Arts and Crafts Books

While the content of both the hardcover and paperback is the same, the paper quality of the handcover is much better which leads to better photo quality. If this seems like an important book to add to your library I would recommend splurging on the hardcover.

A great description of commercial blacksmithing in its most successful era. Excellent pictures of some of his completed works with enough details to allow you to make them.

Samuel Yellin, Metalworker by Jack Andrews

This is a new release of one of the two books that have made Jack Andrews a household name in the blacksmithing community.(The other is the "New Edge of the Anvil.") While this book has been around for some time now the new release offers the title in a more affordable paperbound cover. Samuel Yellin is the king of the blacksmiths and a true inspiration to virtually anyone who has ever swung a hammer. at piece of hot steel. His accomplishments as a metal artist are thing to be grasped at and never achieved by the mere mortal. Andrews does and excellent job of capturing the spirit of this man who organized teams of immigrant blacksmiths into a shop in Philadelphia spread ironwork across the country. In this work you will learn the history that is the Yellin legacy, including the formative years before he was a household name. A time line gives important dates in his history. Of special interest are the historic photos of Yellin and those under his employ. Even better are the many pages of his work, each piece speaking volumes on its own. There are gates, railings, keys, locks, fireplace sets, lighting devices, whimsical creatures and more. Now that Andrews has brought this book back at less that ..., there are not excuses for not having it in your library. Just owning this book may make you a better blacksmith! Get one before the are all gone.

Jim McCarty

Jack Andrews and Skipjack Press have done us all a favor by republishing this book in paperback. Samuel Yellin's work remains an important subject of study, not only for blacksmiths, but for artists, architects, interior designers, and anyone who works with or enjoys ironwork. Jack Andrews worked in the Yellin shops at Arch Street and is deeply familiar with his subject, and his expertise shows throughout this book.

Of course, the many examples of Yellins work is enough reason to add this book to your library.. As usual, the scale of the works is sometimes immense, and requires the labor of fifty smiths to execute... but that's not what most people are after. The details shown in these works can give you a myriad of ideas to try in your own shop.

But there's more than that. Yellin's business practices are a lesson to us all, especially the way he documented all of his work. In a sense, this practice of Yellin's made books like this and the study of his work possible. He used job cards and took photographs of every piece of ironwork that went out the door. We should all document our work so well.

Yellin's thoughts on design and the artistic nature of forged iron make great reading as well. I keep going back to Yellin's discussion of "Craftsmanship" again and again, each time finding a new and interesting point to consider.

When you add all this with the fact that this reissue costs twenty dollars, you've got a real bargain. This book should be required reading for anyone with an interest in metals.

Samuel Yellin Metalworker was originally published in hard cover and has been out of print. I am pleased to see it released again in soft cover and at a reasonable price. This book is sort of a history of the Samuel Yellin organization and a tribute to the man's genius at creating beautiful ironwork. I especially like the quotes on the back cover of the book: "The true craftsman should know every branch of his craft and a piece of work can only be either good or bad. If one small part of the grille is bad, the whole grille is bad. For a piece of craftsmanship to be good not the smallest part should receive adverse criticism. And even though twelve men work on one pair of gates, they must appear when completes as though they were made by one man." That is requiring pretty exacting work from all of his help in his shop and is no wonder that he achieved such great stature as an Art Metal Worker. With this sort of attitude about the work from his shop, it is no wonder that this man achieve so much stature in only 55 years on earth. The beginning Chapter talks about Yellin's shop and business. The second chapter talks about and profusely illustrates the Yellin Wrought Iron. The next chapter presents Yellin's views on Craftsmanship being a reprint of a talk that he gave before the Architectural Club of Chicago on March 9, 1926. Interesting stuff. The next chapter is a group of Wrought Iron Selections that shows the great variety and wide range of the metal art that was created in the Yellin shop. This chapter alone is probably worth the price of the book because of its content of so many different types of objects. Through viewing such objects, one's mind becomes inspired and makes one able to do what Yellin says, "There is only one way to make good decorative ironwork and that is with the hammer at the anvil, for in the heat of creation and under the spell of the hammer, the whole conception of a composition is often transformed." I would say that this transformation takes place because of images that the ironworker has seen in the past, which tend to influence the way in which he or she sees the current project. By viewing many fine works, your mind can take on an appreciation of such work and help you to also produce similar works. Yellin urges the ironworker to "look to the past at fine works, but not to copy them." The final chapter talks about the Yellin Job Cards and shows a graph of jobs, job cards, and number of employees. It appears that Yellin's number of jobs peaked in 1923 and his number of employees peaked just before the stock market crashed about 1928. Everything sort of went down hill from there probably because of the great depression of the 1930s. Yellin died in 1940. An excellent book that every blacksmith and decorative metal worker should have in their library.

