3 comments about The Bulfinch Guide to Carpets: How to Identify, Classify, and Evaluate Antique Carpets and Rugs.

1. This is probably the most frequently used carpet book I have. I'm not a dealer or serious collector - just wanted to buy nice rugs for the house but I wanted to know what I was buying. I first found this at the library and ended up buying it (along with 2 others that are bigger and different). I go to this book first every time I have a question. This book has great maps of the areas, history of the people in each of the areas, great drawings and explainations of the different symbols and motifs, discussions on the knots/weaves and what to look for in terms of quality, typical indications of what to look for in each type of carpet, and more. We recently returned from a trip to Turkey/Istanbul where we went to the Grand Bazaar and bought carpets for the house - it was lots of fun (great people)- and I feel that this book really helped me not only appreciate the rug making and understand some of the history but also make more informed decisions when shopping. Highly recommeded!



2. This book looks like a beginner level general rug book but it is actually very useful. Of all of my beginner books this is one I still go back to...



3. this is a pretty basic primer for those just beginning to collect oriental carpets. There are quite a few pictures/examples, although the book is less than comprehensive.

3 comments about American Fancy.

1. From the two color book ribbons sewn into the binding to the heavy duty paper and bright, clear illustrations, this book is almost certainly the best produced new book I have ever seen. I resisted buying it for some months because of the price, but I was wrong to delay. The Chipstone Foundation and the Milwaukee Art Museum, and especially the designer, Wynne Patterson, are to be highly commended for producing a book of the highest quality. That is no small achievement in these pinch-penny days.
   
   Long lost is the fine art of hand-binding books in leather and half-leather, but this book comes as close to the sensual delights of a handmade book of the 18th century as any I have ever seen.
   
   Some of this praise must, of course, be reserved for the author. Some of the sensual delights of this book arise from the integration of black and white advertisements from historical sources, color pictures of painted furniture, close-up images of painted surfaces and ancillary images such as pictures of mocha ware, doll houses, quilts and folk portraits. The conscious effort to vary our range of focus adds a whole new dimension to the experience of reading the book.
   
   I think that Priddy has an esoteric argument to make in his text, and I'm not sure he entirely makes his case. Sometimes, the words fight against the images, but the book is so beguilingly beautiful that the reader is ultimately won over by the sheer fancy imbedded in the effort.
   
   Most of the time, we buy a book for its subject matter and treatment. Here there we have an additional reason. American Fancy is simply one of the finest books made in modern times. It is pure a delight.



2. Disclaimer: I was a lender to the exhibition and objects from my collection are illustrated in this extraordinary book, more than a catalogue of the exhibition. I heard the author, Sumpter Priddy, lecture on his concept of Fancy well over ten years ago and it resonated within me for years afterward. To finally have the expression of that concept so brilliantly realized must be both thrilling and empty-feeling for him. But those who have the book are the beneficiaries of his insight. The book is beautifully illustrated with top-level color photography by Gavin Ashworth of objects from museums and private collections that flesh out Priddy's vision of what constituted Fancy in the 1790-1840 period. The text is accessible and comprehensive while well-presented graphically. My only quibble is that the book's cover doesn't begin to suggest the riches within. In all, an exceptional effort at an extremely attractive price, thanks to the Chipstone Foundation's involvement.



3. American Fancy: Exuberance In The Arts 1790-1840 is a stunning coffee table book focusing upon all forms of physical art - from paintings to furnishings to clocks, glass panels, coffeepots, and much more that could be found American households circa the early 1800's. The full color photographs display a truly remarkable assortment of classic antiques, and the text brings the reader on an in-depth tour of not only the works themselves, but the lives and sweeping historical changes surrounding the men and and women who cherished them. American Fancy is a veritable treasury of vintage creations, many of which were pragmatic as surely as they were beautiful.

5 comments about Furniture Hot Spots: The Best Furniture Stores and Websites Coast to Coast.

