Name: Malaysian Batik
Brand: Noor Azlina Yunus
Price: 14.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Noor Azlina Yunus

Malaysian Batik

$14.99

Malaysian Batik: Reinventing a Tradition, traces the history of batik, the materials, methods and motifs of the block-stamped and hand drawn methods, and the ways in which Malaysian batik has been transformed into a craft with international appeal.

Batik is more than wax and dye applied to a length of cloth. It is an art form practiced by people around Asia. With its its bolder, abstract designs and its brighter palette, Malaysian batik is a distinctly different type of batik that has brought an exciting new dimension to this ancient method of fabric art.

Historically seen as a craft, batik making in Malaysia today has segued into more of an art form, both in its creation and its uses. Historically, batik fabric was fashioned into sarongs to be worn by people across all walks of life. More often now batik fabrics are used for lifestyle products, as art pieces and, above all, for contemporary high fashion. The pieces that are created display an originality of composition and design, an effective use of color, a high level of technical expertise and a flair for working in the medium that are the hallmarks of great works of art. Many of the recent advances in Malaysian batik are due to the initiatives of the Yayasan Budi Penyayang, which has revitalized the Malaysian batik industry by adapting it to suit fashion needs and utilized the Asian fashion industry to promote and display its beauty.

Cover image for Malaysian Batik, isbn: 9781462908783

Adolf Hackmack

Chinese Carpets and Rugs

$12.99

This guide to chinese rugs is a classic work of art history and of enormous importance to collectors, artists and casual readers alike.

First published in the famous rug-making city of Tientsin more than fifty years ago in a limited edition, Chinese Carpets and Rugs has unjustly been out of print for far too long. It has been the object of eager and futile search by many collectors, and its reappearance here in a faithful photographic reprint is certain to be welcomed by all discerning students of carpet weaving in one of its most famous and delightful forms.

The book presents valuable essays on the development of carpet weaving, the colors of Chinese carpets, and the weaving process. The enduring worth of this book is proved by its continuing high reputation among collectors.

Cover image for Chinese Carpets and Rugs, isbn: 9781462911646

Manami Okazaki

Japanese Kokeshi Dolls

$19.99

An inside look at kokeshi dolls: from the skilled woodworkers behind their design to their important cultural significance.

Discover the simplicity and charm of traditional Japanese Kokeshi dolls, known for their cylindrical shape and distinctive absence of arms and legs. Originally crafted as children's toys in Japan's Tohoku region, these dolls have evolved into sought-after collector's items, inspiring renowned architects and artists worldwide.

In this visual guide, readers will find:

An overview of the various Kokeshi doll types
How kokeshi dolls are crafted, including information on tools and woods used
Interviews with leading kokeshi craftspeople worldwide
Detailed information on both traditional and modern Kokeshi dolls
An exploration of the cultural significance, both historically and in the post-earthquake and tsunami rebuilding efforts of northern Japan in 2011
A guide to visiting Japan's kokeshi regions
Tips on purchasing these dolls directly from Japanese artisans or through global stockists

Filled with artist interviews, gorgeous photos and firsthand travel experience, author Manami Okazaki has created a book to be enjoyed by all — from serious collectors to woodcrafters, interior designers, architects, armchair travelers and anyone with an interest in Japanese culture and travel.

Cover image for Japanese Kokeshi Dolls, isbn: 9781462921973

Alan Scott Pate

Ningyo

$32.99

Ningyo: The Art of the Japanese Doll features over 250 unique photographs as well as extensive commentary and background history.

