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.

In 1929, wicker furniture reached its peak of popularity, not surpassed until today's widespread enthusiasm for antique and modern styles. This is the largest catalog of the pre-eminent wicker and wood furniture manufacturer, Heywood-Wakefield Company. Heywood-Wakefield Co. furnished countless American homes with household and outdoor furniture, particularly chairs, for over a century. This book presents 925 examples of Heywood-Wakerfield Co. furniture in one volume, including chairs, sofas, beds, tables, bird cages, planters, desks, wardrobes, suites, and children's furniture. Collectors, dealers, historians and auctioneers will welcome this definitive source of the furniture styles, names, and fabrics as depicted here in their original presentation.

Eileen Dubrow has exhaustively combined all original catalog material from major American furniture manufacturers of the 1880s and 90s. This period was American's hey day of growth, and its furniture is the fastest growing field of collecting today. This book will enable the reader to identify makers and give ideas of other pieces available. This book presents a fascinating study showing hundreds of examples covering furniture for the dining room, parlour, library, bedroom (brass beds), and office (a tremendous number of variations of roll top desks), including rattan and children's furniture. These pieces are still available in the market place at reasonable prices and are superbly crafted. This book contains a price reference guide.

"The style you want--at the price you want to pay!" From 1930 to 1942, such advertising slogans drew cash-strapped Depression consumers to the Chase Brass & Copper Co.'s attractive array of lamps and lighting fixtures. Heralded as "brilliant in style and authentic in design," the Chase line presented a new concept in brightening the American home, as designed by modern industrial pioneers, including Lurelle Guild, Walter Von Nessen, the Gerths, and Harry Laylon. Chromium, brass, and copper fixtures appear in hundreds of current, catalog, and historic photographs (many in color), vintage advertising, a complete cross-reference listing, price guide, and index. Admirers of twentieth-century decorative arts will enjoy this in-depth look at "lights that give lasting satisfaction."

For well over a century, the world has noted the distinctive chairs made by Shaker communities throughout the eastern United States. A writer for House Beautiful suggested at the beginning of the twentieth century that "If you own a Shaker chair, preserve it with great care, for it will soon be considered an antique, and a rare one at that." In this definitive book, that statement is verified as the authors examine in depth the styles and production techniques of chairs made at ten Shaker communities during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Historical and contemporary photographs, extensive journal and account book references, diaries, postcards, catalog advertisements, and detailed line drawings are all used to document the chairs' history. Readers will find valuable information on identification of chair types and origins as well as an analysis of design and construction. An essential resource for collectors, historians, designers, and devotees of antique furniture.

This is an important study of the fine handcrafted furniture made in America between 1840-1880. Most pieces are identified by the cabinetmaker who made them and biographies of the leading cabinetmakers from all over America are presented. There are special sections on Wooden desks and John Henry Belter including new, significant information on Belter the man. Most of the examples have not been seen before in any publication. In the book, Mrs. Dubrow explains why this was the most productive period of American furniture making, and she shows actual room settings as well as individual forms.

Fine details of carving and construction are highlighted to demonstrate the best golden oak furniture from American makers at the end of the nineteenth century. China cabinets, bookcases, chairs, tables, and accent forms are shown in various styles with detailed descriptions and price ranges to reflect their values in the furniture market today. This book will become the standard reference by which dealers, collectors, decorators, curators, and historians can judge the field.

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.

Elegant dining rooms in the nineteenth century served an important role in the social discourse of the Victorian household. They tended to be "masculine" spaces and typically were filled with solid, heavily carved sideboards and tables, and draped with rich, velvet curtains. Sideboards "groaned" with the weight of opulent silver serving pieces, set off by the jewel-like tones of colored art glass vases and bowls. There could never be too many objects; after all, these were rooms that were meant to impress. So it was perfectly fine to have silver asparagus tongs or orange slicers, sitting beside the silver spoon warmer in the shape of a shell. This richly colorful book is a visual journey through the nineteenth century dining room. From the sideboard to the tea table, the serving pieces, silver, glass, and unusual Victorian oddities are presented. Through over 200 photographs, it becomes clear why the whimsical, beautiful, and sometimes bizarre products of that inventive and colorful time continue to astound and fascinate us. Also included is a facsimile of "How to Set the Table," a rare booklet from 1901, which will help the reader understand the variety and uses of the Victorian table setting. A Value Guide completes the work.

