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Books > Arts & Architecture > Antiques & collectables
To celebrate the acquisition of the archive of distinguished artist Tom Phillips, the Bodleian Library asked the artist to assemble and design a series of books drawing on his themed collection of over 50,000 photographic postcards. These encompass the first half of the twentieth century, a period in which, thanks to the ever cheaper medium of photography, ordinary people could afford to purchase their own portraits. These portraits allowed individuals to create and embellish their own self images, presenting themselves as they wished to be seen within the trends and social mores of their time. Each book in the series contains two hundred images chosen from a visually rich vein of social history. Their back covers also feature thematically linked paintings, specially created for each title, from Phillips's signature work, " A Humument." "Weddings" captures all the excitement and drama of the stages of the ceremony from preparations to wedding vehicles to family and friends in lively scenes in churches and homes. These unique and visually stunning books offer a rich glimpse of forgotten times and will be greatly valued by art and history lovers alike. "These images are captivating visual vignettes. We may not know who the subjects are, but the postcards offer us a glimpse of their interests, their time, and their world. Tom Phillips's exceptional collection gives us a fascinating chance to retrieve something of these lives."--Sandy Nairne, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London "Picture postcards from a century ago capture unique moments in time and place and are a wonderful social history record. Tom Phillips is adept at seeking out and choosing amazingly evocative postcard images."--Brian Lund, editor, "Picture Postcard Monthly"
Worldwide, urbanization is steadily increasing, yet many modern cities are becoming less and less able to accommodate the growth in their population. Congestion, pollution, low-quality housing, social fragmentation, noise, crime and inadequate social services all contribute to a declining quality of urban life. Planners and policy makers are battling to alleviate the problems with a variety of urban renewal initiatives, and energy-environmental policies have become central to their quest for urban sustainability. Sustainable Cities in Europe gives a comprehensive introduction to the available urban energy and environmental policies. Drawing on a detailed analysis of the CITIES programme of the Commission of the European Communities, the book includes detailed case studies of European cities which are devising and implementing alternative strategies for sustainable growth and development. The cities discussed include: Amsterdam, Besancon, Braganca, Cadiz, Dublin, Esch/Alzette, Gent, Mannheim, Newcastle, Odense, Thessaloniki and Turin. The policy discussions and case studies in this book will be invaluable for all those professionally or academically involved in the pressing issue of city planning development. Peter Nijkamp is Professor in Regional, Urban and Environmental Economics at Free University, Amsterdam. Author of numerous books, he is a world authority on environmental economics and urban policy. Adriaan Perrels is head of the research department of the Energy Studies Centre in Petten, The Netherlands. He has worked extensively in the field of energy planning and electricity load management. Originally published in 1994
Newly published in a fifth edition, this definitive guide takes the mystery out of appreciating, buying and selling gemstones. It covers everything from the romance and history of more than 1,800 gemstones to their geographic locations; scientific, physical and colour properties; and the way they are formed, structured and mined. The book also fully covers the optical features of gems - light and colour, luminescence, refraction and inclusions - and key information about the densities and chemical elements of each stone, with fascinating details on different cuts, polishing, gems, hardness, cleavage, classification, trade names, rarity and more. There are also many charts and diagrams as well as magnificent colour photographs of the stones with data about them on the facing page. If you want only one book on gemstones in your library, this would be the one!
Two themes uniting the essays in this collection are the provenance and history of medieval manuscripts during the Middle Ages, and the fates that befell them in England in the period after the invention of printing and the 16th-century dissolution of the religious houses and visitations of the universities. The section 'Libraries and collectors' includes papers on seven major English collectors of the 16th and 17th centuries, and the section 'Manuscripts' concerns the fates of five manuscripts or groups of manuscripts from England, Belgium and Italy. Of the other chapters one is concerned with the post-medieval history of the library of All Souls College, Oxford, and another with the provenance of hundreds of manuscripts in the Harleian collection in the British Library. For this volume Andrew Watson has provided extensive additional notes and indexes.