Reviewed by: Fred Holder, Editor Blacksmith's gazette

Nice collection of recipes for potpourri and sachets. Some ofthe ingredients are tough to find but I found most via the internet for the couple I've tried so far. Last half of the book is on flower drying, arraging and wreaths - not really my thing but I really enjoyed the first half.

Absolutely the best book on making fine potpourri (dry or moist) and much more. Also included are beautiful wreaths, dried flower bouquets, pomanders, cologne-type floral and herbal waters, bath bags, scent pillows, fabric sachets, drawer liners, etc. Gardening and flower drying information too. From cover to cover, fabulous ideas for elegant home decorating with antiques or inexpensive fakes. Gorgeous photographs.

This book is wonderful. I have had this book for about ten years and, although I have purchased many beautiful books since, this one remains a favorite. The pictures are beautiful and the instructions are easy to follow. Also, sources for purchasing any ingredients you would need are listed at the back of the book. Buy it -- you will cherish it!

i've had this book for two days and i love it. it truly inspires me. its easy to read and the fragrant recipes are simple and inexpensive to make. i created my first dried floral arrangement and i was amazed with the results. i love to walk into a room and be surrounded by pretty flowers and nice aromas. you can definitely achieve that with the help of this book. enjoy!

This is one reference book that I read cover to cover, not wanting to miss a single wonderful idea. I bought the book mainly because I have a huge rose garden and wanted potpourri recipes, but I was enraptured by every chapter, including making sachets, door hangings, and dried arrangements, and the section on the centuries-old "meanings" that have been attached to many flowers. There is even an intriquing recipe for making "wet" potpourri, a concoction that I had never heard of before but now intend to try! This book is beautiful, nicely organized, and well written. I could almost smell the scents and see the colorful gardens as I read. A must have selection.

This is the book that convinced me I could have fun with collecting even though I don't have an unlimited budget. I got the inside track from a real expert. The author writes as though he's talking to me personally. I can go to an antiques show or flea market now and have the confidence to talk to the dealers, and usually get a better deal on whatever I buy. I bought copies for a couple of my girlfriends who I go antiquing with and they loved it too. Heartily recommended.

This book was wonderful. I have been antiquing for about 15 years now and wish I had this book when I started. It gives you advice on how to bargin with dealers and how to handle auctions. It also gives you some good advice on how to look for the sleepers at garage sales and also at thrift stores. Very well written. Could hardly put it down! Few pictures and not much detail on marks and how to really tell an orginal from a repoduction. But for some one just getting their feet wet and who only want to spend a few dollars, this book is well worth it.

Excellent book- increasing your knowledge and know-how of antiques by 700%, it also was a pleasure to read. Highly recommended.

Frank Loomis knows his stuff. This is the easiest book to follow, the best advice for newcomers to antiquing, and packed with valuable information for everyone who has ever found an interesting article in the attic. Frank has obviously worked very hard to acheive this amazing book. I will now start my collecting with a valuable asset in my back pocket, The Secrets to Affordable Antiques.

Ann Brandt, author of Crowfoot Ridge, HarperCollins 1999

This book does a wonderful job of steering novices as well as "vintage" antique buyers into making well-thought-out purchases. I found the many tips very helpful. Even though I've been in and out of the antique trade world for 20 years, Mr. Loomis's book gave me a number of insights which I had not been aware of. I highly recommend this book to anyone who dapples in the antique world. One of the many strengths in his writing is that it invites even those with limited resources to have a valuable experience when out antiquing.

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.

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!!!!

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!

Take away the celebrity chic aspect of this book, imagine that the drawings of flowers were rendered by a cross-section of not-so-famous people, and its power and pleasure remain undiluted. This is an enormously entertaining and wildly creative collection of words and pictures linked together by a dark and disturbing subtext. And that is something of a miracle, courtesy of the potent mind of the author. You get sneak peaks into the psyches of an amazing array of artists who, best of all, gradually coalesce to create a smartly subtle memoir of the charismatic character who conceived this book.