Japanese dolls (ningyo) have played an important role in Japanese art and culture since its earliest stages of development, as talismanic figures, centerpieces, in elaborate festivals, medical study tools, theater distractions, decorative objects, and avidly collected art forms, as well as childhood playthings. Ningyo: The Art of the Japanese Doll is the most comprehensive book on antique Japanese dolls and figurines published in English. The book focuses on the many types of Japanese dolls:

gosho: palace dolls
hina: Girl's Day dolls
musha: warrior dolls for the Boy's Day Festival
isho: fashion dolls

The principal forms of the dolls and their history, stylistic development, cultural context, and economic imperatives are discussed against the backdrop of Edo-period society and popular culture. Beautifully detailed color photographs of ningyo drawn from private collections, many of which are published here for the first time, as well as images of related materials selected from celebrated museums and temple collections, such as folding screens, woodblock prints, sculpture, painting ceramics, and textiles, help place the dolls in context. Ningyo: The Art of the Japanese Doll is a fascinating book for anyone interested in Asian doll art and doll collecting.

Cover image for Ningyo, isbn: 9781462907205

John M. Yumoto

Samurai Sword

$17.95

The samurai sword: a symbol of the spirit of old Japan, it embodies the samurai's steel discipline, unswerving devotion and peerless skill. With its creation, a feat of craftsmanship passed down by generations of artisans, the samurai sword is generally considered to be superior even to the famed blades of Western Damascus and Toledo.

The Samurai Sword Handbook is a precise exploration of the samurai sword designed for sword collectors as well as anyone intrigued by these ancient blades. Detailing the origins and development of the samurai sword, its historical background, styles, famous schools and differences in construction, this revised edition of the classic reference outlines methods of identifying and researching the sword, as well as caring for it properly. This must-have for sword lovers is sure to be a bestseller.

Topics of this Samurai book include:

Japanese History and the Samurai Sword
Types of swords
Parts of the sword
Blade shape, construction, and grain
The making of the sword
Inscriptions and their readings
Care and maintenance
Appraisal and value
Relative point values

Cover image for Samurai Sword, isbn: 9781462907069

Joan M. Hartman

Chinese Jade of Five Centuries

$19.99

Chinese Jade of Five Centuries was originally published in print form by Tuttle Publishing in 1969.

In Chinese Jade of Five Centuries, Mrs Hartman provides an encompassing look at one of the minor arts which must be considered vital to a judgement of artistic achievements of any civilization.

Magnificently illustrated with 45 black and white photographs and 10 color plates, the book displays many museum examples which have not been previously published for general readership. Written for the layman, the text should satisfy the more discerning and knowledgeable reader as well, particularly for it's information on the quality and location of jade rough, on dating, and techniques of carving.

Cover image for Chinese Jade of Five Centuries, isbn: 9781462909629

Basil Hall Chamberlain

Japanese Things

$9.99

Armchair travelers beware!

Japanese Things will lure you out of your cozy, comfy home and chair to an unusual country with bewitching manners and customsand once you have succumbed to its spell you will never be the same. Here in one neat package you will meet the flavor, charm, and piquancy of old Japana revised reprint of one of the indispensable books on Japan, by the late Prof. Basil Hall Chamberlain, eminent British scholar who in the latter part of the 19th century "taught Japanese and Japan to the Japanese."

Many books in one, this monumental compilation contains such diversified subjects as Art and Abacus; Botany and Buddhism; Charms and Cherry Blossoms; Daimyos and Divination; Fairy Tales and Flowers; Gardens and Government; History and Hara-kiri; Law and Language; Marriage and Music; Poetry and Pottery; Shinto and Singing Girls (Geisha); Tea and Theater, and Writing and Wood Engraving. In this long-awaited reprint, in which the title has been changed from Things Japanese, the reader will encounter exquisite objects of daily Japanese life, the gardens and cultures of the fields, the harmony and balance in the fundamentals of day-by-day existence.

Cover image for Japanese Things, isbn: 9781462908721

Rudolf G. Smend

Batik: From the Courts of Java and Sumatra

$19.99

With beautiful full-color Batik cloths and extensive historical and cultural commentary, Batik: From the Courts of Java and Sumatra is a fundamental work in the field of Indonesian art and culture.

Batik occupies a special position in Indonesia. The extraordinary photographs of cloths and prints in this book demonstrate why batik is the stuff of textile legend. These 71 batik designs, taken from the collection of famed dealer Rudolf G. Smend, date from 1880-1930, a time still considered batik's golden age.

