Books

[marcros]

I am interested in learning a bit more about antiques, and furniture.

Has anybody got the set of books:

A History of English Furniture by Percy Macquoid? It is a set of 4, covering Oak, Walnut, Satinwood and Mahogany. I am interested in comments as to whether it is a good starting point. It isn't much money- a modern reprint is about a tenner

Recent talk of mahogany encouraged me to do a bit of research:

does anybody have Mahogany, Antique and Modern by William Farquhar Payson? This one is a bit more of an investment, but presumably would have some value if sold on.

Thanks
Mark

 

[cowfoot]

Macquoid's "A History of English Furniture" is well worth a tenner!
That it's still in print and still being argued over point to the fact that it's a classic. Very readable (none of that late Victorian verbiage here), well illustrated and provides excellent historical context to changing furniture styles.
There's not a great deal for the maker, however - you won't find diagrams of drawer slips.
I'd also recommend -
"British Antique Furniture" by John Andrews (great overview of different types of furniture)
"Early Georgian Furniture" by Adam Bowett (here's where you will find diagrams of drawer slips!)
"English Vernacular Furniture" by Christopher Gilbert (really fascinating - from workhouse beds to school desks)

 

[pollys13]

As well as having a look on Amazon, if you don't know about, have a look at https://www.abebooks.co.uk
Often Amazon doesn't cover all the 2nd hand copies available. Abe books has a listing of all copies of book available in UK with a price and condition listing. Obvious, your area library, online book catalogue, might have copies on shelf or order through for you.

 

[AndyT]

Volume 2 of the Percy Maquoid set (Walnut) is available to read online or download as a pdf at the Hathi Trust - which is a very good way to see what you would be getting!

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id= ... =1up;seq=9

If you see a copy for a tenner it's probably a print on demand job, derived from the same copy and scan.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

http://www.waterstonesmarketplace.com/
Is sometimes worth a look.

 

[marcros]

Volume 2 of the Percy Maquoid set (Walnut) is available to read online or download as a pdf at the Hathi Trust - which is a very good way to see what you would be getting!

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id= ... =1up;seq=9

If you see a copy for a tenner it's probably a print on demand job, derived from the same copy and scan.

The one(s) for a tenner are a used copy of 1980's vintage. https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Book ... 2Bmacquoid

I am going to have a look at the link on walnut and potentially invest some of my hard earned in a couple of the suggestions.

Thanks all.

 

[custard]

I often feel dissatisfied by the antique furniture books that I've read. Many are just series of photographs supported by superficial descriptions. Others are bland generalisations without much academic rigour.

There's a few problems that seem to surface again and again. The author tries to look at furniture in isolation, when it's often better understood through the buildings and rooms it was designed to live in. Or the author hasn't the slightest interest in how furniture was made or the manufacturing practises that governed it's production.

I wish Charles Hayward had written more on antiques (he's written a bit, but not enough to satisfy), or that some of the top flight restorers had written anything at all!

 

[cowfoot]

There's a few problems that seem to surface again and again. The author tries to look at furniture in isolation, when it's often better understood through the buildings and rooms it was designed to live in. Or the author hasn't the slightest interest in how furniture was made or the manufacturing practises that governed it's production.

Adam Bowett's "English Furniture 1660-1714" and "Early Georgian Furniture" are exemplary in dealing with both those issues - it's to be hoped that he'll continue a bit further along the historical record!
You're very justified in your criticism, though. Unfortunately it's an unfashionable subject, so I can't see publishers clamouring for improved titles. Anyone who's followed Jack Plane's blog (https://pegsandtails.wordpress.com) will have been as gutted as I was when the kibosh was put on his plan for a book.
Have you given any thought to being published, Custard? Your "mini-articles" on here explaining techniques or solving problems are excellent, I'm sure I'm not the only person to have bookmarked a few!

 

[custard]

What a fabulous find is the "Jack Plane" blog! I'd never seen it before, but going forward I'll be savouring every post!

Thank you for the link.

+1 to Adam Bowett by the way, and I'd add his "100 British Chairs" to the list of rare winners.

 

[AndyT]

I often feel dissatisfied by the antique furniture books that I've read. Many are just series of photographs supported by superficial descriptions. Others are bland generalisations without much academic rigour.

There's a few problems that seem to surface again and again. The author tries to look at furniture in isolation, when it's often better understood through the buildings and rooms it was designed to live in. Or the author hasn't the slightest interest in how furniture was made or the manufacturing practises that governed it's production.

I wish Charles Hayward had written more on antiques (he's written a bit, but not enough to satisfy), or that some of the top flight restorers had written anything at all!

Custard, did you notice this thread back in 2014, where Grahame Haydon told us about the book "Is it Genuine" by W. Crawley? In it, an experienced restorer discusses 18th century furniture, from the construction details outwards, explaining how things were really made, and later imitated. I think you would enjoy it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Marcross, I have a copy of English Furniture - Decoration Woodwork and Allied Arts. Thomas Arthur Strange
It hasn't vast manufacturing detail but it has thousands of drawings and loads of other info. It's of no real value to me and I'm trying to make some space so if you'd like it PM me your address and you can have it.

 

[custard]

"Is it Genuine" by W. Crawley? In it, an experienced restorer discusses 18th century furniture, from the construction details outwards, explaining how things were really made, and later imitated. I think you would enjoy it.

Looks interesting, so I've ordered a copy. Thanks for the tip.

Incidentally, there has always been a fascination with antique fakery, "The Gentle Art Of Faking Furniture" by Herbert Cescinsky, is probably the best known book on the subject. Back in the late 1970's/early 80's when I was first training as a cabinet maker it was generally assumed that a career as an independent furniture maker would be (commercially at least) based around repro and restoration work. After seeing some real masters at work I was always surprised at the difference between how new timber was artificially aged by people who actually did it, and how the general public thought they did it! The reality was a combination of oxidising wood surfaces with acid, chemical staining and ageing, carefully planned distressing, and sophisticated finishing techniques. The myth was all about dumping furniture in pig sties or towing it behind cars over cobbled streets. It's sobering that the advent of the internet, rather than puncturing the myths, seems to have consolidated them!

 

[bugbear]

It's sobering that the advent of the internet, rather than puncturing the myths, seems to have consolidated them!

A simple lie is always more appealing than a complicated truth. All the internet has done is accelerate the propagation to the speed of light.

BugBear

 

[custard]

All the internet has done is accelerate the propagation to the speed of light

Nicely put!

 

[cowfoot]

Bit of a tangent...but I recently spoke to someone who claimed his Father used to fake antiques. Apparently he once had the Antiques Roadshow fooled and, apparently, he beat his "Chippendales" with lengths of chain etc.
It's an odd sensation when you realise the person you're talking to is making stuff up about making stuff up!