The Berkey and Gay furniture Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan, became one of the leading nineteenth century furniture manufacturers in America. Furniture in the Gothic Revival and Eastlake styles by Berkey and Gay became well known for their high quality, and two Neo Grec chamber suites by Berkey and Gay won recognition of high merit at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Over 300 photographs of Berkey and Gay furniture from company catalogs are presented with value ranges for today's market in this useful reference book for furniture historians, dealers, and collectors.

This book is a comprehensive resource covering the principles and practice of the conservation and restoration of furniture. A review of the historical development of furniture introduces a wide range of structural types and materials that may be encountered, including wood, ivory, turtleshell, horn and metals, as well as decorative surfaces such as paint, japanning, lacquer and gilding. The nature and behaviour of these materials is explained and used as a basis from which to explore the mechanisms and consequences of deterioration caused by environment and use. Building on this foundation, the book shows how to develop and implement logical solutions to conservation problems.

Combining the practical knowledge and experience of a team of conservators active in the field, with theoretical and reference material from diverse sources, Conservation of Furniture uses and integrated approach to produce a book that will prove invaluable to anyone working in or studying this subject area.

The first comprehensive study of William Ince and John Mayhew's famous eighteenth-century cabinetmaking partnership, complemented by high-quality photographs of their work. The partnership of William Ince (1737-1804) and John Mayhew (1736-1811) ran from 1758 to 1804, and was one of the most enduring and well-connected collaborations in Georgian London's tight-knit cabinetmaking community. The partners' clientele was probably larger, and their work was arguably more influential over a longer period, than most other leading metropolitan makers - perhaps even than that of their older contemporary, the celebrated Thomas Chippendale. Despite their considerable output and an impressive tally of clients and commissions, much of Ince and Mayhew's work has remained unidentified until recent times. The authors' substantial research in private family archives, county record offices and bank archives has allowed them to uncover much new evidence about the business and its influence within cabinetmaking circles. In Industry and Ingenuity, the results of these new investigations are presented alongside an impressive selection of more than 500 colourful, vibrant photographs of Ince and Mayhew's works, many previously unpublished, which together emphasise the partnership's proper position in the pantheon of great eighteenth-century cabinetmakers.

For many people contentment and fulfillment are found through the skill of their own hands. The 29 craftspeople featured in this book have given up weekly paychecks, pensions, and security for freedom to create their own dreams. The result is beautiful furniture, each piece the unique product of the furniture maker's creativity and skill. Heavily illustrated with beautiful color photographs, this new book explores the lives and work of some of the most distinguished American furniture makers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Beginning with Wharton Esherick, James Krenov, Sam Maloof, and George Nakashima, who serve as the first generation of modern creators of craft furniture, it continues with 25 contemporary furniture makers who carry on the tradition today. A biography of each is given along with examples of their work. Today's hectic lifestyles and the increasing intrusion of technology are made bearable for many by the handcrafted furniture that provides balance and harmony in their homes. It offers meaning and comfort through the designs born out of the maker's heart, head, and hands. This book will delight and inspire designers, collectors, and anyone who loves handcrafted furniture.