Emanating from the provicial and stately courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta in Central Java are hip, chest, shoulder, and head cloths in controlled, orderly, geometric patterns in natural soga brown, indigo blue, black, and cream. Brighter colors and freer designs on the sarongs made in Cirebon, Pekalongan, Lasem, and other towns along Java's commercial north coast eloquently attest to the blending of indigenous forms, motifs, and colors with outside influences. Southern Sumatra, with its Muslim heritage, contributed large shoulder cloths and headscarves often bearing Koranic invocations.

Complementing these extraordinary cloths are 16 vintage photo prints from the Leo Haks collection, which demonstrate how batik was worn at court and in other settings.

Cover image for Batik: From the Courts of Java and Sumatra, isbn: 9781462906956

Brigitta Hauser-Schaublin

Balinese Textiles

$8.99

In this beautifully illustrated book, three experts examine the history, production and uses of textiles in Balinese society. Many fine pieces are presented, their raw materials and methods of weaving and dyeing are described, and the complex symbolism and ritual functions of each are explained in detail.

Cover image for Balinese Textiles, isbn: 9781462907021

Colin M. Roach

Japanese Swords

$32.95

With over 300 stunning photographs and woodblock prints along with extensive historical and cultural commentary, Japanese Swords is the ultimate authority on Samurai weaponry.

Historically, Japanese warriors considered their swords to be far greater than simple weaponry. Their swords were both lethal tools and divine companions — social and religious icons. Traditionally worn by the samurai as a sign of social status, the Japanese sword represented the junction between the reigning military class and those whom they ruled. Moreover, the samurai sword was a technological and artistic marvel. Many scholars consider it to be the finest sword ever constructed.

In terms of symbolism and historical importance, no other blade comes close to the Japanese sword. With a historical, iconographical, and technological perspective, author Cohn M. Roach provides an in-depth study of these magnificent weapons in Japanese Swords. This richly illustrated sword book weaves the blade's primary influences together, tracking its history and illuminating its progress from infancy to grandeur. By studying the evolution of the Japanese sword from this perspective, we better understand Japan and its warrior archetype.

Combining research materials from multiple disciplines, Roach uses his expertise as an educator to guide readers through the sword's rise to greatness in a unique way. This book discusses the history, development, and spiritual symbolism of the sword, as well as the esoteric metallurgical techniques used in making it. It also covers the difficult training practices used by skilled swordsmen.

Japanese Swords also includes a companion video content featuring a beautifully-filmed documentary that explores the traditional swordmaker's craft. The video content also contains an introduction to the Japanese sword at a sword shop in Kyoto and a visit to a dojo for a beginner's class in the medieval sword-drawing art called iaido.

Cover image for Japanese Swords, isbn: 9781462915750

Charles Jacobsen

Check Points on How to Buy Oriental Rugs

$12.99

This classic oriental rug guide is still the most comprehensive and authoritative book for buying or selling rugs—essential reading for any collector.

Author, Charles W. Jacobsen was a world renowened authority on Oriental rugs. Check Points on How to Buy Oriental Rugs represent the essence of his five decades of experience in buying and selling new and antique Oriental rugs. Experienced dealers and first-time buyers alike will benefit from the expert information and advice Mr. Jacobsen offers.

Cover image for Check Points on How to Buy Oriental Rugs, isbn: 9781462903726

Melvin Jahss

Inro & Other Min. forms

$24.99

The most comprehensive book covering Japanese inro and netsuke this book an in-depth guide to Japanese miniature laquer art.

Inro and Other Miniature Forms of Japanese Lacquer Art is designed both for the novice in Japanese lacquer art and for the advanced collector who specializes in such delightful forms of that art as the inro and the netsuke. For readers who desire a general acquaintance with the subject, there are absorbing chapters on the history of Japanese lacquer, on miniature lacquer forms and on the subject matter of lacquer art. For the collector, there is not only highly technical information on lacquer manufacture and techniques but also a comprehensive chapter on netsuke.

