1 comments about Quilts Sold!: A Guide to Heirloom And Antique Quilts.

1. Kathy Prochnow is a regular contributor to Traditional Quilter and has long provided insight into the quilt auction marketplace and how it works; so it's a logical transition from column to book, gathering her knowledge in QUILTS SOLD! A GUIDE TO HEIRLOOM AND ANTIQUE QUILTS. Historical background blends with pricing information and details on how auction house quilts work to provide quilters with the most thorough coverage in print. Her researcher husband contributes his expertise to gather a comprehensive price list of auctioned quilts, making this a real winner.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch

No comments about Roycroft Decorative Accessories in Copper and Leather: The 1919 Catalog.

1 comments about The English Glass Chandelier.

1. I needed a thorough reference to complete an appraisal on 2 19th century Perry & Co. chandeliers. The pictures were gorgeous. The history is very thorough and the chapters on Types of Lighting and Restoration were very helpful. I think I know why chandelier designers and restoration specialists call this the "Bible".

2 comments about British Antique Furniture, 5th Edition: Price Guide and Reasons for Values.

1. There goes a few more of my hard-earned dollars on another misguided purchase. This book is an ideal match for someone with no exposure to antique furniture, and wishing to have an attractive coffee table book in order to impress invited guests. In this regard, the book performs admirably. Sotheby's and Christie's-not to mention a host of other reputable auction houses-have very user-friendly and comprehensive online catalogues equipped with sold lot archives with thousands of colour photographs, detailed historical descriptions, and hammer prices for each lot sold. These online services, and the encyclopedic Miller's series, have rendered "British Antique Furniture" obsolete. The descriptions in "British Antique Furniture" are far from voluminous, and in some instances verge upon the comic, "...made from a dark wood, and a light wood." No, this is not an exaggeration of this book's content, and I now question the sharpness of my wits after spending almost $60 for this lackluster presentation. I would recommend this book only to those who haven't access to a computer to reach Sotheby's online catalogue.



2. The Collector Club books been around for years. This is the recent update of the best British Antique Funiture Price guide and references you could find. Updated and some added. If you value art and don't have this book. Then you are missing a great resources of information.

5 comments about Painted Furniture: Simple Techniques For Fresh, New Looks.

1. Obviously Diane Weaver is a talented artist with a steady hand and excellent perspective and spatial skills. You must be too, if you would like to duplicate her projects which are very complicated and time consuming.
   
   I consider myself an amature artist with skills slightly better than the average non-artist.
   
   In the book, one table needed seven layers of red paint that need sanding with soapy water and wiping down between, I think, 4 of the layers. This is step 17 of 19 complicated steps, that do not even cover all details necessary.
   
   You need to figure out how to do the shadowing yourself on many of the designs, such as the marbles on a red table, and I cannot figure out how she got the paint to gradient from red to black. She uses that gentle gradient paint method on many of the projects, and the only way I know how to do something like that is with a paint can, but she does it with a brush and I cannot figure it out.
   
   There are not enough pictures to cover these complicated projects, for instance, one wooden cuppboard is painted with many realistic insects and looks very cool, but she does not show any close up pictures of the complicated insects such as a dragonfly or butterfly, (she does show detailed pictures of the ladybug, which most first graders can draw easily.
   
   The coloring she did on the dragonfly looks amazing, how she got the lacy colorful yet translucent wings is the 8th mystery of the known world. There are no instructions, and no close up pictures.
   
   This book did inspire me, although I will not be doing any of the projects in the book, not until I raise my kids, go back to art school for 4 years, then retire from work to have the time and experience needed for her projects.
   
   Her work is interesting and she is talented, but I would have perferred just photos of many more projects, just to inspire but not instruct. Or more details. I know book length, word count, and number of photos included are usually dictated by the editor and not the writer, so I do not mean to insult Diane Weaver. Her work is beautiful and the photos that are included are clear, bright, colorful, and helpful.
   
   All my complaining could have been avoided had the editor left the misleading word "Simple" out of the subtitle of the book, and just subtitled it, "Techniques for Fresh, New Looks."
   
