5 comments about Classic Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties.

1. I first came to classical Chinese furniture through the work of Gustav Ecke, who photographed Ming and early Qing pieces in the 1930's, about the time that George Kates was living his "fat" years in Peking. As a furniture builder I was fascinated by the incredible sophistication of the genre and also by the inexplicable abilities of the cabinet makers of the time. But looking at these pieces through Ecke's work is a pale experience compared to looking at it through that of Dr. Wang. Here is a Chinese scholar, working all his life in China, having access to the most beautiful extant pieces and in possession of the taste and technical skill to select and showcase the best of the best. My copy of this work is always at hand, and whenever I plan to build a new piece it is this one I pick up first. Dr. Wang's understanding of not only the aesthetics, but also the technical details is communicated to the reader in the clearest and most pleasing way imaginable.
   
   I visited the "Red Sandalwood Museum" which is near the classical furniture district in Beijing recently. The first thing one sees is a placard with the face and words of Dr. Wang. His imprimatur assures the visitor that these walls hold value (as indeed they do.) This book is not only fascinating and educational, but beautiful. It's expensive, but well worth the money.



2. Classic Chinese Furniture has wonderful illustrations and goes into introductions of the furniture any layman can understand. Mr. Wang has given many details to the reader so that a better understanding, what to look for and and how to judge the quality of a piece can be learned. Pen drawings of the pieces help to illustrate the different parts and clearly show the reader how the piece is put together. I travel to China often and purchased this book in Shanghai. It was more expensive in the bookstore in China than what Amazon charges...



3. If you truly appreciate antique Chinese furniture for its grace and beauty, but like me, you can't afford a zitan Southern official chair or huanghuali opium day bed, Wang Shixiang's book, with loads of gorgeous photographs, is the next best thing to owning the actual pieces. More a coffee table book, than a reference book for antique buyers. Still, it's one of the best books around on Chinese antique furniture.



4. Truly beautiful coffee table book, with plenty of photos of Chinese furniture. A must-have for anyone who loves Chinese furniture. A bargain at the [low] price!



5. I have read this book over and over again. Being in the Antique Furnitue business, it has helped me with all my favorite collections. I have met Mr. Wangshi Xiang before, and I do respect and appreciate his hard work for studying the topic for almost 40 years. It is my belief that this book has reinforced the wave of collection of Chinese Antique Furniture. It is really sad that there are more authentic and rare pieces despered overseas than in China now.

No comments about Art in Action: Nature, Creativity, and Our Collective Future.

No comments about The Fine Art of Wood: The Bohlen Collection.

1 comments about Beatific Souls: Jack Kerouac's On the Road.

1. If you have an interest in Kerouac, you should buy this book. It's one of the few books that is actually worth its cover price.
   
   The reproductions of materials from the Kerouac archive are beautiful, and Gewirtz's text is just what you want to read. This is a perfect companion to the published version of _On the Road_, the original scroll version of _Road_, and the journal entries published in _Windblown World_. Taken together, these books affirm that Kerouac was a brilliant and dedicated writer and reader. The documents in _Beatific Soul_, especially, allow the reader to see Kerouac's beautiful mind at work.

1 comments about Edna Boies Hopkins: Strong in Character, Colorful in Expression.

1. Edna Boies Hopkins was a part of the art colony in Provincetown, Massachusetts during the early part of the 20th Century. After traveling in Europe and Asia she was part of the group experimenting with innovations in woodblock printing, in her case, with stunning results. This books brings to life her work, done in many parts of the United States and adds mightily to the biographical information available which had not been examined in depth until now. Mr. Vasseur is to be commended for his superlative effort.
   
   Stephen Borkowski, Chairman, Provincetown Art Commission

1 comments about Flowers of Silk & Gold: 4 Centuries of Ottoman Embroidery.

1. If you're interested in the what and how of Ottoman embroidery, this is a good place to start. In addition to cultural and historical background, the book gives information on how the pieces were made, to what uses they were put, and influences on design and style. It's well illustrated throughout with not only photos of extant needlework, but on Ottoman style and culture. Many of the embroidery photos are detailed enough to see individual stitches.
   
   The main chapters/sections are
   A Brief History of the Ottoman Empire
   Makers and Methods
   Designs and Functions
   Glossary
   Catalog
   Catalog has color photos and detailed information for 56 pieces from the 17th-19th centuries with a few pieces from the 20th. Includes info on stitches, technique, and thread count and spin of the ground fabric.
   
   There is also a very good bibliography for those wishing to dig deeper. Another good book you might like is Ottoman Embroidery by Ellis and Wearden (NOT the one with the same title by Taylor).

1 comments about Stuart Davis.

1. Right off the bat you should know I keep buying this book because I keep giving my current copy away to people I love. This book brilliantly presents superlative examples of why Stuart Davis is seen by artists & art historians alike as one of the greatest American painters of the 20th Century. A thousand imitators have followed after Davis, trying to match his genius for both capturing and yet leading the American cultural zeitgeist. No one can match him: Davis is the master. Buy this book and see why. Better yet, buy multiples of this book: you will want THAT much to give your favorite people a treasure of a book from one of the few true diamonds amongst 20th century American artists, Stuart Davis. And have fun reveling.

No comments about At Home with the Impressionists: Masterpieces of French Still-Life Painting.

2 comments about Covers of the Saturday Evening Post: Seventy Years of Outstanding Illustration.

1. I have given this fascinating book four stars instead of five because it really should have come with a magnifying glass. There are over 3500 covers (in color) from the start of the last century and they are all one and a half inches by two inches, actually they could have been a bit bigger by reducing the generous margins round each cover.
   
   Despite the small size there is plenty to enjoy in this well printed book. All the Rockwell's and Leyendecker's are here and into the forties and fifties you can follow Albert Staele's cover paintings of his spaniel Butch, or the regular winter snow scene covers painted by John Clymer. My favourite is Stevan Dohanos, he seemed to delight in cramming in as much detail as possible, offering reader's a reassurance of the familiar and everday. Some publisher should do a book of his Post covers.
   
   I was interested to see the covers of the short-lived new look Post from September 61 to June 62, these were created by the famous designer Herb Lubalin but his creative efforts did not impress Middle America and the cover and inside look returned to the regular style. I always thought they looked great and I would love to have these 37 issues in my Post collection (send me an email if you have them)
   
   From late 1962 the Post covers were almost all photographic, just like any other mass market magazine and the last weekly issue came out on February 8 1969. This book is a visual record of a unique American publication, just have your magnifying glass handy to enjoy the experience.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



2. I think you can tell a lot about someone by what they keep on their coffee table. I happen to have my copy of this masterful volume next to my chess set and my wilting poinsetta...

   It's nice to see a collection from the Saturday Evening Post that doesn't center on Norman Rockwell--which is why I chose this particular one. I wanted to see the works of the lesser-known artists as well, primarily those of Leyendecker...

   This is the one book I've found that was thorough enough to include everyone. Though I would love to find a book that presents them as something bigger than a 2x3" thumbnail of the covers.

   I wouldn't call it a good read, but rather a nice sit-and-lookthrough passtime, sort of like flipping through someone's photo album...

1 comments about In Focus: Julia Margaret Cameron: Photographs from the J. Paul Getty Museum (In Focus).

1. It was a pleasant surprise to get to know this 19th century photographer. The images are beautiful and have a romantic dreamlike atmosphere that somehow recall pre-raphaelite paintings. The edition is well done and texts suit well the exquisite photographs.