Three other features of the book make it an invaluable one for collectors:

Tthe biographical listing of more than 900 miniature-lacquer artists
The genealogies of the outstanding lacquer schools
The reproductions of 59 signatures of representative artists.

Included are over 250 illustrations. All important miniature lacquer forms are represented. In addition, there is a well-selected and useful bibliography.

Cover image for Inro & Other Min. forms, isbn: 9781462903832

Adrienne Barbanson

Fables in Ivory

$19.99

In Fables in Ivory, delightful Japanese legends are accompanied With dozens of color photographs and extensive historical background.

To introduce netsuke sculptures to a wider audience and, at the same time, to tell some of the legends that inspired their creators, Adrienne Barbanson presents here a collection of superb photographs accompanied by a narrative text designed to enhance the reader's appreciation of this remarkable by relatively unfamiliar art.

Cover image for Fables in Ivory, isbn: 9781462913213

Don Bingham

Buying & Selling Antiques & Collectibl

$14.99

Written for both beginners and experienced collectors, this antiques guide provides descriptions of some of the more prized antiques and collectibles, and explains how to find them and how to resell them.

How can you recognize depression glass? How do you find valuable antiques at garage sales? And how can you get into the antiques business yourself? Buying & Selling Antiques is the perfect resource for the antiques dabbler, the garage-sale lover, the knick-knack admirer. Written for both beginners and experienced collectors, this guide provides descriptions of some of the more prized antiques and collectibles, and explains how to find them an how to resell them. The authors offer insiders' tips on cleaning and repair, auction strategies, how to set up displays and how to find the best markets for your wares.

Buying & Selling Antiques and Collectibles is the indispensable guide for those who plan to start their own antiques business or who hope to make a little money from their hobby.

Cover image for Buying & Selling Antiques & Collectibl, isbn: 9781462904419

Lilla S. Perry

Chinese Snuff Bottles

$19.99

Chinese Snuff Bottles is invaluable document for all interested in the history of Chinese art.

It is also a lucid and fascinating guidebook for the collector or would be collector, both of snuff bottles and other products of Chinese craftsmanship. All the skills and ingenuity of the Chinese artisans were lavished upon the production of these tiny bottles, making them pre-eminent representatives of the best in Chinese craftsmanship.

This classic art history book is the first full account in any language of this facet of Chinese art. It includes a comprehensive treatment of the origins and development of the snuff bottle in China as well as over 150 actual-size reproductions, the majority in full color. It is a fascinating story by an enthusiastic collector, who captivated by the beauty and ingenuity found in these bottles, had the interest to delve into the historical background techniques of manufacture, kind and quality of materials, classification and organization of types, and the like, as well as a delightfully informal style with which to communicate her wide knowledge and enthusiasm to the reader.

Cover image for Chinese Snuff Bottles, isbn: 9781462909605

Eric A. Kaemmerer

Trades and Crafts of Old Japan

$5.99

This very rare series of Japanese paintings depicts everyday artisans in feudal Japan. Extensive commentary provides insight into the historical and cultural context of the scenes.

More than three centuries ago, not long after Japan had entered the period of seclusion decreed by her Tokugawa rulers, an unknown artist, or perhaps a group of artists, painted a series of pictures for an album portraying contemporary trades and crafts. In creating the scenes that compose this rare relic from Tokugawa days, the anonymous painter left for later ages an invaluable record of everyday human activity in the utilitarian arts for which Japan has long been famous. It is these pictures, carefully reproduced in collotype and color and accompanied by Eric Kaemmerer's perceptive comments, that make up the present volume.

These scenes of Japanese life in the early 17th century introduce a variety of craftsmen ranging from needlemaker to swordsmith, from fanmaker to carpenter, from the creator of fragile lacquer ware to the fashioner of sturdy barrels. Their trades and crafts, many of which are still carried on with little change in present-day Japan, are portrayed with painstaking attention to detail and with a decided feeling for human interest.

