Upholstery in America fills a large gap in our knowledge of the decorative arts.

This well referenced book provides an amply illustrated publication on upholstery conservation which discusses and reviews the issues related to the care, interpretation and treatment of upholstered furniture. Through many well illustrated case studies the inter-disciplinary collaboration fundamental to upholstery conservation, and the complex decision-making process involved in the treatment of upholstered furniture, are made evident. The case histories are contributed by leading international practitioners in the field and concern objects and collections in the care of English Heritage, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other internationally renowned institutions. Likewise, the contributors, from both sides of the Atlantic, are world-renowned specialists and leaders in this area of conservation working for the public and private sectors. The case histories, illustrated in colour, black and white and specially prepared line drawings, concern object treatment and documentation, the conservation of information, the function and the artefact. They range from the documentation of eighteenth century removable chair covers and the treatment of a nineteenth century carriage to a twentieth century foam-filled chair belonging to a museum.

Cooke offers a fresh and appealing cross-disciplinary study of the furnituremakers, social structure, household possessions, and surviving pieces of furniture of two neighboring New England communities. Winner of the Decorative Arts Society, Inc.'s Charles F. Montgomery Prize Originally published in 1996. In Making Furniture in Preindustrial America Edward S. Cooke Jr. offers a fresh and appealing cross-disciplinary study of the furnituremakers, social structure, household possessions, and surviving pieces of furniture of two neighboring New England communities. Drawing on both documentary and artifactual sources, Cooke explores the interplay among producer, process, and style in demonstrating why and how the social economies of these two seemingly similar towns differed significantly during the late colonial and early national periods. Throughout the latter half of the eighteenth century, Cooke explains, the yeoman town of Newtown relied on native joiners whose work satisfied the expectations of their fellow townspeople. These traditionalists combined craftwork with farming and made relatively plain, conservative furniture. By contrast, the typical joiner in the neighboring gentry town of Woodbury was the immigrant innovator. Born and raised elsewhere in Connecticut and serving a diverse clientele, these craftsmen were free of the cultural constraints that affected their Newtown contemporaries. Relying almost entirely on furnituremaking for their livelihood, they were free to pay greater attention to stylistically sensitive features than to mere function.

Authentic classification of European and American designs for professionals and connoisseurs.

Drawing on the latest scholarship, this comprehensive, lavishly illustrated survey tells the story of the evolution of American furniture from the 17th century to the present. Not viewed in isolation, furniture is placed in its broader cultural, historic, and aesthetic context. The focus is not only on the urban masterpieces of 18th century William and Mary, Queen Anne, Chippendale, and Federal styles but also on the work of numerous rural cabinetmakers. Special chapters explore Windsor chairs, Shaker, and Pennsylvania German furniture which do not follow the mainstream style progression. Picturesque and anti-classical explain Victorian furniture including Rococo, Renaissance, and Eastlake. Mission and Arts and Crafts furniture introduce the 20th century. Another chapter identifies the eclectic revivals such as Early American that dominated the mass market throughout much of the 20th century. After World War II American designers created many of the Mid-Century Modern icons that are much sought after by collectors today. The rise of studio furniture and furniture as art which include some of the most creative and imaginative furniture produced in the 20th and 21st centuries caps the review of four centuries of American furniture. A final chapter advises on how to evaluate the authenticity of both traditional and modern furniture and how to preserve it for posterity. With over 800 photos including 24 pages of color, this fully illustrated text is the authoritative reference work.

Now in its sixth year, Early Homes is a biannual special edition that focuses on the period 1690—1850 and it's revivals, including Colonial and Neoclassical design. Each issue contains lavish photos and plenty of product sources.