An" Economist" Book of the Year

Costa Book Award Winner for Biography

Galaxy National Book Award Winner (New Writer of the Year Award)

Edmund de Waal is a world-famous ceramicist. Having spent thirty years making beautiful pots--which are then sold, collected, and handed on--he has a particular sense of the secret lives of objects. When he inherited a collection of 264 tiny Japanese wood and ivory carvings, called netsuke, he wanted to know who had touched and held them, and how the collection had managed to survive.

And so begins this extraordinarily moving memoir and detective story as de Waal discovers both the story of the netsuke and of his family, the Ephrussis, over five generations. A nineteenth-century banking dynasty in Paris and Vienna, the Ephrussis were as rich and respected as the Rothchilds. Yet by the end of the World War II, when the netsuke were hidden from the Nazis in Vienna, this collection of very small carvings was all that remained of their vast empire.

Awestruck by the sight of a Grinling Gibbons carving in a London church, David Esterly chose to dedicate his life to the art - its physical control, intricate beauty and intellectual demands. Until his death in 2019 he was the foremost practitioner of Gibbons's forgotten technique, which revolutionised ornamental sculpture in the late 1600s. After a fire at Hampton Court Palace in 1986 destroyed much of Gibbons's masterpiece, the job fell to David Esterly to restore his idol's work to its former glory. It turned out to be the most challenging year in Esterly's life, forcing him to question his abilities and delve deeply into what it means to make something well. Exploring the determination, concentration and skill that go into achieving any form of excellence, Esterly breathed life into the world of wood carving. This special collector's edition of The Lost Carving reveals an astonishing life and deftly illustrates the union of man and material necessary to create a lasting work of art.

Detailed instructions, illustrations for carving animals, flowers, figures, more. Tips on tools, techniques, painting, finishing, exhibiting.

Comparatively easily mastered and needing few expensive tools or materials, stickmaking is an increasingly popular craft. This book examines tools and techniques; different types of sticks; materials both traditional and new; the microwave in hornwork; fancy sticks and miniature sticks; and jointing and finishing. Highly illustrated with colour photographs and line drawings "Stickmaking "is a fully comprehensive guide to this fascinating craft.

Accomplished carver Cleve Taylor brings the hard-working western cowboy to life in basswood. A combination of exacting detail and wry good humor make his carvings unique. Now Cleve shares his carving methods, combining hand and power tools, with you. Follow the detailed and lively instructions presented here to learn his techniques for creating western art. Each step is well illustrated with full color photographs. Once the piece has been carved, Cleve provides detailed instructions for painting and finishing the work. Patterns for four cowboys and a horse are provided. An additional pattern for a unique flexible wooden body pattern used to create a variety of realistic poses is included as well. The gallery provides perspectives of the cowboy carved and additional cowboys to fire the imagination and inspire the intermediate and advanced carver. The detailed instructions will make this book an enjoyable and educational challenge for the beginner as well.

Master Carver Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721) is famous for his breathtakingly delicate, intricate and realistic carvings, both in wood and stone. Tantalising cascades of fruit and flowers, puffy-cheeked cherubs, crowds of figures and flourishes of architecture are all trademark features of his energetic, animated carvings that grace stately homes, palaces, churches and colleges across the country. His work can be found in some of Britain's most beloved buildings, including St Paul's Cathedral and Hampton Court Palace. From his early work in the Low Countries to his 'discovery' by the diarist John Evelyn in London, and his appointment as the king's Master Carver, this book celebrates Grinling Gibbons' unequalled talent, his visionary genius, and his ability to transform humble pieces of wood into some of the most exquisite artworks of his day.

This book presents a personal collection of ancestor sculpture and protective deities, following the ancient migratory and trade routes of the Austronesian, Southeast Asian Bronze Age, and Hindu-Buddhist peoples. The author, Thomas Murray, has spent a lifetime studying this art through his endeavours as a peripatetic dealer, collector, and field researcher. The objects illustrated come from a swath of widely varied cultures from Nepal eastward to Hawaii, with the overwhelming majority from Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Murray's eye is highly informed and based on an unusually large sampling of objects to which his experience and research have exposed him. The artworks documented represent some of the top examples he has acquired and retained over the course of a long career. They are characterised by sculptural balance and a harmony of line, as well as a rare quality of expressiveness. Each ranks high in terms of aesthetics and desirability within its own particular style as perceived by the art market and by other western aficionados.

