This stunning new book showcases fantastic costume jewelry from 53 top designers of the 20th century. Examples from Christian Dior, Miriam Haskell, Kenneth Jay Lane, Elsa Schiaparelli, Stanley Hagler, Trifari, Vendome, and may others are shown in profusion. 360 luscious color photographs display exquisite examples of each designers' best work. Masterpieces abound, including many rare examples. The authors illustrate ways to enjoy these pieces today, with candid photography of friends adorned for casual occasions. Delightful stories are shared of memories associated with their passion for jewelry over the years. This remarkable exhibition displays costume jewelry as absolutely beautiful works of art. Sit back with this eye candy, relax with the fairytale spirit it projects, and enjoy the romance. Let the passion roll!

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.

Making Sparkle Jewelry shows readers how to create colorful, sparkling pieces that lend a magical finishing touch to a prom dress, bridesmaid, Greek formal, debutant or little princess ensemble. Crystal components, mother of pearl elements and resin flowers, combine for 25 finished jewelry projects, including earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Clear illustrations and step-by-step photo instructions introduce even first-time jewelry makers to the creative world of jewelry making.

Bringing the existence and significance of the lost riches of Henry VIII back to life, this book sheds new light on Henrician and Tudor court culture. Henry VIII amassed the most spectacular collection of gold and silver of any British monarch. Plate and jewels were hugely prominent in medieval and Renaissance courts and played an essential role in dynastic marriages and diplomacy as well as in cementing the bonds between king and court. Ranging from plain domestic wares to extraordinary bejewelled works of art, Henry's collection embraced virtuoso continental objects as well as vast quantities of plate commissioned from London goldsmiths or inherited from his father. But nearly all of these holdings were destroyed over the following century, and of the thousands that he owned no more than a handful have survived to modern times. This book makes use of the wealth of surviving documentation - inventories, drawings, lists of payments, dispatches by foreign ambassadors and other records - to explore this lost collection and the light it sheds on the monarchy. Starting with an assessment of the young king's inheritance from his father, the book considers the role of plate at state banquets, in great church services and in the regular exchange of gifts between courtiers and ambassadors; the role of plate and jewels as a potent symbol of power; how the king used confiscation as an instrument of humiliation of those who fell from grace, including Cardinal Wolsey and Katherine of Aragon; and how Henry's avaricious seizure of church plate towards the end of his life throws light on his changing character. While the focus is on plate and goldsmiths' work, the context ranges from court ceremonial to rivalry between princes, the role of the church, the vulnerability of persons and institutions with covetable assets, and relations between the king and his own family. Bringing the existence and significance of these lost riches back to life, the book sheds new light on Henrician and Tudor court culture.

A complete guide for the metalwork novice, this book provides thorough and detailed overviews on a variety of blacksmithing tools, techniques, and projects. Expert instructions lead you through every stage of each project and show you how to make your own forge as well as how to build, maintain, and use a suitable fire. Including sections on safety, taking heats, finishes, cutting steel and buying a forge, this book is the ultimate resource for anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of metalwork.

Quillwork began in Europe around the 13th century as a paper imitation of gold and silver filigree work. In this vintage book, originally published in 1975, Janet and Alex D Amato have evolved traditional quilling into a delightful and whimsical craft. They show you how to make quillwork jewelry, wall-hangings, Christmas ornaments, gift wrap decorations even quilled Valentines, place cards, mobiles and paperweights. The materials are so inexpensive and the techniques so simple, that quillwork is truly a craft for all ages and budgets. Line drawings and photographs throughout the book provide inspiration and clarification."

Antique wicker furnishings are greatly cherished by collectors today. Here hundreds of charming pieces made of cane, rattan, reed, rush, and willow that are displayed in full-color photographs from private collections. Trace the evolution of wicker furniture design from 1870 to 1930, the heyday of its popularity. Learn about preeminent manufacturers of the period such as Dryad Works, Bielecky Brothers, Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Rattan Company, and Lloyd Manufacturing Company, all carefully documented with pertinent examples of their work. A useful discussion of care and restoration of antique pieces is included. A wide variety of wicker furniture styles are highlighted, from ornate Victorian to Art Deco. The chairs, rockers, tables, baby carriages, sofas, loveseats, desks, and ferneries that you've seen tucked in grandmother's attic or prominently displayed at the local antique store are very valuable. Take a stroll through the decades when wicker furniture was a staple inside and outside homes all across the world. And take this book along when shopping for wicker--an up-to-date price guide will help you with your buying and selling decisions.