*The standard work of reference on the subject, consulted by dealers, collectors, auctioneers, valuers and students of furniture*Provides an amazing range of superb illustrations with a clear classification of the furniture, all within the context of the period*Contains a pictorial index with items arranged in chronological order for quick and easy identificationVictor Chinnery's scholarly work covers the history and development of furniture in oak and kindred timbers in the British Isles and New England, from the Middle Ages through to 1800. The subject is broken down into a logical sequence of aspects and each section is generously illustrated. The furniture shown ranges from the finest examples of the period, to the sort of sturdy and workmanlike pieces which modern collectors will find affordable. The study of oak furniture is a remarkably rich and varied subject, which reflects at several levels the social and domestic life of many generations of our ancestors. Victor Chinnery has explored and clarified many important topics, whilst fully realizing that scholarship in this field is still very much in its infancy. One of the most profound influences on the appearance of furniture in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was the system of rigid demarcations operated by the different furniture making trades, and in which the work of the joiners was the most important. The author explains the techniques and materials of the different trades, as well as other considerations of vital interest to the modern collector and curator. The furniture of Connecticut and Massachusetts in the seventeenth century is presented as an extension of the range of styles to be found in other English provinces at the same date.

Velma Susanne Warren's latest book on golden oak is an important addition to every oak furniture collector's bookshelf. Using over 700 color photos and related graphics, the author leads us through room after room of fabulous antiques. With detailed commentary on the pieces in the photos that the reader is seeing, the author describes, instructs, and amuses as we follow her guided tour. Faithful readers of Ms. Warren's first book, Golden Oak Furniture, now in its third revised edition, will be enthusiastic about More Golden Oak. With pleasure, they will turn page after page of photos of beautiful golden oak tables, chairs, bedroom sets, desks, and other handsome, sturdy glowing furniture, none of which they have seen before. New readers are in for a delightful experience. All will value the price guide and descriptions as useful tools for many years to come. So settle in for a good read-preferably in a golden oak rocker-and enjoy!

Over 300 color and black and white photographs present a unique essay on children's and doll's genuine antique handcrafted furniture. Each piece is placed in historical sequence to demonstrate the evolution of styles and the quality and historical significance are discussed. From this comprehensive study of miniature furniture, the reader will discover those aspects which determine the quality of an antique miniature, as well as those particular facets which contribute to the beauty and grace of a piece. Its wealth of information and careful historical documentation make Miniature Antique Furniture of interest not only to antique experts and historians, but to amateur collectors as well.

This is the beautiful guide to French provincial furniture that no serious buyer or enthusiast can afford to be without. It presents the key types of country antique furniture in fourteen separate regions of France, explains the differences in their construction and decoration which will enable you to identify them, and describes the twenty-one different woods used to make these provincial pieces. Separate chapters convey the techniques used by the traditional cabinetmakers who created these sought-after antiques and portray the delightful country interiors for which they were originally made. A helpful glossary of relevant French words and phrases is also included, and the book is illustrated with over 200 color and black and white photographs of representative pieces including value ranges. This is a new and welcome guide to the charming and distinctive provincial furniture of France.

The mellow tones of antique natural oak have become popular accents in a growing number of households in America today. Furniture made over the last hundred years in dense oak, which holds the crisp edges of fine carving detail and displays strong designs have come to be appreciated by the descendants of their first owners. This first generation of mass-produced American furniture which utilized the ingenuity of the machine age for its construction, and the inspiration of catalog marketing for its distribution, has now come to be appreciated for its special forms and solid materials. Its recent popularity has caused the values for oak furniture to rise significantly. With hundreds of examples shown in color photographs the book is arranged by types of furniture from armoires to tables. Hundreds of chairs are shown to display the great variety of styles that were made. Famous makers such as Larkin, Stickley, and more are well represented. This new study is a welcome addition to the literature of American antiques. A newly updated price guide is included.

The incomparable Winterthur Museum collection of beautiful and distinct Federal period American furniture is described and illustrated in this book, first published in 1978. Today's printing technology makes this book even more stunning, presenting beautiful photos of 491 pieces. The text explores the maker, place of origin, size, materials, dimensions, details of design and, most importantly, an evaluation of the merits of each piece. It is a history of the entire process of furniture making in Federal America. This is a classic encyclopedia for Federal period furniture enthusiasts, and a mine of information for everyone interested in the social and cultural history of the formative years of the United States.

