Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Originally published in 1934, this is an exhaustively detailed guide to the history of English furniture, copiously illustrated with black + white photography and many illustrations. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include: The Historical Background of Design 1500-1700 - The Historical Background of Design 1700-1934 - Furniture Design Under the Wood Workers 1500- 1660 - Furniture Design Under Fashion, 1660-1730 - Furniture Design Under the Architects 1730-1830 - Furniture Design Under the Romantic Movement and the Furniture Trade 1830-1900 - Furniture Design Under the Antique Dealers and Artist-Craftsmen 1900-1920 - The New Materials and Their Effect on Design - The Patient Art of Buying Furniture - Books About Furniture and Design

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Focusing on provincial furniture of the early 1800s to early 1900s (late Qing Dynasty), this stunning book provides a detailed look at assorted chairs, benches, tables, storage pieces, beds, and screens originally created and used in eight Chinese provinces. Over 550 color photographs and accompanying text detail the construction and artistic differences characterizing these styles. Highly informative to collectors, dealers, and students of Asian furnishings, the book covers types of wood used, construction techniques, lacquer and other finishing processes, and original usage. Restoration and tips for care of antique furniture are also discussed. Descriptive captions include dimensions, circa dates, types of wood, and current market values for all pieces shown. Learning to authenticate classical antiques from China is becoming a necessity as facsimiles begin to appear in the marketplace. This book helps demystify the purchasing process and engenders an appreciation of lovely designs that blend wonderfully into contemporary homes.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

This is the Revised Edition of the classic bible of American furniture. It presents a thorough analysis, through over 700 photographs and detailed text, of the various elements of design, decoration, craftsmanship, construction, and finish of early American furniture. Each type is shown and discussed with three examplesgood, better, bestand the relative merits and consequent value differentials of each are compared. It explains why superficially similar pieces of furniture of the same approximate age and scarcity, and possibly by the same maker, may vary considerably in desirability and worth. It is a unique, indispensible guide for today's students, collectors, dealers, and curators in judging and evaluating antiques. More than 100 types are discussed and 675 examples are illustrated, including some of the most notable pieces. The ultimate reference, as important today as when first written in 1950.

In this long-awaited new volume, classics by Herman Miller's super-designers - Gilbert Rohde, Charles and Ray Eames, and George Nelson - are shown along with more recent office furniture designs. Furniture designs are described in detail and shown in color and black-and-white photographs, all from the Herman Miller archives. An essay on the history of the office, designer biographies, company chronology, appendix, bibliography, index, and value guide make this book essential for collectors, dealers, curators, designers, and other devotees of modernism. Herman Miller was the first American company to design and manufacture exclusively modern furniture. From the 1930s, Herman Miller has been a leader in modern design. The same company also led the office revolution and is a name synonymous with the best modern contract furniture. From Action Office I of the 1960s to the Aeron Chair of the late 1990s, Herman Miller has consistently introduced designs that have become classics that are being collected along with the residential icons of modernism.

A comprehensive look at striking furniture of the nineteenth century Biedermeier era in Austria and Germany. This handsome book features more than 600 authentic Biedermeier pieces, including cabinets, bureaus, wardrobes, secretaries, sofas, chairs, and tables. The authoritative authors provide extensive information on shapes, materials, ornamental features, and regional aspects of this popular furniture. The text covers evaluation and pricing, market trends, and tips on buying, caring for, and proper restoration of Biedermeier pieces. An illustrated glossary and current values are also included in this elegant reference.

The sleek lines of Danish Modern furniture took the design world by storm in the mid-twentieth century. Among the American companies that manufactured this style of furniture was the Heywood-Wakefield Co., based in Gardner, Massachusetts. Known widely today for their lines of blonde furniture, Heywood-Wakefield addressed the American family's desire for an informal yet sophisticated look through its Danish Modern and related lines produced in the 1950s and 1960s. Here are original Heywood-Wakefield catalog images of Danish inspired living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture, featuring original catalog descriptions, model numbers, and measurements for all pieces. A price guide showing current market values is included. Collectors, designers, and aficionados of vintage furniture will welcome this timeless presentation.

This is the perfect introduction to Shaker furniture design.This concise book surveys distinctive furniture styles produced during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Shaker communities of New England, Kentucky, and Ohio, with over 130 beautiful full color images. Free-standing tables, chairs, boxes, desks, built-in cupboards, and cases of drawers are shown. \nThe text provides an introduction to nearly twenty Shaker communities, their known cabinetmakers, identifiable traits of furniture designs unique to specific Shaker communites, and the characteristic colorful paints and stains used to finish them.

English founder Ann Lee and a small group of followers brought the Shaker faith to New England in 1774. Dedicated to a simple, communal lifestyle outside of society, this movement spread throughout New England and the Midwest during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The furniture produced by Shakers for their own use was beautiful in its simplicity and functionality. 300 historical and modern photos provide a visual tour of masterpieces of Shaker furniture and an introduction to the faithful artisans who produced them. Among the items displayed are benches, blanket chests, cases of drawers, chairs, counters, cupboards, desks, rockers, stands, tables, wall clocks, workbenches, and work tables. This book will be a treasure for all who enjoy, own, and create handmade furniture.

The pine furniture and tools gathered in this book have come from distant places in Europe, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia. Painted with cheerful colors, they served every practical function in a home. Over 280 beautiful color photographs in this book show construction details and furniture design of great variety. Today, the warm tones of old paint on soft pine wood in antique furniture convey sability to a home and security among its inhabitants. They help to create a welcoming place to live.

The Historicism movement in art (1830-1920) was perhaps the most democratic of all. European furniture makers sought to recapture the magic and affluence displayed in early, highly stylized and aristocratic pieces of the Gothic, Rococo, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classicism periods--but at a fraction of the cost. These artists brought a great deal to their reproductions, applying a contemporary practicality that resulted in pieces of crafty pomp, opulence, and exaggerated beauty that were priced to reach the growing bourgeoisie. Historicism furniture pieces are not only art history documents of the most diverse cultures and styles of the 19th century, but they are also individual collector's items, their value not determined by objectively derived pricing factors alone. To that end, this book enlists the help of an international jury of furniture experts, from renowned art auction houses and antique dealer companies and restorers, to appraise and price over 15,000 featured pieces. Historicism is directly related to the strengthened bourgeoisie, to wealth and the newly rich, as well as to the foundation of nations. With this social and economic background, the furniture of the 19th century can be better comprehended and appreciated.

The carved embellishments found on eighteenth-century American furniture pieces are what make them memorable works of art. This book directs the serious student through nine authentic elements from the colonial period. Each chapter is devoted to one element and provides pattern drawings, detailed instructions, and abundant photographs of every step. Learn how to execute the entire process from sculpting the surface to layout, roughing in the shapes and levels, and finally carving the details. The selected projects are chosen from historically important eighteenth-century furniture and adorned some of the best pieces ever made. Although the book tackles advanced topics, the instruction is logical and complete so that the serious reader, independent of skill, can successfully work through the steps.