Take a trip through the ages and the world to uncover a unique stone with amazing properties. In this well-researched book, readers discover amber and the products made from it, especially jewelry. The easy-to-read format and over 320 color photographs and drawings make it both informative and appealing. The fascinating history of this ancient and unusual stone is explained, and identification methods, origins, amber products, carving techniques, and care tips are among the invaluable information included. Interesting mysteries, concerns, and triumphs about amber and a discussion of its cost are presented. Mineral and rock collectors, history buffs, and jewelry lovers all will enjoy this freshly compiled and up-to-date reference.

Wire and glass beads are combined in this jewelry-making guide as equal partners, making the bending of wire more than just rings for attachments. Time, space, and affordability of the materials are kept minimal, so the jewelry-making process remains fun. Instructions and color photographs of 60 necklace, bracelet and earrings sets are provided to inspire your own creativity. You will love not only creating the jewelry shown, but also making your own jewelry designs in combinations of glass, ceramic, or metal beads with wire elements of various types.

Using sharp tools is one of life's great joys. A sharp tool feels right; the job seems that much easier; and the quality of the cut usually means there is less work to do to produce a finished surface on the object. This book provides an understanding of what is involved in sharpening common workshop tools. With over 580 colour photographs and illustrations it covers sharpening techniques for the most commonly used tools - scissors, shears, knives, lathe tools and drills, screwdrivers, chisels and punches, along with the more specialist gravers and scrapers. Advice on types of abrasives, grades, grits and mesh sizes is given. It describes what happens during the sharpening process and provides practical guidance on using sharpening stones and grinding wheels on a bench grinder. Provides essential maintenance instructions such as how to restore the surface of a flat stone and the face of the wheel on a bench grinder. Finally, it gives advice on bench grinders, and includes examples of the use of readily available tools and accessories such as vee blocks, toolposts, collet holders, protractors and gauges.

Improve your handwriting skills and calm your mind with this lovely, inviting companion workbook to The Lost Art of Handwriting. Practice your penmanship to perfection with this helpful handbook to mastering beautiful handwriting. Brenna Jordan of Calligraphy by Brenna and author of The Lost Art of Handwriting presents you with pages of wonderfully crafted letters, sayings, and quotes that you can use to practice your handwriting. The Zen-like repetition of cursive and printed letters will calm you and provide a sense of well-being as you make your way towards more legible, pleasing, and impressive handwriting that you can apply to correspondence, cards, artwork, and more. The Lost Art of Handwriting Workbook has everything you need to master calligraphy and provides a wonderful way to practice your handwriting every day.

Pottery tells us about religion, daily life, humour, trade, sex, folklore and creativity. Bearing the imprint of their maker more than any other crafted object, ceramics give us a unique physical link to the past, often the only evidence of long-forgotten civilizations that have otherwise crumbled to dust. From ancient Egyptian canopic death jars to ethereally beautiful porcelain, and from lewd Renaissance novelties to sleek contemporary vessels, Around the World in 80 Pots is an eclectic journey across time and cultures. Expertly selected from the unrivalled collection of the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, this compendium shows that humankind's oldest craft is the perfect prism through which to view human history.

Tea was introduced to Britain in the 1650s. Its popularity burgeoned over the following two-and-a-half centuries, until it became a defining feature of British culture. Drawing inspiration from China, British craftsmen worked to display their skills on numerous tea-related objects, which ritualised the process of drinking tea and imbued it with luxury status. Calling on an array of different materials and techniques, they developed a huge variety of canisters and lockable containers for storing and preserving this precious commodity. Tea chests and caddies were not merely functional items that might lurk at the back of the kitchen - they were intended for display and were an essential accoutrement for fashionable women. As the habit of tea drinking filtered down the social scale, caddies were made in larger numbers and in more affordable forms. This book brings together a great range of decorative antique tea containers, presenting them alongside detailed historical research conducted into their making and their place in British society across the centuries. It also explores the materials and techniques employed. With historical art showing tea's integration into British society, examples of old trade cards and original designs, and a wealth of illustrations of the objects themselves, this is a must-buy book for historians, collectors and those interested in the decorative arts.

For woodturners at an advanced level, this book offers skills, projects, and inspiration. The 10 turning techniques here allow experts to expand their skills and also learn tips that make for better projects. Step-by-step instructions and a wealth of appealing and informative photographs give precise guidance for mastering each technique. Next, 18 projects are presented with complete photo instructions. Designed by the author and five expert colleagues, these projects also offer useful tool-fabrication and chucking solutions, and include contemporary as well as traditional and artistic turned objects. A gallery section features objects designed by today's top woodturners, and provides additional inspiration for the technical and design aspects of your own projects.