1. The Washington, DC section is only 14 pages which is short considering only 1 store is on each page and she omitted suburban MD and VA. In the intro she mentions that Bethesda and Alexandria are just a short distance away, but she doesn't list any stores. The big furniture stores are only found in MD and VA, not within DC.



2. I sat down with this book last night expecting to start the first of several nights of reading. I threw it aside about 15 minutes later surprised that I had reviewed every part that was relevant to me.
   
   I think the problem lies is the nature of furniture selling. Furniture is primarily sold by local retailers, rather than big chains, so this book only has a small amount of relevant information for any single individual.
   
   I live in Boston, so I'm not interested in the best places to buy in Atlanta or Washington DC, and what was included for me was a pretty small sample. I was surprised that none of the major local stores were there, like Jordan's Furniture and Bernie and Phyl's. Even some of the national chains were not mentioned, like Thomasville and La-Z-Boy.
   
   These are the places where my family and friends actually buy furniture. I assume they were eliminated because of space, which underscores the key problem here. She's trying to cover so many regions that none get covered very deeply at all.
   
   I don't have a problem with the information that is included (hence the two stars rather than one). The author clearly put a lot of effort into compiling all this. I just think the main idea behind the book was flawed from the outset. I wasn't expecting the book to be comprehensive. It's just that there simply isn't very much useful information in it for me, and that therefore doesn't make this book very valuable to me.
   
   I think this is ideal material to be covered by a local newspaper or magazine.



3. I thought this book was excellent and helpful. It really made furniture shopping fun and efficient. The guide really gives a vaid and useful description of everything you need to know to have a successful experience. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to refurnish their home and it also makes a great gift! Loved it



4. This is an essential guide for anyone who wants to furnish their dream home but has no idea where to start. Not only is the book practical and useful, it is entertaining because of the anecdotes based on Litwin's own furniture buying experiences that are interspersed throughout the book. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever left a furniture store feeling like they could have gotten something better.



5. While furniture shopper expect Jennifer Litwin's Furniture Hot Spots: Best Furniture Stores And Websites Coast To Coast could easily have been featured under our consumer's reviews, it's featured here so homeowners won't miss what might be the most valuable consideration of a home: its furniture choice. Learn where to locate the best furniture, how to identify the best, and how to bargain for it in a guide which reviews hundreds of furniture stores in 12 major cities across the nation: stores which specialize in unique, fine pieces from antique to modern, low end to high. Her excellent, candid assessment offers 'chair' ratings by quality, price, personnel and ambiance.

No comments about Furniture Care: Reviving and Repairing Surfaces.

No comments about Warmans How to Be a Furniture Detective.

No comments about Identifying American Furniture: Third Edition, Revised and Enlarged (American Association for State and Local History Book Series).

2 comments about Liberty Blue Dinnerware.

1. Liberty Blue Dinnerware is compact, concise and provides everything a collector or dealer needs. Debbie and Randy Coe have done an excellent job of providing the history of Liberty Blue Dinnerware with pictures of original ads adding value to the readers experience.
   
   The pictures are excellent and the organization of the book makes it easy for identification purposes including descriptions, measurements and current values. Although the book is a "soft cover" the glossy pages are first rate and enhance the quality of the pictures.
   
   Buy it, use it, enjoy it. Value pricing makes it that much better!



2. This book is a MUST for all collectors of patriotic Liberty Blue dinnerware, a grocery store premium that celebrated the Bicentennial years of the mid-1970's. The Coes combine excellent photos, realistic values and lots of historical information in this brief book.

No comments about Measured Drawings of Early American Furniture.

No comments about Craft Furniture: The Legacy of the Human Hand (Schiffer Design Book).

1 comments about Four Centuries of American Furniture.

1. I have 25+ titles dealing with antique furniture and Four Centuries of American Furniture is, in my opinion, in the top three...a true "text book" of American furniture study. In this revised edition, Fitzgerald covers, in great detail, American furniture styles from the earliest settlers through the mid 20th century. Each period is covered in great depth, providing detailed info on the various regional style differences,how each one evolved, which countries influenced American furniture, as well as the many social and economic changes that influenced each style. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in antique American furniture.