Few people have seen an original copy of any of the highly sought after Herman Miller product catalogs. This exact reprint of the profusely illustrated 1955/56 Herman Miller Collection will introduce classic modern furniture to anyone interested in twentieth-century design, plus provide detailed documentation and essential information for the connoisseur. The Herman Miller name has come to be synonymous with great modern furniture design. With an introduction by super-designer George Nelson, information on construction, materials, colors, finishes, designer biographies, and an extensive original price list, this volume is an invaluable reference for anyone interested in modern design or furniture.

The famous Harrods Ltd. of London supplied home furnishings worldwide at the height of the British Empire, and this is furniture collection they offered their loyal customers circa 1905. Unique to this book are detailed lists to furnish an entire home for A200, 300, 400 and 500 at that time. The furniture displayed in exact photographs and lithographs ranges from antique to modern and for each room in the house-formal halls, relaxed morning rooms, elegant or simple dining rooms, every type of bedroom, bathrooms, kitchens and porches. All forms of furniture for inside and outside use are shown here and are supplemented with lighting devices, metal wares, cutlery, linens, porcelain, and glassware. As the furniture of the early twentieth century gains renewed popularity today, this book will seen as an essential reference of good taste from Harrods.

Stand-alone kitchen cabinets made of wood were manufactured in the United States about 1900-1940 by companies in the country's mid-west area. Boon, Hoosier, Kitchen Maid, McDougall, Napamee, Sellers and Wilson had catalogs and sales forces to promote their cabinet styles. This book includes catalog pages and color photos of existing models with detailed descriptions, dates, model numbers and values at today's market. Readers will learn to identify these cabinets and their variations.

The Spanish Revival movement in architecture was well established when Barker Brothers, a California furniture retailer, approached the Mason Manufacturing about creating a line of Spanish-styled furniture. That was 1929, and within a year Mason had created a 24-piece line of furniture called Monterey. It was immediately popular, and would continue in production until 1943. Today this high quality, beautifully designed and decorated home furniture is much sought after by collectors. This richly illustrated book shows Monterey furniture in color to capture the variety of its hand-painted finishes and forms. In addition, related pottery, fine art, textiles, and interior accessories from the Spanish Revival period (1915-c. 1943) are included, representing a variety of artists and manufacturers. In all, there are over 500 photographs, each with a helpful caption. The material for this book is based on an exhibit at the California Heritage Museum, Santa Monica. Guest curator, Roger Renick, has provided historical essays. For the first time, this popular phase of American decorative arts is put in its cultural context.

For at least 150 years, Thomas Chippendale has been synonymous with beautifully made eighteenth-century furniture in a variety of styles - Rococo, Chinese, Gothic and Neoclassical. Born in Otley, Yorkshire, in 1718, Chippendale rose to fame because of his revolutionary design book, The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director, published in 1754. That same year he set up his famous workshops in St Martin's Lane, creating some of the most magnificent furniture ever made in Britain. This beautifully illustrated history focuses on Britain's most famous furniture maker and designer, including the worldwide phenomenon 'Chippendale style' that became popular in Europe, North America and Asia after his death in 1779. Today, his influence lives on with the ongoing production of 'Chippendale' furniture, while the eighteenth-century originals are selling for millions at auction.

The Arts & Crafts Movement began as a response to the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, first in England and then in the United States. It idealized the craftsman and embraced simple, strong designs executed by hand. The art, metalwork, pottery, textiles, and furniture of the Arts & Crafts Movement are enormously popular in today's antique market, and the designs are inspiring a whole new wave of creativity. This new book explores the Movement on both sides of the Atlantic. It focuses on furniture, which Gustav Stickley called the "clearest concrete expression of the Craftsman idea," and also includes large representations of all the decorative arts. It covers a broad range of items, from the rarest to the common. All of the pieces have been on the market and are accessible to collectors at various levels. The pieces are illustrated in over 500 full-color photographs. Each is carefully described and an estimate of its current value is given. Many English and nearly all American manufacturers are represented, as are the hundreds of forms that evolved during this period of design. This new addition to the literature on Arts and Crafts will be of great interest to collectors and dealers alike, helping them to appreciate and evaluate their cherished treasures.