   Would I buy this book again? Yes, but only at a good sales price, which you can find here at amazon. Or buy it if you have artistic talent, you may get more out of this book than I could. That is why in spite of all my complaining, I am still giving her 3 stars instead of less.



2. I bought this book along with "Painting and Decorating Furniture" by Sheila McGraw. While this book did inspire some ideas, most of the projects aren't very exicting and the tips are common sense. I like "Painting and Decorating Furniture" by Sheila McGraw much better. She gives really good tips that aren't common sense (like using chaulking to create raised effects).



3. I was looking for some inspiration, but the furniture was pretty
   uninteresting. Only the cover piece was at all bold -- everything else pretty predictable.



4. This is the most useful book I've seen on painting furniture. Though these are not "quickie" projects, each is full of good information. Obviously the author really knows her stuff, and the information on preparing furniture for decoration is solid. I used some of her techniques to start off a piece and it came out wonderfully. Please write some more books, Diane!



5. I thought this book would be a simple "how to" book. It offers several projects; many look pretty darn complicated for the person looking for "simple techniques" as the title suggests. I was pretty disappointed.

No comments about West Indian Antique Furniture of The Lesser Antilles: 1740-1940.

3 comments about Flea Market Makeovers: 25 Projects for Fabulous Home Furnishings.

1. This book provides a variety of step-by-step instructions, ideas and tips for refinishing bargain items you might find at a flea market, yard sale, Goodwill or even in your own garage. There are 25 projects in all, ranging from lampshades to shelves.
   
   While some of the projects are a bit eclectic and might not be for everyone, you can still adapt the concept and steps to create something unique that suits your own taste. For example, you could follow the directions for rewiring an old lamp using the base of your choice, not necessary the pressed glass that the author uses.
   
   The book includes excellent color photos and simple directions for each project. There are chapters on lamps/shades, chairs, tables and beds, storing/organizing (bookcase, Mission-style coat rack, metal storage bin) and odds & ends (picture frame, folding screen room divider, etc.), so there's something for the curious as well as the more ambitious.
   
   If you enjoy watching home decorating shows (like Trading Spaces) or are just a DIY kind of person of beginning to intermediate skills, this book provides some great ideas and how-to advice. If you're a more advanced DIY person, this might be a bit too basic for you.



2. I suppose I should start by specifying that I am not a flea market junkie, though I have been known to haunt garage sales and search for bargains that I could transform into something fun and wonderful for my home. This book does have a wide variety of projects in it, and the directions and materials needed for each project are laid out neatly and expertly. If you can follow directions, you should be able to accomplish most or all of the projects in this book.

   That said, I was not attracted to the majority of the projects in here. You can, of course, customize each project to fit your home, and yes there are some decent tips in here as far as doing general fixer-upper jobs on old flea market finds...but in general the projects in this book appeared flashy, trendy, and too frilly for my tastes. I can flip through this book and my mind writes it off as 'just another fru-fru craft book', which I have an inordinately large pile of. :)

   If you LIKE fru-fru craft books this would be a good one to get, because not only do you get a wide variety of projects, you also get handy tips on repair and maintenance, as well as a guide to tools and materials needed for this type of restoration work.

   So go to it and good luck with those flea market bargains of yours!




3. Flea-market junkies-- here's help with fixing up the stuff you just HAD to have and now wonder how on earth you're going to do it. The 25 projects outlined in this wonderful how-to book are just the beginning. Use them as "jumping off" lessons in repairing and refurbishing the worn, but good stuff you have sitting in your garage waiting for your loving attention. Large, clear photos and step-by-step instructions make for easy understanding of each project. I've used it and I treasure it, it's a jewel!

No comments about Measured Drawings of Early American Furniture.

No comments about Early Twentieth Century Lighting Fixtures: Featuring Gas & Electric, Ceiling, Wall, Table & Art Glass Fixtures.

No comments about Furniture 2000: Modern Classics and New Designs in Production (Schiffer Design Book).