Starting to Collect Antique Furniture

Összefoglaló

Furniture is a prime interest of most antique collectors, but few books attempt to give the beginner an overall view of the history and development of furniture design. This book, structured chronologically and then by country within each time period, starts with the primary medieval period and follows right through the dominance of successive Italian, French and English influences up to 1900. In identifying, describing and illustrating those major fashions and styles whose originals were copied and adapted from country to country over at least two centuries, the author has used his well-proven research and experience to explain an apparently confusing subject with the clarity for which his other books are celebrated. The way in which he shows how so-called national styles are related to neighbouring and even distant originals in other countries makes this history of antique furniture a fascinating and illuminating read as well as a handy and portable reference. This copiously illustrated book covers all the principal European countries and the United States of America in a simple, easily-digested form which shows all the major design features necessary for the understanding of many furniture styles. Never before has such a comprehensive survey been published in so workmanlike yet so concise a form. Practical and compendious, it will serve as a primer for beginners as well as an aide-mémoire for experienced collectors.