John Gloag (1896-1981) was a leading modernist commentator and anyone with an interest in early and mid-20th Century design will be familiar with his name. He was well known as an author of almost 60 books on architecture, social history and industrial design. Gloag was a member of an elite design culture that was highly visible throughout the 1930s and 40s. Although an ardent reformist with links to a number of prestigious institutions, including RIBA, the RSA, the DIA and the CoID, Gloag's contribution to design reform and to an understanding of a national design tradition, has attracted little scholarly interest. This set addresses that by re-issuing 10 of his most well-received books, many of them amply and beautifully illustrated.

Originally published in 1952 but enlarged and revised in 1969, this dictionary became a standard authoritative work of reference. It contains 2,612 entries and over 1,000 illustrations, reproduced from contemporary sources and from drawings by Ronald Escott, Marcelle Barton and Maureen Stafford. The work is divided into 6 sections: the first and second concern the description and design of furniture, the third contains the entries, the fourth gives a list of furniture makers in Britain and North America, section five records books and periodicals on furniture and design and the concluding section sets out in tabular form the periods with the materials used, and types of craftsmen employed from 1100 to 1950.

Originally published in 1945, Plastics and Industrial Design is a non-technical work of reference for manufacturers and designers who, after the Second World War were beginning to realize the possibilities that manufacturing with Plastics could bring. The different types of plastics and their uses is discussed, as is their impact on the design of manufactured articles. Whilst the extensive use of plastic may have fallen out of favour in recent years due to environmental concerns, this book reminds us that in their infancy they offered exciting manufacturing possibilities.

Originally published in 1946, when Britain was facing a post-war housing crisis, this book dealt with the issue of the factory-produced house in being part of the solution for housing people in an affordable manner and a short time-scale. The book, aimed at both lay-people and technicians discusses aspects of pre-fabricated housing such as comfort, standardisation and aesthetics. The book is illustrated with 48pp of black and white plates.

Originally published in 1946, this book is based on a series of broadcast talks on design. Led by an engineer, an artist and critic of architecture and industrial design, the discussions focussed on the problems that were involved by a general application of design to the environment of contemporary life. It surveys the possibilities of design in modern life and the talks have been rewritten, amplified and revised for the purposes of the book.

Originally published in 1958, A Guide to Western Architecture charts the origins of the system of architectural design that was perfected in Greece, follows its development under the Roman Empire and describes the achievements of the Byzantine architects. Passing through Romanesque to Gothic, the contributions made by Mediaeval builders to structure and design are recorded, and then the impact of the Renaissance on architecture, and its characteristic development in the different European countries. The transplanting of Renaissance ideas to the New World is covered, and finally the origins and nature of the new Western architecture occupy the last section of the book. The Appendix includes a list of the principal architects, and brief notes on their work, from the 5th century B. C. to the end of the Renaissance.

Originally published in 1964, The Englishman's Chair is a history of English chairs, written as a continuous story from the 15th to the 20th Century and because of the revealing powers inherent in chair-making and design, it is also an unconventional footnote to English social history. The changes in taste, and fashion, the increase of skill, the introduction of new materials and the long battle between dignity and comfort are discussed, as is the impact that modern industrial designers have had on chair design.

Originally published in 1944, The Missing Technician shows how Industrial Design must begin at the very first stages of planning a product. The procedure of a design research committee is outlined - a type of practical co-ordination of the work of industrial designers and production technicians which proved highly effective. The value of materials like aluminium and plastic are emphasized, but equally the importance of glass and cast iron is stressed, especially when handled in new ways that 20th Century techniques made possible.

Originally published in 1948, A History of Cast Iron in Architecture is a comprehensive history of the part that has been played by cast iron in architecture and the allied arts in Britain. Any history of the rise and development of the iron-founding industry becomes virtually a history of the First Industrial Revolution. Examining the use of cast iron by builders and architects from late medieval times to the middle of the 20th Century the authors have also recorded a miniature history of British Industry. The introduction throws light on the early developments of iron-founding. The main sections of the book describe the rise and expansion of the cast-iron industry and its gradually increasing significance in architecture from 1650 to 1945. There are over 500 illustrations.

Originally published in 1934 this book became recognised as one of the principal standard works on industrial design and industrial architecture. The chapters explain the complete operation, character and background history of industrial art, its relation to architecture, materials, industrial production and retail distribution. It is fully illustrated with line drawings and photographs.