Cover image for Trades and Crafts of Old Japan, isbn: 9781462913305

Raymond Bushell

Wonderful World of Netsuk

$7.99

Japanese netsukeminiature carvingsare profiled in this wonderful Japanese arts book.

These tiny masterpieces of sculpture (mostly in ivory and wood), of lacquer, and of metalwork captivated collectors with the charm of their conception, the intricacy of their detail, and the sheer tactile pleasure of handling them. Basically they were utilitarian in purpose, serving as toggles or pendants to support medicine boxes, tobacco pouches, and similar articles suspended by a cord from the obi. Originally primitive in design, they soon became more and more sophisticated, and their makers turned increasingly to the legendry of Japan for their subject matter.

It is with these masterpieces in miniature that author-collector Raymond Bushell deals in The Wonderful World of Netsuke picturing one hundred of them in color and offering a delightfully informative description of each. In so doing, he provides not only a visual treat but also an absorbing commentary on Japanese manners, customs, history, legends, and superstitions. Mr. Bushell, besides being an avid collector of netsuke, sword furnishings, and jade, is widely known for his adaptation from the Japanese of The Netsuke Handbook of Ueda Reikichi.

Cover image for Wonderful World of Netsuk, isbn: 9781462908745

Datin Seri

Nyonya Kebaya

$44.99

This longtime Malaysian fashion icon was originally a long, straight, Arab-inspired top of plain woven cotton. The Nyonyas, the women of the early Peranakan community, gradually transformed it into a shapely, embroidered, translucent blouse, fastened with a set of chained brooches and worn with a matching hand-drawn batik sarong.

Sheer, romantic, alluring, yet sedate, the designs of Nyonya kebaya crosses several generations and cultures.

This book showcases the collection of Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Cover image for Nyonya Kebaya, isbn: 9781462906918

O-Young Lee

Things Korean

$9.99

Containing photographs of everyday, antique objects along with insightful commentary, Things Korean is a useful guide to traditional life in Korea.

O-Young Lee, former Korean Minister of Culture gives us a survey of native objects from Korea, from totems(Changsung) to hair-pins(binyo), crock pots(Changdokdae) to temple bells(Jong), scissors(Kawi) to graves(mudon) explaining their significance and place in everyday Korean life.

Each item in the book is listed under its English and Korean name; a glossary is provided to further assist the reader. Lavishly illustrated with more than 100 color illustrations, Things Korean is a magnificent celebration of Korean culture.

Cover image for Things Korean, isbn: 9781462908400

Valery Garrett

Chinese Dress

$29.99

Featuring over 450 archival photographs and line drawings, Chinese Dress traces the evolution of Chinese clothing from court and formal costumes to the fashions of modern China.

A comprehensive and sumptuously illustrated book, Chinese Dress is the essential reference for costume historians, fashion designers and collectors, as well as lovers of beautiful clothes everywhere. Chapters include:

Dress of the Qing Manchu Rulers 1644-1911
Dress of the Manchu Consorts 1644-1911
Attire of Mandarins and Merchants
Attire of Chinese Women
Republican Dress 1912-1949
Clothing of the Lower Classes
Clothing for Children
Dress in New China 1950-2006

From Imperial robes to foot binding to the cheongsam, Chinese Dress spotlights traditional Chinese dress against a background of historical, cultural and social change, opening a fascinating window for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of China, Chinese culture and Chinese fashion history.

Cover image for Chinese Dress, isbn: 9781462906949

Ray Grover

Art Glass Nouveau

$24.99

Art Glass Nouveau is an exploration of the magnificent beauty of colored glass art.

This art book contains many unique pieces that were produced extensively in the United States, Great Britain, and other European countries during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when this fine art was at its height.

