, very claer instructions-foto's.

The intriguing shape of the book worried me a bit, so often the content doesn't measure up to a cover -- but I was in love from page one...

I have many books on dollhouses and miniatures, but this is the one I have on display, and it has inspired me to finally get on with putting all those miniatures I have been collecting into order and getting those dollhouse plans finished.

BRAVO! A must have for the dollhouse collector!

This was a very cool book! The first thing you notice when you pick up this book is that the cover is shaped just like a house, and the book's opening is right down the middle. It feels like you are opening up the doors to a real dollhouse. Inside, there are full color illustrations of dolls, dollhouses, and furniture on nearly every page. The details are phenomenal! If you are a collector or builder of dollhouses,this is your book! I really enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading about the privately owned dollhouses and collections that are featured in this book. Some of the more unique houses shown in the book are the Kupjack rooms, the Palace of Versailles, and the Shoe House. Those of you who attend miniature shows or are a member of NAME will recognize the names Brooke Tucker, Ned Kellogg, and Marcia Backstrom as miniaturists featured between these pages. This book is a wonderful addition to the collection of minature hobbyists everywhere.

I spent hours with this book! The histories the author gave on the dollhouses in this book were fascinating, and the photos! WOW! Once you open it, it's hard to put down.

The book's shape is the first eye-catcher - cleverly done! Many photos, drawings, bios and histories make this a great gift which, I can assure you, will be appreciated!

This book is utterly charming! From its delighted by-fold doors that grace its cover to the close up view of dollhouses throughout the ages, it holds the reader captivated. Women will return to their childhood days, becoming little girls again as they roam the pages rejoicing in the doll's lavish surroundings. Admirers of the world of minitures will be enthralled with the exquisite pieces displayed. All will learn much about the homes themselves, their makers, their furnishings, and their owners. The quality of the volume is without question, with glossy pages, sturdy binding, durable covers and clear text. I thoroughly recommend it to all.

This is THE book about Charles and Ray Eames. Beautifully printed and designed and with more than 3500 photos to explore the work, year by year, of these two famous designers. The range of work is amazing, furniture (domestic and commercial) films, exhibitions, architecture, books even toys. I have a set of their 1952 House of Cards, a deck of fifty-four playing-card size cards that can be interlocked to create three dimensional structures, a very simple idea beautifully conceived.

If I have a criticism it is that the book does not have an index and that makes refering to it rather frustrating.

I think the book easily reflects the joy and stimulation that Charles and Ray Eames got out of the creative process.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

2005 REVIEW NOTE Many of the pages in the book are devoted to the short films Charles and Ray created, you can get thirty-five of these on a wonderful six DVD box set 'The Films of Charles & Ray Eames' (ASIN B0009S2K92) they are available individually but cost a lot more than the box.

This is an excellent survey of the work of the Eames studio. It provides a chronological survey of the furniture, films, exhibits, and other work of the studio. It even provides a listing of the Eames staff at each point and time. Lavishly illustrated, it provides photographs of furniture, exhibits, and stills from the over 100 films produced by the Eames's. Highly recommended as the one book you must have about their work.

Charles and Ray Eames were not only creative artistic talents, they were also commercial geniuses (just like George Nelson was). These two talents provided the secret for success that would reward them throughout their life. This book gives in debt view about the vast creative inspiration that Charles and Ray Eames had. It documents in detail how Charles and Ray Eames got their early start (working on projects for the army among others) and how they expanded their line with Herman Miller.
The book covers the entire span from 1940 to the 1970's.
And everything is included, from their early plywood chairs, art and films. The stills that the book includes from their films are truly wonderful. This is a wonderful coffee table book, a joy to browse through. If you like modern design I also suggest to visit the wonderful online archive about George Nelson at WWW.GEORGENELSON.ORG and also the museum archive from Verner Panton at WWW.VERNERPANTON.COM

An exceptionally comprehensive year-by-year summary of the work of the Eames Office from the early 1940s to the late 1970s. Covers everything equally -- from wartime plywood experiments and herman miller furniture to toys, exhibitions, and, of course, films. A must for anyone interested in Eames design. Full of hard-to-find information and photos of rarely seen items.