Originally published in 1943, The Place of Glass in Building is a comprehensive and compact survey of the structural uses of glass in 20th Century architecture. It gives the facts about the physical properties, the possibilities and the limitations of the glass in common use. It also deals with the attributes of specialised and decorative glass and provides detailed descriptions of the principal types which were manufactured in the UK. Intended for architectural students it may also be of interest to architects, for it is a condensed survey of the progress that has been made in this structural and decorative material.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ Simple Schemes For Decoration John Gloag Frederick A. Stokes, Co., 1922 Architecture; Interior Design; General; Architecture / Interior Design / General; House & Home / Decorating; Interior decoration

A must have companion for any fan of antiques or furniture design. Including chapters on descriptions and design of furniture, furniture designers from Britain and America with notes on the different periods of furniture design. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

ENGLISH FURNITURE BY JOHN GLOAG CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION .... xiii I. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF DESIGN, II. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF DESIGN, 1700-1934 . . . .17 III. FURNITURE DESIGN UNDER THE WOOD WORKERS, 1500-1660 . . - 37 IV. FURNITURE DESIGN UNDER FASHION, I 660-1730 6l V. FURNITURE DESIGN UNDER THE ARCHITECTS, 1730-1830 . . . .88 VI. FURNITURE DESIGN UNDER THE ROMANTIC MOVEMENT AND THE FURNITURE TRADE, 1830-1900 .... 129 VII. FURNITURE DESIGN UNDER THE ANTIQUE DEALERS AND ARTIST-CRAFTSMEN, I 9OO 1920 ..... 139 VIII. THE NEW MATERIALS AND THEIR EFFECT ON DESIGN ..... 154 IX. THE PATIENT ART OF BUYING FURNITURE. 1 68 X. BOOKS ABOUT FURNITURE AND DESIGN . I 85 INDEX . . . . . 193 LIST OF PLATES I. A BED OF ADAM TYPE IN KINGWOOD, A MAHOGANY CUPBOARD AND A TRIPOD TABLE . Frontispiece Following last chapter at page 192 II. A THIRTEENTH-CENTURY CHEST IN OAK III. TWO SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY CHESTS IN OAK IV. A MID-SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY MULE CHEST IN OAK V. AN EARLY SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY COURT-CUP BOARD VI. TWO DOUBLE-LEAF GATE-LEG TABLES VII. A CHARLES II ELBOW CHAIR AND A LATE SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY TABLE VIII. A CHARLES II CHEST WITH OYSTER WOOD VENEER IX. A LONG-CASE CLOCK IN FIGURED WALNUT A QUEEN ANNE TABLE IN VIRGINIA WALNUT AND AN EARLY GEORGIAN MIRROR X. A MAHOGANY CHEST, CIRCA 1740-50 XI. A MID-EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY WINDSOR CHAIR IN YEW AND OAK, AND A LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY OAK SETTLE XII. A MAHOGANY PRESS, CIRCA 1725-30, AND A WALNUT CHAIR, CIRCA 1740 XIII. A MAHOGANY PRESS, CIRCA 1740 XIV. A MAHOGANY BUREAU-BOOKCASE, CIRCA 1740-50, AND A CHAIR, circa 1735-45 XV. A SERPENTINE-FRONTED CHEST IN MAHOGANY, CIRCA 1740-50, AND A MAHOGANY FRAMED MIRROR xi ENGLISH FURNITURE XVI. A MAHOGANYTALLBOY, AN EARLY GEORGIAN MIRROR AND A CHIPPENDALE CHAIR XVII. AN ELLIPTICAL LATE EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY SIDE BOARD AND A GILDED MIRROR XVIII. A LONG-CASE CLOCK IN MAHOGANY, CIRCA l8lO, AND A CHAIR OF THE SAME PERIOD XIX, AN ENGLISH EMPIRE BOOKCASE AND A MODERN MIRROR DESIGNED BY JOSEPH ARMITAGE XX. AN EARLY NINETEENTH-CENTURY TABLE, PROBABLY DESIGNED BY THOMAS HOPE XXI. AN OAK CORNER WRITING TABLE, DESIGNED BY SIR AMBROSE HEAL XXII. A SIDEBOARD AND TABLE IN OAK DESIGNED BY GORDON RUSSELL XXIII. DINING-ROOM FURNITURE DESIGNED BY WELLS COATES, AND BY R. W. SYMONDS XXIV. MODERN FURNITURE OF METAL TUBING AND GLASS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The furniture illustrated on the following plates is from the collection of Robert Atkinson, Esq., F. R. I. B. A. I, II, VI lower illustration, VIII, IX, X, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVIII, and XX. The furniture on Plate V and the upper part of Plate VI is in the possession of Fleetwood Pritchard, Esq., and that shown on Plate VII belongs to H. P, Shapland, Esq., A. R. I. B. A. The settle on the lower part of Plate XI is the property of J. Craven Pritchard, Esq. The furniture on the following plates is in the authors possession III upper illustration, IV, and XIX. INTRODUCTION is not a technical book. Nor is it an academic manual for collecting antique furniture. Its chapters attempt to show how English furniture design has since A. D. 1500 reflected the changes in national taste, and how a tradition of comfort and comeliness has been maintained, whether furniture has been made from oak or mahogany or plated tubular steel and plywood. Good proportions are more important than mere age a truth that has been forgotten since the cult of antique furniture achieved itseasy popularity. This book is concerned only with furniture of good proportion. Its illustrations have been chosen to provide examples of good design in the past and the present. Its first two chapters sketch the historical background of design from 1 500 to 1934, and then, chapter by chapter, it describes the evolution of different furniture types, relating the changes that occur in design and decoration in each period to that basic source of inspiration in design architecture...