The ultimate collector's resource, including hundreds of pieces by both well- and lesser-known designers from around the world. From armchairs and chaises longues to cabinets and nightstands, the period between the late 1930s and early 1970s was one of the most productive, inventive and exciting eras for objects and furniture in the home. Post-war optimism combined with new manufacturing methods and material techniques to create an explosion of new design and objects of desire. The appetite for mid-century modern remains as strong as ever, both for classic designs - many still in production since they were launched - and for rare, hard-to- find or out-of-production pieces from lesser-known designers. While numerous books surveying mid-century modern style have appeared over the years, no publication has been specifically conceived for the increasing collector's market in mid-century modern design, focusing on each piece of furniture as an object of formal invention, manufacturing intelligence and material innovation. This definitive book profiles hundreds of pieces in a substantial format perfect for reference in design libraries, studios and the homes of private collectors - or as an object of design in its own right. Each item of furniture is presented in detail, illustrated in colour and profiled via in-depth descriptive texts by Dominic Bradbury. The book's substantial reference section includes essays on materials (eg, plywood) and designer profiles. Work by a host of influential talents is profiled throughout, alongside lesser-known pieces by Piet Hein, Bruno Mathsson, Lina Bo Bardi and Alexander Girard.

The first edition of this title by Judy Gale Roberts popularized the art of Intarsia making picture mosaics in wood using different types of wood and wood grains. This book will teach you the secrets of making exciting wooden inlay projects. Using popular woodworking equipment and different varieties of common woods, you can create these beautiful projects on your own in your home workshop. Learn how fun, easy and creative making wooden inlays can be. Use this book to start creating timeless heirlooms your family will treasure for years to come

This book is a mosaic or quilt of folk art around the world, from polychrome clay figures made in Izucar de Matamoros, Puebla (Mexico) to the baskets Maori women create in New Zealand, from Japanese lacquer work and decorated paddles to black dolls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The creative impulse found in three continents, four countries, and four geographical regions are juxtaposed to make up a harmonious whole. The book carries out a detailed dissection of a variety of ethnic, racialized, and gender representations in their contemporary forms.

Glass in Jewelry enables glass and jewelry lovers alike to enjoy the obvious glamour of such jewelry and for the first time to understand and appreciate the hidden brilliance of these little treasures in glass. Illustrated with over 400 full color photographs of examples, the text explains the origins of filigree and alabaster glass, the lovely variety of bead types, artificial gems, glass cameos and incrustations, millefiori, mosaic and aventurine jewelry, and even applications in modern jewelry designs.

With beautiful illustrations and step-by-step instructions, this how-to book includes all the techniques involved in crafting metal jewelry, including:

--Cutting and filing

--Cold connections

--Soldering

--Texturing

--Forging and forming

--Setting stones

--Applying specialty finishes

The book's clear organization provides easy access to information with straightforward directions and hundreds of full-color photos. You'll also find easy projects for trying the techniques, as well as a stunning gallery of metal jewelry pieces by experienced designers. Find beautiful jewelry examples and gain skills and inspiration with "The Complete Photo Guide to Making Metal Jewelry"

With 142 photos and these short, step-by-step lessons from a master Chinese calligrapher, you can enjoy the basics of the beautiful characters of Chinese. Begin by learning the history and traditions of this art form, and the techniques of using the "four treasures": the brush and other basic tools. Learn the correct body position, and how to hold the brush. Then practice calligraphy in the Kaishu style, with clear instructions and easy exercises to guide you. First you will learn 19 basic strokes. You can then combine them to write Chinese characters, and finally, four chengyu (proverbs). A selection of calligraphy artworks by contemporary artists is also included to inspire you.

This concise guide has all the information you need to successfully makeyour ownjewelry using knotting techniques. Clear, step-by-step, fully illustrated instructions show you exactly how to knot between beads and attach various types of clasps and finishes. The book also explains how to evaluate, select, and care for pearls and gemstones; how to select findings and tools; the pros and cons of silk versus nylon stringing material; and more."