Is the great book on Charles and Ray Eames I 've even read. The best book on my shelf. Even thought I can't afford to buy them all

Over the years, there have been many books written on Tiffany's leaded glass lamps.

Most were very expensive, they had very biased opinions of the author, and some were down right full of technical errors!

I use these books as references to make my reproduction pieces. Without these resources, my job is a lot more difficult.

It is so refreshing to find a new book that not only has excellent quality photos, but also presents a fresh review of a very important topic!

Overall, I found very few technical miscues and I think this book is the best value on the planet for this niche. It contains several previously unpublished lamp patterns. The photos of actual equipment used at Tiffany Studios is very impressive. The authors did their homework!

If you want a great starter book for your library on Tiffany or just need a beautiful book for your coffee table, this book is a winner!

I really enjoyed this book. The color full page pictures are great.

I saw this book in a museum bookstore and immediately came home and purchased it on Amazon. I'm a stained glass student and looking at this book really inspired me. The photographs are stunning and the book is packed full of great information about Louis Comfort Tiffany and his studio. Included are his drawings for a few windows, information about the methods used to make them, and there's even info on the process used to create the glass. Very informative and a joy to look at.

I'd postponed writing a review of this book because I imagined that it was only fair to read the entire text before I wrote about it. I've never really gotten to concentrate on the words, though, because the photos are so, *SO* astonishingly beautiful.

This isn't simply a collection of lamp pictures, taken as though they're head-and-shoulders photos in a police lineup. Many of the lamps have multiple views, from very small (to show off how drapery glass was used, for instance), to a general detail shot, to photographs of the bases the company used to accompany the shade. The photography quality is excellent; you really see everything you need. A professional glass artist (or drooling amateur like myself) can see the details and understand why these lamps set the bar for stained glass. Even if you know NOTHING about the subject, you'll be blown away by the overwhelming prettiness of the material.

I'm not sure if this book represents every Tiffany lamp ever made, but it must come close. Additional images show related material, such as photos of Tiffany's Long Island home (wow), cartoons for lamps we've never seen, and Tiffany Studios' 1904 advertisements for its lamps. Most of the book, however, is a study of the lamps themselves, organized by topic (such as fauna or wetlands), and analyzed in some detail.

When I drag my eyes away, I can recognize that the prose is as complete as the photographs. In addition to the historical context in which the lamps were created, there's plenty of history and analysis about their manufacture. ("Another watercolor rendering in the collection in the Metropolitan Museum is for a Snowball shade [figure 93]. Here, because of the model's domical form, the designer compensated for the curvature of the surface by opening the top sections of the shade into a series of regular projections, just as a cartographer has to allow for the curvature of the globe.") Some of it is a bit dry and academic, at least for those of us who are here primarily to say, "ooh, how pretty!" but if you cared about the details, you would definitely appreciate its depth. In other words: there's plenty to look at, and there's plenty to read, depending on what you're looking for.

You can find a few other collections of Tiffany's works, but I can't imagine you'll find a better one.

It is about time that another great book joins the volumes published in the 70's and 80's. There is some new information here as well as photos of lamps that have not been seen for years. This book is well worth the money for any fan of these incredible lamps.

This book is detailed so that a first timer could work there way through caning a seat if desired. I already do this type of craft but hope that others will try it.

I have found this book very useful in guiding me through the process of weaving chair seats and backs. It is well illustrated and the instructions are clear.

This is the first rush weaving book I've read which has actually given the process for natural rush work, as well as how to use fiber rush. We will be using this as an adjunct to a video on rush weaving we have also bought to rerush our dining room chairs.

I also appreciated the other seat-weaving techniques presented. this is a fairly straightforward book which gives out good process information.

Great detail and instruction to get a beginner going

This book was exactly what I needed for re-doing the seat on a chair.

If you want to make marquetry, buy marquetry or just appreciate marquetry this is an excellent resource. It has the kind of detailed information coupled with drawings and a bounty of color photos rarely seen in one book. Worth the money!! Go see the exhibit at the Getty!