You are invited to take a tour of nine renowned art glass studios located throughout the USA and across Canada. This book contains 96 colour photographs and 48 proposal drawings to create one of the most inspiring collections of designer glass ever assembled. Each studio is featured in an 8 page layout presenting colour photographs of spectacular installations and artist proposals. This book will be a valued addition to all art glass libraries and is essential for architects, interior designers, glass artists and everyone who appreciates beautiful glass.
This fascinating and bizarre collection compiles the most unusual, obscure books from the far reaches of the human imagination throughout history. From the author of the critically acclaimed bestsellers The Phantom Atlas and The Sky Atlas comes a unique and beautifully illustrated journey through the history of literature. The Madman's Library delves into its darkest territories to hunt down the oddest books and manuscripts ever written, uncovering the intriguing stories behind their creation. From the Qur'an written in the blood of Saddam Hussein, to the gorgeously decorated fifteenth-century lawsuit filed by the Devil against Jesus, to the most enormous book ever created, The Madman's Library features many long forgotten, eccentric, and extraordinary volumes gathered from around the world. Books written in blood and books that kill, books of the insane and books that hoaxed the globe, books invisible to the naked eye and books so long they could destroy the Universe, books worn into battle and books of code and cypher whose secrets remain undiscovered. Spell books, alchemist scrolls, wearable books, edible books, books to summon demons, books written by ghosts, and more all come together in the most curiously strange library imaginable. Featuring hundreds of remarkable images and packed with entertaining facts and stories to discover, The Madman's Library is a captivating compendium perfect for bibliophiles, literature enthusiasts, and collectors intrigued by bizarre oddities, obscure history, and the macabre. - MUST-HAVE FOR BOOKLOVERS: Anyone who appreciates a good read will love delving into this weird world of books and adding this collection to their own bookshelf. - DISCOVER SOMETHING TRULY UNIQUE: The Madman's Library will let you in on the secret and obscure histories of the strangest books ever made. - EXPERT AUTHOR: Edward Brooke-Hitching is the son of an antiquarian book dealer, a lifelong rare book collector, and a master of taking visual deep dives into unusual historical subjects, such as the maps of imaginary geography in The Phantom Atlas or ancient pathways through the stars in The Sky Atlas.
William Morris had a lifelong fascination with illuminated books. He collected thirteenth- and fourteenth-century manuscripts and became one of the foremost experts on the art of bookmaking and calligraphy. Aiming to resurrect a tradition that had fallen into abeyance with the invention of printing, he made eighteen illuminated books, using a variety of texts, during the course of his life. One of these, now held in the Bodleian Library, is a handmade edition of the Odes of Horace. The pages of this book, reproduced here in high-quality facsimile, are among the most intricate and ambitious that Morris ever created. Using a Renaissance italic style of calligraphy, he illuminated letters with delicate shades of gold and silver, and adorned them with floral decoration and miniature faces and figures. The openings to each of the four books of the Odes are stunning display pages on which Morris collaborated with the artists Edward Burne-Jones and Charles Fairfax Murray. The Roman poet Horace (65-8 BCE) wrote four books of lyric poetry in Latin which have subsequently been translated many times and have had an ongoing influence on Western literature. He combined descriptions of the everyday with the poetry of politics, patriotism, love and friendship, producing lines of beauty and wisdom which were very popular in Morris's day and continue to appeal in the twenty-first century. This facsimile edition is presented in a blind embossed slipcase featuring a detail from one of Burne-Jones' paintings in the book with a companion volume containing an introduction to William Morris's manuscript and an English translation of the Odes.
Concentrating on the explorer and naturalist Joseph Banks (1743-1820), this book explores the early history of collections at the British Museum. Taking Banks' extraordinary career as its basis, it examines the changes that took place during a period of transition that led to collecting on an increasingly global scale.
"All women, because of their innate weakness, should be under the
control of guardians" writes Cicero, curtly summarizing the status
of women in Ancient Rome. Yet Roman women had more control than
many believe. Stories of female artists, teachers, doctors, and
even gladiators are scattered through the history of Imperial Rome;
a Roman woman did not change her name when she married, her husband
could not control her property or dowry, and she was free to
divorce.
"All women, because of their innate weakness, should be under the
control of guardians" writes Cicero, curtly summarizing the status
of women in Ancient Rome. Yet Roman women had more control than
many believe. Stories of female artists, teachers, doctors, and
even gladiators are scattered through the history of Imperial Rome;
a Roman woman did not change her name when she married, her husband
could not control her property or dowry, and she was free to
divorce.