This book is regarded as the perfect introduction to casting common hot metals in moulds, providing all the information needed by amateur foundrymen. Since 1954, when Foundrywork for the Amateur was first published, the advance of technology and engineering has been enormous and there have been many revisions along the way. However, conditions in the 21st century are so far removed from the state of affairs in the 1950s that, although the basic principle of the foundry remains the same, the language and the presentation of the book was due to be uplifted. This present edition therefore represents a complete rewrite to conform to the era and, in particular, to the availability of material which at one time was taken for granted. Not only has the text been updated, but the illustrations have been completely redrawn and, on the basis of the advances made in the amateur foundry since the early days, the photographs have also been renewed and increased in number. This new edition also reflects the author's growing interest in the model steam locomotive.

Joining metals by one form or another of soft or hard soldering, or brazing with various alloys, are run-of-the-mill jobs in model and light engineering workshops - so much so that little thought is given as to whether there might be a quicker, more efficient or less expensive means of achieving the required end. In Soldering and Brazing respected engineering writer Tubal Cain examines in detail the processes, equipment and materials, and explains what is happening in the joints as they are made with practical examples, test pieces, tabulated data etc. This is a thorough, comprehensive and, above all, useful book.

The traditional art of Illumination - the creation of elaborate, decorated letters and initials - is now attracting new enthusiasts. It reached its apogee in the monasteries of medieval Europe and was practised with great skill and artistry. Embellished with gold leaf, the illuminated letters of those early scribes seemed to reflect light, as though they were indeed 'illuminated'. Illuminated Letters presents step-by-step instructions for recreating illuminated alphabets from six historical periods, including Celtic, Gothic and Romanesque. Diagrams for upper- and lower-case letters are accompanied by ideas for borders and decorations, and full instructions for gilding. Each section also explores ways in which the illuminated letters can be adapted to create a truly personal style, while a gallery of modern examples will inspire further creativity.

When the stresses of modern life get too much, what could be better than gathering a few simple tools, heading into the woods and literally whittling away a few hours? The gentle art of whittling is a relaxing and absorbing hobby that can be enjoyed almost anywhere from round the campfire to in a cozy armchair at home. All you need is a good pocket knife, a piece of wood and your imagination. Projects can range from the delightfully simple to impressively intricate--it's up to you. Woodland Whittling guides you through the basics explaining what equipment you need, how to hold the knife, and what timber to use. The projects are then all described in detail with clear step-by-step photographs. Projects include: letter opener, thumb stick, ring tree and egg cup.

In The Wood Burn Book, Rachel Strauss (@woodburncorner) teaches you everything you'll need to know to master pyrography, whether you're brand new to the hobby or you've been "writing with fire" for years. This essential guide opens with a brief background to the art of wood burning, a list of tools and how to use them, basic techniques that can be used over and over again, and even what to burn and how to be safe doing it. You will also find a detailed explanation of the process from start to finish, with patterns, techniques for lettering and adding color, as well as dozens of projects ready for gifting, including picture frames, cutting boards, coasters, cards, wooden spoons, and jewelry. Above all, Strauss has created the book she wished she had when she first discovered pyrography: a simple guide that quickly gets the reader successfully burning. With the right tools and a little time, you'll be able to create meaningful handmade gifts without breaking the bank. Whether it's to create a family name sign as a housewarming gift for newlyweds, or customize baby blocks for a new little one, wood burning is the versatile hobby that can be used time and time again to create memorable gifts for all of life's occasions. In addition, wood burning is a practice in mindfulness, requiring patience and focus to awaken the senses and calm the mind. Mastering the art of writing with fire begins with the ability to follow a line. If you can trace, you can burn.

There's more to being Irish than kissing a Blarney Stone

Few places on earth match Ireland's romantic attraction and historical legacy. Every year, millions of visitors flock to the ancient sites and burgeoning cities of this enchanted island to immerse themselves in its rich literary, musical, and political heritage.

"The Everything Irish History & Heritage Book" introduces readers to the people, places, and events that have shaped the past and given rise to the unique culture of the Irish people. From the Iron Age to the economic renaissance, this comprehensive account familiarizes readers with Ireland's history and acquaints them with the climate, food, language, and sports that make it truly unique.