This book is published by the Getty museum, which has an absolutely wonderful permanent exhibit on marquetry that includes many fine examples and a touchable how-to exhibit depicting start to finish manufacture of marquetry furniture. The book is a detailed how-to on various types of marquetry (including wood, metal and stone) with both color (over 150 color photos, more color pics than B&W) and black-and-white pictures of a large variety of examples from Renaissance through 17th and 18th century through modern (not too many or too-weird modern), plus many photos showing marquetry in progress in the how-to section. It is also a large, beautiful enough book for your coffeetable. If only every art/craft topic could have such a wonderful book.

I have two books of the same author: Masterpieces of marquetry (or something simmilar since it is written in French) and Marquetry. Each of the books cost over 100 USD in France and belong to a collection this author has published on the same subject. The Marquetry book (in English) I believe is the best book of its class. It has very detailed sketches of real antique designs. It not only explains the techniques but also stone inlaying, designing of tools and benches for cutting materials, etc.

Marquetry is impressive if you are making a simple flower or a project as ornate as the examples that are given in this book. Covering the art form from the early adopters in France and Italy, he explains in detail the procedures, as well as the tools that are used. When you see some of the pictures of the projects, you will think that you need a lifetime of practice to get to those levels, and maybe you do. They are so elaborate and ornate that you will appreciate what can be done in the art form.
The book is large and is something worth featuring on a shelf. It is wonderfully illustrated, and they don't short you on the full color photographs.
The chapters are; Veneer Decoration, History, The Marqueters Workshop, The Materials, The Instruments, The Drawing, Preparation, Procedures, Frisage and Jeux De Fond, The Construction of Cutting Tools, and Conclusion.
The book is 14" x 10" and every page is packed with beautiful color photographs, and at the very least a drawing. Makes for an interesting read, as well as seeing what is being explained in full color. With so many full size color photos, you can see why the book is more expensive than a standard book.
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned practitioner in the art form, this book will capture you. See the highest forms in the art, chosen by the top museums for display. All in all a first class reference. Highly recommended.

I found this book to be completely comprehensive on the subject of marquetry. Everyone who loves this art form will want to have this in their library.

E um livro muito interessante, porem, apenas para quem tem curiosidade ou gosta muito de marchetaria. Belissimas imagens. Quem faz marchetaria nas horas vagas tera uma boa referencia, inclusive com a historia dessa arte. Capa dura, muito ilustrado, acredito que tera um lugar de honra em sua biblioteca.

Mauricio - Brazil

We own a home built in the Craftsman era, and are currently remodeling / restoring it. I have bought several books about home rehab, Craftsman furniture, etc., and was disappointed with every one of them. Then I purchased this book. The level of detail regarding moldings, for example, is incredible. The complete set of dimensions including radius data for the cove are included. Not only are all the major variants of Craftsman design illustrated and specified, the original drawings for cabinets are shown and then separate, updated drawings that conform to modern kitchen design standards are presented. Anyone who is interested in the architectural details of the Craftsman era should own this book. It is a MUST HAVE!

This is a great book for the craftsman wanting to actually build Mission style furniture. While designs for many pieces are not included, the concepts of design and construction can be used to make pretty much any item you can dream up. A craftsman style entertainment center? Stickley would never have dreamed of it. You can combine a few designs and he would be proud of what you conceived.

This book contains very good drawings of various craftsman details. Everything from front doors to various builtins. The author shows the historic details and how to recreate them with modern construction methods and materials. There are no color photos, but none are need for the type of book it is. I would love to have this author release a book on Craftsman Exteriors!!!!

If you're looking forward to doing the interior trim of a craftsman or Roycroft style home this is the only book you need. It has page after page of clear shop drawings of all the trim that will need to go in every room of the house, and covers every interior trim eventuality throughout the entire house.

Crown, base, casing, chair and picture rail moldings are shown in detail. Cabinet work for kitchen, bath, dining and living rooms, beams, columns, paneling, and doors are all shown in detail with full construction and assembly drawings.

This book, a few power tools, and access to a lot of oak is all it will take to create comfortable, inviting interiors that look like they're a hundred years old. Even if you aren't finishing off a craftsman house the book is great reading to fully understand the style, and could easily be the impetus for a lot of shop projects.

The built-ins shown in this book are just what my old house needs to make it rustically "modern". I've hired a team of Amish carpenters to build them, as I don't trust my skill in that area just yet. Great book!