This book is absolutely great. Kids of all ages enjoy looking at the flowers that were drawn by the many famous stars that appear in it. I personally know Victoria and the work that she put into the book. There are stories in it that will make you cry, like the Alison Gertz story. It is very heartwarming. Thirty percent of the profits go to the Aid foundation known as Love heals which is absolutely great.

What a cool book! Who knew all these celebrities could also draw! I bought 2 copies. One for myself and one as a gift for Christmas.

This is a beautiful book to keep and to give. The drawings are very interesting and beautiful, some of them are very basic sketches, some are complex artistic works, but all of them have one thing in common: they were drawn with lots of love. And that shows. Thank you for this book Ms Leacock!

A very beautifully well put together book. Not only are the drawings interesting, the text that goes along with them as Ms. Leacock remembers the acquiring of the flowers will make you laugh and cry. The wide range of celebrities drawings of flowers is quite amazing (authors, directors, actors, etc.). That Ms. Leacock would share these very personal rememberances make it quite touching. Makes a wonderful gift for anyone and you will want to display it on your coffee table forever. The fact that a large percentage of the proceeds is going to AIDS charities is even more special.

I discovered this book at the library, renewed it several times, and then decided I just had to have it. I love fiber arts. The work from the countries of Asia stupefies the mind with its intricacy, delicacy, and sheer beauty. The book explains the meanings of many of the designs and weaves history with aesthetics. The author is an accomplished needle artist herself.

I splurged and ordered this book, and am I glad that I did. It was a jaw-dropping feast for the eyes, and well-worth ever penny spent on it.

The photographs are absolutely amazing, the details are brought to light
exceptionally well, and the text illuminates this Asian craft world just
perfectly.

One of the best features of this volume is that one can readily SEE in detail the various works of the needleworker's arts from each timeper-
iod, providing as an added bonus, inspiration for one's own embroidery.

I highly recommend this book, for needleworkers and designers and for
the aficionado of handwork arts.

This comprehensive account of East Asian embroidery is a must for any textile collector. Beautifully illustrated throughout and wonderfully informative it educates and feasts the eye. The photographic details are very clear and provide a good indication of the different textures. There is also a useful, fully comprehensive bibliography encouraging further exploration of this fascinating subject.

Silken Threads leads the reader through a wonderful journey charting the evolution of the embroidery of the East Asian region.

Dr. Chung apart from being a Master Embroiderer, and probably the only women in the word who has had a Museum named after her in her native Korea, is also a well respected Art Historian. This is not a "how to" book but a serious study of the history and art as it relates to the embroidery of China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

It is well illustrated and reflects the many years of study that Dr. Chung has spent researching this absorbing area of study.

Silken Threads is real winner ! Collectors, Asian Art scholars ,and Costume designers ,both fashion and theater,will find this book an indispensable reference work in the field of East Asian embroidered textile and costume. What this book is NOT is a "how-to" on embroidery.

Dr.Chung gives a comprehensive history of the evolution of East Asian embroidery and the significant contributions it has made to the cultural history of the region. The influence of China and the dissemination of Chinese techniques , motifs and artistic convention on other regions in East Asia are thoroughly discussed. The author examines in depth a wide variety of embroidered costume ,accessories,household furnishings and religious textiles.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of this book,and there are many,is its pioneering effort in the field of Vietnamese textiles and
costume,a subject largely ignored before this publication .

Silken Threads is a exemplary production of scholarship,beautifully illustrated and completely documented .Dr.Chung's grasp of her subject represents the culmination of many years of extensive research by a leading authority on East Asian embroidered textiles .

What a great read! This is a study of not only Staffordshire figurines but the people who made and decorated them and the life and times that these people existed within. It is a wonderful fresh social history and commentary of especially Victorian times based around ornamental objects that were produced for the masses, rather than the elite and wealthy. It is a fascinating book to read and requires on previous knowledge of the subject. Chapters include an excellent introduction to "the potteries" and the makers, modelers and decorators followed by indepth studies of predominately Victorian life as reflected by chapter headings such as Never-never land : children; rogues and renegades : the criminal element; country life : a rural romance; and entertainment : streets, spirits, sawdust, spotlights and stirrups.
The book is extremely well written and beautifully illustrated (often with previously unpublished figures). The index is prolific and all en-compassing. It is elegantly produced by the publisher Schiffer. This is a fascinating reference work that one just wants to sit down and read from cover to cover-unlike most reference books that are just "dipped into". It is not simply a catalogue of Staffordshire figures but an engaging study of the period.