A new and refreshing look at the role decorative arts play in the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Amish home is revealed in this book. An encyclopedic collection of colorful, expected, and unanticipated objects associated with Amish culture are showcased in 328 color photographs distributed throughout an insightful and informative text. Author Trish Herr explores the development and use of the arts, design and style within the Amish home. Furniture, quilts, rugs, samplers, boxes, glass, china and toys made by the Amish for themselves are featured. Dr. Donald B. Kraybill, respected author and authority on Anabaptist settlements in the United States, introduces the subject with a concise history and interpretation of the present day Lancaster County Amish culture. Patricia T. Herr is an historian of antique textiles and a veterinary doctor living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Here is a beautiful publication of factual information and 1043 color illustrated examples of highly popular styles. Important and prolific designers of costume jewelry, including Chanel, Schiaparelli, Boucher, Miriam Haskell, Monet, Sarah Coventry, and many more are well represented. Current prices are included to aid the collector. This will be a most useful reference for collector and dealers, and the current value ranges will aid and inform all.

"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."

This unusual and interesting book is a fascinating account of the world of Chinese writing. It examines Chinese space and the political and social use of writing as propaganda, a publicity booster and as a ladder for social climbing.

Artist Linda MacNeil's outstanding works in contemporary jewelry are shown in exquisite detail. Nearly 200 pendants, neck collars, and necklaces are shown, along with matching earrings in an exquisite exploration of MacNeil's celebrated works in hand-fashioned glass gems and metalwork. An essay by Suzanne Ramljak, curator, art historian, and editor of Metalsmith magazine, summarizes the artist's career and contributions to the worlds of jewelry design and glass art. A foreword by Helen W. Drutt English, art historian, collector, and gallery owner, introduces readers to MacNeil's role in the current craft movement. Portraits of owner-patrons of MacNeil's work model pieces they own, illustrating the important marriage between wearer and the art object. This book is a tribute to the artist, and an inspiring portfolio for collectors and designers.

Hand lettering is the hottest craft going right now, and it applies perfectly to the co-existing trend of wooden signs displaying inspirational, heartwarming, or funny messages throughout people's homes. This book combines the two in a hard-working book that teaches the art of hand lettering with 20 projects to make for the home.

Making more from less is today's trend in crafting, and renowned craft instructor Miriam Joy reveals the amazing design boost you can give your projects by using crayons as an economical source of wax. Try the 15 basic wax designs taught here, from circles to waves to flowers, and then combine them with your own creativity to turn your crafts-or everyday objects from the thrift shop or dollar store-into colorful and eye-catching works of art. The book covers the basic materials needed, the techniques, and the many types of surfaces to which wax can be applied, from wood to glass to felt. Then 11 "starter" projects help you discover the unlimited things you can transform with wax decorating, from a simple tile magnet to more advanced projects like a masquerade party mask, wall art, and a transformed old guitar. Bonus video links help you learn even more.

Upland Game Bird Carving displays all the talent and creativity of Rosalyn Daisey and makes it available to other carvers. In easy to follow, step-by-step instructions and illustrations, the reader will be able to learn the methods of creating these fine and beautiful sculptures. Beginning with accurately detailed plans, the techniques of carving, texturing, painting and mounting are explained with exquisite photographs and drawings. The book includes five carving projects. The male mourning dove is a particularly fun project, not only because the bird has opened wings but also because it is lighted from within the branch of the piece. Its base is a sculpted shadow of the bird in flight. A perched dove, a female, is one of Rosalyn's favorites because of the elegance of the dove itself. The complexity of the female woodcock project is balanced with the simplistic cuteness of the chick project. And the challenging bobwhite quail is intriguing because of its interesting feather patterns. The illustrations, carving directions and explanations, and the photographs are five conclusive seminars in tangible form. The complete instructions will lead the reader through all five Upland Game Bird Carving projects.

Here's a little treat out of the attic. This may be today's penultimate guide for researching and pricing popular chairs from the past. This guide has hundreds of detailed illustrations of American wooden chairs ranging from golden oak to the Viennese-style bentwood. These chairs that furnished the nation's best-dressed homes at the turn of the century. An actual reprint of the detailed catalogue of the Phoenix Chair Company, each page is a careful reproduction of the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, company's own 1907-1908 list of wares for dealers. This time, however, it has current values for these treasured antiques. There is no more-authoritative guide to the chairs produced by this company, which helped set the styles that furnished a nation.