"The Legend of Alexander the Great on Greek and Roman Coins" will
for the first time collect, present and examine the portraits and
representations of Alexander the Great on ancient coins of the
Greek and Roman periods (c.320 BC to AD 400). It offers a firsthand
insight into the posthumous appreciation of his legend by
Hellenistic kings, Greek cities, and Roman Emperors. Dahmen
combines an introduction to the historical background and basic
information on the coins with a comprehensive study of Alexander's
numismatic iconography. He also discusses in detail examples of
coins with Alexander's portrait. Which are part of a selective
presentation of representative coin types in the second part of the
study (in which an image and discussion is combined with a
characteristic quotation of a source from ancient historiography
and a short bibliographical reference).
A stylish and beautifully crafted celebration of LV's Tambour watch, a masterpiece of modern design and technical innovation. Published to mark the twentieth anniversary of Louis Vuitton's entrance into the field of luxury watchmaking, this landmark volume tells the audacious tale of the Maison's renowned Tambour watches. With the goal of creating uniquely stylish timepieces, yet not succumbing to ephemeral fashion, the Maison brought together the most skilled craftspeople in the Swiss tradition of fine watchmaking to work at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the Geneva watchmakers behind the brand's reputation for excellence. In a display of creative freedom matched only by the Maison's own glamour and dynamic drive, Louis Vuitton launched the Tambour watch in 2002, which became the triumphant result of this distinctive approach. Essays by journalist and luxury watch expert Fabienne Reybaud explore the creative origins of the Tambour design and the history of Louis Vuitton watches, along with the precision work of La Fabrique du Temps. A catalogue of major models and exclusive insights from watch specialists make this a useful resource for collectors and connoisseurs. With more than 350 illustrations and a lavish design, this book is a beautiful object in its own right, for all lovers of luxury accessories and the Louis Vuitton lifestyle.
Fully illustrated, this book investigates the articulated plate armour worn by Roman legionaries. First named by Renaissance historians studying the reliefs on Trajan's Column, lorica segmentata evaded successful attempts to reconstruct it until a series of important archaeological finds in the 20th century revealed how it worked and the truth of its extended chronology. The earliest finds date from the late 1st century BC, and its discovery at Kalkriese in Germany shows how rapidly it was adopted. At the same time, discoveries in Spain and Britain showed that, despite its apparent fragility, it continued in use into the 4th century AD. The spectacular find of six halves of cuirasses in a chest at Corbridge in 1964 has now been matched by the rare discovery of a complete set of this armour at Kalkriese. The Corbridge find provided the context to interpret and reconstruct earlier finds. There is now years of experience gleaned from reenactors over the practical strengths and weaknesses of this form of armour. At the same time, scientific analysis has provided insights into the technology behind this revolutionary form of armour so characteristic of the Roman Army. Featuring specially commissioned artwork and drawing upon the latest findings, this study lifts the veil on the formidable plate armour used by the legionaries of Imperial Rome.
The early 2000s were an important period, spanning a time when mechanical watches had quite rightly retaken their place in the world market. We all may have a digital device in our pocket that is more accurate than a mechanical watch, but a timepiece has soul, personality, and history. The collection in this book is a step into the world of vintage watch collecting, with a range of photographs, intricate research, and accessible reference material that will intrigue both the casual and avid enthusiast. The collection showcases some of the most interesting, luxurious, and functional 20th-century (1930-1980) mechanical timepieces ever to be produced, including Heuer's Autavia, Rolex's Submariner, Gallet's MultiChron, Zenith's De Luca, and the Universal Space Compax.
Tibetan Manuscripts spaning the thirteenth to the nineteenth centuries and includes a set of 42 painted tsakalis, or ritual cards. Accompanying an exhibition held at Sam Fogg Ltd., London, in 2001.
During the past decade a number of individual museums have found
imaginative ways of using their collections and of making them
accessible. However, museum collections as a whole are enormous in
size and quantity and the question of how can they can be put to
best use is ever present. When conventional exhibitions can only
ever utilise a tiny proportion of them, what other uses of the
collections are possible? Will their exploitation and use now
destroy their value for future generations? Should they simply be
kept safely and as economically as possible as a resource for the
future?