If you are looking for the WHOLE story of Staffordshire figures, this is the book for you. Written in an intelligent, literate style, here is a reference text that draws the reader into the world of Staffordshire figures as well as into the world of the potters who made them and the people who purchased them. This book presents a new reading of Staffordshire figure history through highly engaging and compelling text that is enhanced by hundreds of superb illustrations. The authors' carefully researched and insightful study is powered by the highest standards of scholarly, yet eminently reader-friendly, writing.

I'm an avid reader of "antiques" books, as well as being a collector of antiques. It's not very often that a book about antiques comes along that not only gives you the information you want to know about your antique, but also manages to let you into the world of the people who made that antique.
Not only did I find this work a way to help me better appreciate where the pottery of Staffordshire was coming from and why it happened when it did, but I ENJOYED reading it! The work is entertaining - a real surprise for a book about antiques. I found it a breath of fresh air for Staffordshire figure and antiques writing in general.
Congratulations to the authors. Informative and entertaining and comprehensive text and great pictures to support it.
I highly recommend this work not only to those who collect Staffordshire figurs, but to anyone interested in 19th century history and society.

As a long-time Staffordshire collector, I was delighted when my copy of this book arrived. My personal library contains numerous Staffordshire figure catalogs and "studies," but I've never read anything like this incredible book before. The authors have brought the Staffordshire figure-making era into remarkable focus with an immediacy that takes the reader into that long-ago time when Staffordshire figures were first placed on the mantelpieces of homes and inns throughout Britain. This is clearly a book about Staffordshire's earthenware figures and groups, but it is also a book about the era in which they were crafted and the people who made and owned them 100-260 years ago. Kenny and Moriarty have gone where the "catalogers" and previous Staffordshire authors have failed to go - directly and comprehensively to the essence of the Staffordshire figure era. This is a wonderfully readable "history" book, abundantly illustrated with Staffordshire figures and groups, and filled with the vitality and drama of the dawning Industrial Age. A long forgotten potter once stated, "No art with potters can compare, we make our pots of what we potters are." It may now be said of this new and exciting book's authors, Adele Kenny and Veronica Moriarty, "No other authors can compare, they made their book of what the figures are."

This fabulous new book has been flawlessly researched and written, generously illustrated, and elegantly produced in a hardbound edition complete with a very attractive dust jacket. It is a reference that provides inclusive historical information on the social, cultural, economic, and religious conditions that provided the backdrop for earthenware figure production in North Staffordshire from the mid-eighteenth century through 1900. In this volume, Staffordshire figures are not merely catalogued and illustrated - they are presented as historical "documents" that illustrate various aspects of British life during the time of their making. The 240-page book contains twenty chapters, an introduction, a conclusion, a very complete bibliography, and a comprehensive index. Over 565 illustrations complement text that is written in an intelligent and lively style that draws the reader into the changing, turbulent, gritty, and gutsy world of the Staffordshire figure. The authors have skillfully designed each chapter as a separate content area that may be read and savored individually or studied and enjoyed within the larger context of the whole book. Detailed captions provide descriptive data that adds to the already substantial text. The value ranges noted are honestly wide and reflect the current market. Kenny and Moriarty have created a masterwork that is destined to become a standard reference in the field.

Excellent reference guide. I am totally happy with the book and wish more books where as complete.

great book! i'm just starting glass collecting and doing most of my buying on ebay. this has been such a great guide for me. more often than not if i look up an item i find it in this book. a really nice collection of pieces.

The fourth edition of Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile's Standard Encyclopedia Of Opalescent Glass updates identification and values and is a recommended reference pick for any library serious about glass collecting. Color photos of the glass pieces abound and pack in plenty of detail.

Outstanding beautiful volume with 240 pages featuring full true-to-life color photos of these glass collectibles. Adjacent to each photo is an informative paragraph about the item. Concise and easy to use. The price guide is at the end of the book, keeping the body of the book clutter-free. Everyone interested in this collectible will enjoy owning and using this book.

Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile has put together a superb
book on Victorian opalescent glass that covers a large
amount of victorian opalescent glass made by glass
manufactures such as Dugan, Northwood, Jefferson, Buckeye, Albany, etc., that was made during the Victorian Era (1890's
to 1910's). This book shows the different lines manufacture
by the above glass makers and is very informative and an great reference for those who are novices to the experts. This book is a must, for those who collect victorian opalescent glass.
No opalescent glass collector should be without this book.
If you collect victorian opalescent glass, you should definitely purchase this book.

Excellent step by step book for jewellery making. Im just starting out so have picked up some useful tips.

This is a very helpful book, starting with all the basic tools you will need, continuing with methods and styles used in silverwork, and many good basic projects to practise on. A must for everyone starting out to do silverwork, and even advanced students would find it helpful. Iam very pleased I purchased it.

I have several metal working books, including those by Tim McCreight. Although these books are excellent, this book by Nicola Hurst beats them all. I'm not a novice to metal working, but I wanted a good basic reference book. Nicola gets right to the meat of a subject and tells it in a very clear, understandable manner. I love it because it isn't wordy and there isn't a lot of time spent searching for the information you want. The photos are fantastic. All are in color and large enough to see details. My only regret is that I didn't find this book sooner. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in doing metal work. It's a GREAT book.

I thought the book was real good. It would be good for beginners as well as experienced craftsman. It had 13 projects from beginner to experienced.

I thought this was an exceptional reference on simple techniques for beginning to intermediate metalsmiths. I didn't feel that I needed to invest in a fully fledged workshop to create some fine jewelry pieces. I particulary liked how each project built on the ones before and how the author included professionally created pieces that highlighted various techniques and provided inspiration. OK, so I haven't actually made anything yet, but of all the books I have purchased and not actually made anything from, this one has probably moved me closer to getting off my butt and picking up a tool than any other. Excellent descriptions and photography, attractive projects I'll be happy to make when I get around to making anything. In case you're interested, I have actually gone back to this book and re-read it three separate times, which says an awful lot about any book in my library.

Kate

Great photos and informative text about Stickley and the Arts and Crafts movement. Our house is mission-ish and this adds to the enjoyment of the design.

Knowing what a nut I am for Stickley and all things relating to the Arts and Crafts movement, my wife bought me this book for Christmas. Believe me when I say that this book is not something you are likely to skim once or twice and then put away. I read the whole thing and found it to be an excellent resource for all who love Stickley's furniture and the Craftsman lifestyle. As a woodworker I can attest that there are loads of great photographs to inspire you to build reproductions of Stickley classics. As a DIY-er I appreciate the home improvement and color scheme ideas that I was able to gather in this book.

As a librarian I have already read and reviewed many books on this subject. I can honestly say that (to-date) this book covers the Arts and Crafts lifestyle as well as any other and is second to none when it comes to understanding the rise and fall of Stickley's style. Highly recommended.

An excellent book for both the Stickley and Arts & Crafts Movement enthusiast. We recommend it.

woodworking projects. We moved in this Arts & Crafts house built in 1912 two years ago and started remodeling a bit by bit. Also my woodworking hobby has taken off along with the remodeling. The more we have done on the house, the more we like and the more we want to know about it. I have been in the stores looking at those expensive mission style furnitures and mimic the design on my own piece. I designed every piece I made for the house. Then at the point that we think we need to know more about the history of Arts & Crafts and bigger picture, we bought this book. It is surprisely good book that contains everything we were looking for. Gorgeous pictures, stunning furniture. When we were refinishing the master bedroom, we were looking at the book constantly for ideas and colors. Now the room is done, I am looking forward to making my next project - morris chair. Again, I already know what it will look like from this book. Well, this book is not only for people like me who needs reference but also very nice one for those Arts & Crafts enthusiasts.

This book is full of lush photographs of Stickley homes. I bought it because it was well-designed, as well as informative. The photo references are impressive, and overall the book pays the same attention to detail that Stickley did. For example, I was impressed that beneath the dust jacket, the cover of the book itself was a beautiful print of a Ginko Flower textile. Almost every page has full color images, and at the back there are individual photo references for furniture, lighting, and decorative items, much like a catalog. The whole thing is indexed as well. Useful as a reference book for research, or an art book to just enjoy.