Features exhaustive coverage of:

• Celtic mythology and ancient folklore
• The Irish literary tradition--from "The Book of Kells" to "Ulysses"
• The potato famine and the Great Hunger
• The Irish in America and the immigration experience
• The Troubles and the road to peace
• Religion and family life

Turn that old, dilapidated chair that has been sitting in your garage or basement into a decorative piece of art for your children's bedroom or playroom. In this new DIY book, master painter Sammie Crawford takes you through seven step-by-step chair-painting projects: bear, bunny, Mother Goose, panda, puppy, Raggedy Ann and Andy, and Wild Animals. There's also a bonus Christmas Rocking Horse project. With color photographs and patterns, as well as lists of supplies and color palettes, this book gives you the details you need to replicate the designs in full or add your own creative ideas. This book is perfect for painters of all skill levels.

"...Modern British Jewellery Designers 1960-1980: A Collector's Guide, is an ode to an extraordinary period in British jewelry history."- Phyllis Schiller, Rapaport "This book, in my opinion, fills a significant gap in the literature providing a good starting point for anyone thinking of collecting jewellery from the 1960s and 1970s, and for anyone interested in jewellery from that era." -Elizabeth Passmore, Scottish Gemmological Association n the 1960s, British jewellery underwent a revolution. Natural, uncut stones exploded into vogue and a 1961 exhibition at the Goldsmith's Hall kickstarted the nation's new obsession with gold. The women who shopped at Quant's Bazaar and Hulaniki's Biba no longer just received jewellery as gifts. They placed their own orders, exploring Grima's drizzled gold and Flockinger's fused metallic experimentations; John Donald's textured gold cubes and the House of Munsteiner's curious new gem cuts. This was an era of innovation - captured here through insights into the work of 25 major jewellers and sumptuous pictures of their work. This book introduces the most influential British designers, jewellers, goldsmiths and silversmiths of 1960-1980. Tracing the evolution of style across these decades, Modern British Jewellery Designers reveals the designers' inspirations and the identifying signatures of their work. Accompanied by new photography showing each designer's creations, this is the perfect introduction for anyone with an interest in collecting, or learning more about this transformative period in British jewellery design.

The patchwork is an apt metaphor for the region not only because of its colourfulness and the making of something whole out of fragments but as an attempt to make coherence out of disorder. The seeking of coherence was the exact process of putting together this book and foregrounds the process of Caribbean societies forging identity and identities out of plural and at times conflicting and contested groups that came to call the region home. Within the metaphor of the patchwork however is the question, where are the vernacular needlework artists within the visual art tradition of the Caribbean? The introduction sets out to both clarify and rectify this situation, and several common themes flow through the following essays and interviews. Themes include that that the land and colonization remain baseline issues for several Caribbean artists who stage and restage the history of conquest and empire in varying ways. That artists in the region amalgamate as part of their practice and seem to prefer an open-endedness to art making as opposed to expressing fidelity to a particular medium. That artists and scholars alike are dismantling long-held perceptions of what Caribbean art is thought to be, and are challenging boundaries in Caribbean art. These are among the issues addressed in the book as it looks at ecological concerns and questions of sustainability, how the practices of the artists and their art defy the easy categorization of the region, and the placement of women in the visual art ecology of the Caribbean. The latter is one of the most contested areas of the book. Readers should come away with the sense that questions of race, colour, and class loom large within questions of gender in the Jamaican art scene and that the book, dedicated to Sane Mae Dunkley, aims to insert vernacular needleworkers into the visual art scene in both Jamaica and the larger Caribbean. Audience will include researchers and scholars of Caribbean and African diasporic art, college students, those interested in post-colonial studies, Caribbean artists, art professionals interested in a wider, globalized view of contemporary art; students curious to know about the many phases of art production throughout the Caribbean. General readers interested in the culture of the region.

Over 500 drawings scaled to 1/16" of pieces selected from leading museums: chairs, settees, chests, highboys, sideboards by Chippendale, Sheraton, Hepplewhite, Duncan Phyfe, etc. Colonial, American, Windsor, Louis XIV, 18th-century Dutch, etc. Accompanying text. 102 photographs.

Learn the secrets to a collection of puzzling projects, designed to mystify and intrigue. There are 12 seemingly impossible woodturned puzzles to make - all with incredibly simple solutions, once you know how. Using old techniques in a new and fascinating way, David Springett shows how to create these tactile and entertaining works of art. With clear step-by-step instructions, photographs and illustrations to follow, plus a wealth of information and guidance on tools, materials and techniques, you'll be mastering the tricks in no time.