With clear instructions and vivid color photographs, Al Streetman takes woodcarvers through all the steps necessary to release a wood spirit from a cypress knee. Using the shapes suggested by the forms of the knees themselves, Al carves both a complete Santa figure and a Santa ornament as the central projects of the book. Also included are a listing of tools used in the projects, directions for painting and antiquing the completed carvings, and a color gallery featuring additional cypress knee Santa figures to inspire the carver. This book will present interesting challenges to the novice and be a joy for the more advanced woodcarver.

When first invited to give talks and demonstrations on carving techniques to school children, Howard K. Suzuki quickly found out that wood was not the most suitable medium. It took too long to show much progress in the limited time available. He decided to use bars of soap to demonstrate basic techniques on carving and sculpturing. Soap is an inexpensive and very desirable carving medium. Soon demonstrations developed into hands-on experiences for his students. In this book, Dr. Suzuki describes and illustrates with color photographs how to make safe and simple wooden carving tools. He demonstrates basic soap-carving techniques using several stepwise how-to examples, from a simple heart to a more complex turtle. Dr. Suzuki integrates art and science into his instructions and combines them to produce a super learning experience for children (of all ages) who do learn to carve through his methods.

A year ago Helen Gibson shared her techniques for carving the human figures of the nativity story: Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the wise men, and the shepherds. Now she returns to the story to complete the scene by carving the animals, of the nativity: camels, sheep, cattle, and donkeys. Helen has a highly detailed style of carving that is perfect for this subject. The reader is lead step-by-step through the process of carving one of the animals. Clear color photographs illustrate every cut. A gallery of the other animals shown from every angle and patterns help the carver complete the set.

These four-legged friends of man have been a favorite subject for carving since the earliest years. From hunting dogs to the family pet, dogs have a special place in the hearts of people and Tom Wolfe manages to capture their personality in his own creative, witty way. Easy to follow step-by-step instruction, with color illustrations.

Santa Claus, elves, gnomes, wizards. These fanciful characters delight and mesmerize us. All of them are magical creatures, possessing great and wondrous powers. Tom Wolfe has a bit of this magic himself. In his hands a piece of wood, carved with the simplest tools, is transformed and takes on a personality of its own. They come to life. The projects he shares in this book are perfect for the beginning carver, or the person who likes to whittle for fun and relaxation. They also give the opportunity for the more experienced carvers to be creative and expand their repertoire. Whether the carver is experienced or not, the objects in this book are just plain fun and make wonderful gifts.

Legend has it that the forest of the world are inhabited by elusive creatures known as "Wood Spirits." Tom Wolfe finds them everywhere and brings them to life in this delightful new instructional book. Using found wood such as driftwood, roots, and old beams from dilapidated barns, he leads the reader through the carving of wondrous, fanciful faces, that are both enchanting and beautiful. On a smaller scale, Tom also finds the Wood Spirits in walking sticks, creating treasures that are handsome and functional at the same time. Tom has been carving these Spirits for years, and they are constantly in demand. Now he leads the carver, step-by-step, through their creation, each step illustrated in beautiful color photographs. An extensive gallery is included, jam-packed with examples and ideas for the reader's own work.

These ancient creatures from folklore have captured the modern imagination, including Tom Wolfe's. In this book he brings his creativity and skill to the task of creating a whole community of gnomes, bringing them to life from a block of wood. With each step illustrated in full color, Tom takes the carver cut-by-cut to a finished figure. The book includes a gallery and patterns for 5 other gnomes plus "gnome" accessories such as mushrooms and a cart. The gnomes are exciting projects, allowing the carver to add a little of his or her own creativity to the work. The step-by-step illustrations mean that even the beginning carver can end up with a gnome he or she will be proud of. In this book, Tom makes extensive use of the power carving tools that have found such widespread acceptance in the carving community. Tom uses them principally for finishing and detail work; carvers will find his techniques helpful.

This volume follows the development of Greek gem engraving from Alexander to Augustus. Hellenistic gems are studied in their archaeological context with an assessment of the evidence of their use, significance, and value. The book focuses on subject-matter, technique, and style, as well as problems of chronology and distribution.

In 1428, a devastating fire destroyed a schoolhouse in the northern Italian city of Forli, leaving only a woodcut of the Madonna and Child that had been tacked to the classroom wall. The people of Forli carried that print - now known as the Madonna of the Fire - into their cathedral, where two centuries later a new chapel was built to enshrine it. In this book, Lisa Pon considers a cascade of moments in the Madonna of the Fire's cultural biography: when ink was impressed onto paper at a now-unknown date; when that sheet was recognized by Forli's people as miraculous; when it was enshrined in various tabernacles and chapels in the cathedral; when it or one of its copies was - and still is - carried in procession. In doing so, Pon offers an experiment in art historical inquiry that spans more than three centuries of making, remaking, and renewal.

