Hi folks,
I'm interested in finding some books that can help me understand basic
styles of furniture ... with the goal of designing my own prior to building
it.
Basically I can tell the difference between Greene and Greene versus Queen
Anne, but not much more.
Can anyone recommend a good text?
Thinking of:
"Encyclopedia of Furniture" by Joseph Aronson
"Designers Guide to Furniture Styles" by Treena Crochet
"History of Furniture" by John Morley
"Complete Guide to Furniture Styles" by Louise Boger
Thanks in advance (and apologies if this may be slightly off topic)
J T wrote:
> Mon, Dec 27, 2004, 6:28am (EST+5) [email protected]
> (Nate Perkins) claims:
> Hi folks,
> I'm interested in finding some books that can help me understand
basic
> styles of furniture <snip>
>
> I'm just guessing here, but you haven't tried a library, have
you?
...
You betcha. My library stocks lots of beginning woodworking books,
things like 30 ways to make a dado bookshelf, or Sunset's guide to pine
garden benches. I can get specialty books by interlibrary loan, but
you have to know which ones to ask for.
Maybe it would help to explain what I'm up to. Lately I'm working on
designing some dining room furniture for the house (probably a
huntboard, buffet, maybe a china cabinet). I'm looking at designing
these from scratch, and since I'm going to look at this stuff for the
next 30 years I want to make sure it's done right. What would really
help is a book that contains a lot of various photos for different leg
styles, different stretcher shapes, various door panel and bead styles,
cove styles, finials, etc. That way I can go through the book with
SWMBO and have her point out which ones she likes.
Cheers,
Nate
Andy Dingley wrote:
> On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 06:28:33 GMT, Nate Perkins
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Can anyone recommend a good text?
>
> http://codesmiths.com/shed/books/woodworking.htm#styles
Hi Andy,
Thanks! I will try to grab a copy of several of these, especially the
one by Jeffrey Greene. I appreciate your time in posting it and
enjoyed looking at your website.
Nate
Mon, Dec 27, 2004, 6:28am (EST+5) [email protected]
(Nate=A0Perkins) claims:
Hi folks,
I'm interested in finding some books that can help me understand basic
styles of furniture <snip>
I'm just guessing here, but you haven't tried a library, have you?
JOAT
Diplomacy is the act of saying, "Nice Doggie" till you can find a big
rock to bash in his skull.
- Unknown
On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 06:28:33 GMT, Nate Perkins
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Hi folks,
>
>I'm interested in finding some books that can help me understand basic
>styles of furniture ... with the goal of designing my own prior to building
>it.
>
>Basically I can tell the difference between Greene and Greene versus Queen
>Anne, but not much more.
>
>Can anyone recommend a good text?
>
>Thinking of:
>"Encyclopedia of Furniture" by Joseph Aronson
>"Designers Guide to Furniture Styles" by Treena Crochet
>"History of Furniture" by John Morley
>"Complete Guide to Furniture Styles" by Louise Boger
>
>Thanks in advance (and apologies if this may be slightly off topic)
Nate, I have some reviews here:
http://woodworking.homeip.net/wood/reference/books.htm
Greg
Try asking the librarian - I think what you want is going to be found
near the arts and architecture books rather than near the
do-it-yourself stuff.
"Nate Perkins" <[email protected]> wrote:
>You betcha. My library stocks lots of beginning woodworking books,
>things like 30 ways to make a dado bookshelf, or Sunset's guide to pine
>garden benches. I can get specialty books by interlibrary loan, but
>you have to know which ones to ask for.
On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 06:28:33 GMT, Nate Perkins
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Can anyone recommend a good text?
http://codesmiths.com/shed/books/woodworking.htm#styles
American Furniture of the Eighteenth Century
Jeffrey P. Greene
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1558705686/codesmiths-20>
Superb historical guide to US 18th century work, and good
constructional details for makers (not a project book though).
English and American Furniture (and other titles)
Cescinsky
OOP for years, but still easy enough to find. Old production values
had few photos, but it's a good read and you can find any number of
pretty modern books with shiny pictures but no content.
The Shaker Legacy
Becksvoort
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/156158357X/codesmiths-20>
An excellent book by the leading expert on the Shaker's furniture. The
book is in two sections; a historical survey of the Shaker movement,
and high quality photographs of museum pieces.
In the Arts & Crafts Style
Mayer & Gray
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0811802027/codesmiths-20>
Best "coffee table" overview to the range of Arts & Crafts / Mission
styles, from furniture to ceramics. (hard to find)
The Furniture of Gustav Stickley
Bavaro & Mossman
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/094193635X/codesmiths-20>
Excellent Stickley project guide
Oak Furniture
Chinnery
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1851490132/codesmiths-20>
_The_ classic text on early oak furniture, up to the 17th C
(Expensive and hard to find)
Chinese Domestic Furniture in Photographs and Measured Drawings
Ecke
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0486251713/codesmiths-20>
Don't forget China either. Interesting contrast in styles, very good
book
Couple of OOP oldies (common in the UK, not sure about the USA)
Charles Hayward wrote a great many woodworking books, all of which are
worth a look. His "English Period Furniture" and "Period Furniture
Designs" are good on historical developments. I particularly like
"Designs", which is a notebook of drawn pieces - best of all it gives
the locations of the original piece, so you can go and study it in
person.
The three "Directors" (Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Sheraton) are still
around as cheap Dover reprints. Not desperately interesting, but worth
it for completeness. There are many ancient classic books (especially
on finishing) that are to be had from Dover.
I'd be interested in references for a good book on the later Federal
period.