Over the centuries Britain's soil has yielded countless spectacular hoards of ancient coins and other artefacts, affording us priceless insights into our ancestors' lives - and it is not only such large finds that await discovery but also many thousands of individual pieces. Wonderfully, discoveries both minor and momentous are frequently made not by teams of professionals but by amateur archaeologists and metal-detector enthusiasts, for whom this book is intended as a helpful companion. It provides a catalogue of commonly encountered coins, dating from ancient times until the modern day, explaining their historical context, how they might have come to be lost and where they may be found today.
Extensively illustrated, this is the first accessible publication on the history of tapestry in over two decades. Woven with dazzling images from history, mythology and the natural world, and breath-taking in their craftsmanship, tapestries were among the most valuable and high-status works of art available in Europe from the medieval period to the end of the eighteenth century. Over 600 historic examples hang in National Trust properties in England and Wales - the largest collection in the UK. This beautifully illustrated study by tapestry expert Helen Wyld, in association with the National Trust, offers new insights into these works, from the complex themes embedded in their imagery, to long-forgotten practices of sacred significance and ritual use. The range of historical, mythological and pastoral themes that recur across the centuries is explored, while the importance of the 'revival' of tapestry from the late nineteenth century is considered in detail for the first time. Although focussed on the National Trust's collection, this book offers a fresh perspective on the history of tapestry across Europe. Both the tapestry specialist and the keen art-history enthusiast can find a wealth of information here about woven wall hangings and furnishings, including methods of production, purchase and distribution, evolving techniques and technologies, the changing trends of subject matter across time, and how tapestries have been collected, used and displayed in British country houses across the centuries.
An introduction to the design, production and use of luxury embroideries in medieval England (c. 1200-1530) In medieval Europe, embroidered textiles were indispensable symbols of wealth and power. Owing to their quality, complexity and magnificence, English embroideries enjoyed international demand and can be traced in Continental sources as opus anglicanum (English work). Essays by leading experts explore the embroideries' artistic and social context, while catalogue entries examine individual masterpieces. Medieval embroiderers lived in a tightly knit community in London, and many were women who can be identified by name. Comparisons between their work and contemporary painting challenge modern assumptions about the hierarchy of artistic media. Contributors consider an outstanding range of examples, highlighting their craftsmanship and exploring the world in which they were created. Published in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum
In his third book, Christer Loefgren expands the scholarship on imperial Chinese porcelain with a radical, new interpretation of the term "Mark and Period". From identifying only marks on imperial porcelain, to looking at objects associated with those marks, his analysis will change imperial porcelain's image and significantly contribute to the knowledge base of Chinese porcelain experts and collectors. For the first time, it is now possible to group all imperial items in all these periods, from Ming to the end of the Qing period. Based on a database of over 5000 items and marks, this survey provides statistics which make it possible to go deeper into identifying which items and marks are "Mark and Period", copies, or counterfeits. Also available: Chinese Imperial Reign Marks ISBN 9789198465181
This book is a comprehensive guide, which will appeal to anyone with an interest in medal collecting. The book contains over 800 illustrations.
The background to collecting military medals is inseparable from a study of history. The earliest British medals, as befits a nation for so long reliant upon naval strength for its independence, were issued to the Navy, beginning with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The first true campaign medals awarded to the Army followed the Battle of Waterloo, although many had been issued privately and unofficially before this. As one would expect for a country like Britain, with an outstanding imperial history dating to modern times, a vast field of military medals covering service in Africa, India, and China awaits the attention of the collector. There are, too, the collections relating to major wars, including the Crimean War, Boer War and the two World Wars. Colin Narbeth describes the medals awarded, and the actions which gave rise to special bars, ribbons and stars. Orders and decorations, including the Victoria Cross and the George Cross, both awarded for extreme valor, are described as are the naming of medals and display. As well as this wealth of background information, the author also details the aims to which a new collector should aspire, and discusses the pitfalls to guard against, including the problem of identification of forgeries. The volume is illustrated with numerous photographs selected by the author. |
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