Caricatures demand the same skill and sense of proportion that realistic figures do. This is particularly true of carving heads, which can easily become grotesque looking if certain rules are not followed. With his years of carving, Pete LeClair has developed a sure-fire method for carving great caricature heads. Now he shares it with carvers around the country. He takes the reader step-by-step through the process of carving 33 projects, with each step illustrated with a color photograph and precise caption. A gallery showing the variety that can be achieved by following this method is included in the back.

'You will have a moment of quiet delight and a mood of introspection to carry you away.' Edmund de Waal Prized by collectors from East to West, Japanese netsuke are tiny objects of wonder that originated as utilitarian accessories for traditional Japanese dress. Over the centuries these small carved toggles, designed to hook over the top of the kimono sash, evolved into high-fashion depictions of all aspects of Japanese life. In this richly illustrated and highly accessible book, Julia Hutt draws on the V&A's world-famous netsuke collection to explore the origins and techniques of this captivating art form.

Netsuke - classic belt decorations for men - are rooted in a historical, mythological and artistic tradition in Japanese culture. Woodcarvers and their pupils, even counterfeiters, continued the work of their role models, in copies or variants of what came before them, and even created major works of art with the smallest of dimensions. Since the opening up of Japan in 1853, the miniature works have gained appreciation, and enthusiasts are found all over the world. Today netsuke are still being created in a great variety of motifs. Netsuke in Comparison presents one hundred netsuke from a private collection. For the very first time, it endeavours to juxtapose them with comparative images from collections and literature in order to locate them within this genre and to convey something of their diversity and expressiveness. Text in English and German.

The Gayer-Anderson Cat has been one of the most admired objects at the British Museum since its arrival in 1947. This book presents a detailed description of the cat and a discussion of its possible meaning and role in ancient times. Surprising new finds from scientific analyses are presented for the first time, shedding light on the cats somewhat traumatic modern history, from its acquisition by the British Army major and avid antiquities collector John Gayer-Anderson to its donation to the British Museum. The fascinating narrative is complemented by outstanding new photography.

Noted sculptor Ian Norbury gives woodcarvers a thorough, how-to guide to bringing out the beauty of a female face from a block of wood. Using hundreds of photographs and drawings, the author provides in-depth instruction on carving two different adult faces - one European and one Afro-Caribbean - and one child's face. Both beginning and advanced woodcarvers and sculptors will find expert guidance on tackling the unique challenges of carving a female face. Included are sections on the anatomy of the female face, taking photographs and producing patterns, step-by-step instructions, and a photographic gallery of finished carvings to provide inspiration.

Mary Slusser's work on the history of the art and culture of Nepal is marked by a series of discoveries and critical reassessments that have advanced our comprehension of this extraordinarily rich culture and art in a revolutionary way. In The Antiquity of Nepalese Wood Carving, Dr. Slusser drastically revises our perception of the marvelous wooden sculpture of the Kathmandu Valley. Previously considered to be no earlier than the thirteenth century, the earliest of these wooden masterpieces have now been clearly demonstrated to date from the sixth or seventh century, the time of the Licchavis, lords of Nepal from about 300 to 850. Slusser has used an important scientific tool, radiocarbon dating, to help realign -- and correct -- our overly conservative accepted perceptions of the antiquity of Nepalese wood sculpture. The book is bolstered by the meticulous and painstaking research and documentation that are among the hallmarks of Slusser's works. It is also enriched by her extraordinary photographic archive. Beautiful struts and architectural details that have long been missing from the sites where Slusser first saw them are shown once again in situ in this work, and new photographs, largely the work of Neil Greentree, reveal a wealth of previously unsuspected detail. Also included is an essay by Paul Jett that is both a brief explanation of the science of radiocarbon testing and a validation of the revised dating of Nepalese wood carving proposed in the study.

Dramatic social and political change marks the period from the end of the Late Bronze Age into the Iron Age (ca. 1300 700 BCE) across the Mediterranean. Inland palatial centers of bureaucratic power weakened or collapsed ca. 1200 BCE while entrepreneurial exchange by sea survived and even expanded, becoming the Mediterranean-wide network of Phoenician trade. At the heart of that system was Kition, one of the largest harbor cities of ancient Cyprus. Earlier research has suggested that Phoenician rule was established at Kition after the abandonment of part of its Bronze Age settlement. A reexamination of Kition s architecture, stratigraphy, inscriptions, sculpture, and ceramics demonstrates that it was not abandoned. This study emphasizes the placement and scale of images and how they reveal the development of economic and social control at Kition from its establishment in the thirteenth century BCE until the development of a centralized form of government by the Phoenicians, backed by the Assyrian king, in 707 BCE."