All of the illustrations are in full color. The book contains 424 plates, 50 of which are full page. The complete description of each piece indicates its size, the type of glass used, its identification marks, the names of the designer and/or producer, when known, and its present owner. While every significant type of art glass produced during this period is covered in the succinct text, the exciting galaxy of 424 plates, interspersed throughout the book, were selected not only because of their rare beauty and authenticity, but also to show representative pieces, similar to those that are still obtainable. Most important of all in identifying a piece and determining its value, according to the authors, are its color, its shape, and the texture of its surface, to which they constantly give particular attention.

Cover image for Art Glass Nouveau, isbn: 9781462909056

R. L. Hobson

Wares of the Ming Dynasty

$8.99

This book explains and illustrates as many varieties of Ming ceramics as possible. The text is based primarily on information obtained from Chinese sources and the occasional notes made by Europeans who visited China in Ming times. To these, Mr. Hobson has added his own penetrating deductions, made after careful study of well-authenticated specimens and of observation by earlier scholars. His presentation is not only clear and precise but also incontestably authoritative and at the same time highly readable.

The first twelve chapters of the book deal almost exclusively with the porcelain produced at Ching-te Chen; the next four, with the porcelain and pottery made at other centers. The bulk of the 129 pieces illustrated (12 in color) are drawn from private collections, but references is also made to important examples in museums. Of particular interest are Mr. Hobson's comments on collecting and on the identification of genuine Ming wares. A special chapter on marks, inscriptions, and Chinese characters is included, together with a selected bibliography.

Cover image for Wares of the Ming Dynasty, isbn: 9781462913039

Clive Sinclaire

Samurai Swords - A Collector's Guide

$29.95

Japanese swords, particularly those wielded by famous samurai warriors, hold a continuing fascination for collectors of fine arts and historical military weapons. This book is designed to enhance one's appreciation for the wide variety of Japanese swords (as well as their related polearms), their manufacture and their preservation.

A fascinating opening chapter explains how the elite Samurai class dominated Japan for more than a thousand years, how technological and ideological advances overtook the Samurai in the 1860s, heralding a more up-to-date political and military system of governance, and how such changes affected Samurai sword design and manufacture.

Subsequent chapters present topics of greatest relevance to today's sword collector: namely, the modern Japanese sword; different types of swords and their construction and testing; collecting and studying Japanese swords (and the tremendously important etiquette involved); and techniques of preserving and polishing swords.

This book is beautifully illustrated with paintings, photographs, drawings, and maps. In addition, there is an in-depth glossary and useful tables explaining Japanese calligraphic symbols relating to swords, both of great value to the collector.

Cover image for Samurai Swords - A Collector's Guide, isbn: 9781462919727

Hazel H. Gorham

Japanese & Oriental Ceramic

$10.99

Japanese and Oriental Ceramics was first published in print form by Tuttle Publishing in 1971.

This comprehensive and profusely illustrated work tells how to distinguish Japanese porcelains from Chinese, and how to recognize modern reproductions of genuine old wares. It is completely indexed, contains a lengthy bibliography, and lists Chinese dates important in any discussion of Oriental ceramics.

Crammed with information on the history, esthetics, and technical aspects of the ceramics of Japan and the Orient, the book is an invaluable guide to scholars, collectors and dealers. It is in fact a work of art in itself.

Cover image for Japanese & Oriental Ceramic, isbn: 9781462903856

Zilla Rider Lea

Ornamented Chair

$8.99

Discriminating decorators and collectors, no less than dealers and researchers in antiques, have long felt the need of a comprehensive study of the ornamented chair and its development in America. This book is the product of an effort to satisfy that need and at the same time to bring new pleasures to lovers of beautiful furniture.

The book is based on photographic and research material collected by the late Esther Stevens Brazer, who spent a lifetime in the study and revival of early American decoration.

The authors are all qualified researchers, teachers, and decorators. In their text they present a general history of chair types, facts regarding ornamentation, and informative accounts of some of the leading craftsmen and decorators of the various periods. The final chapter of the book briefly relates the history of the Society and describes how its members carry forward the efforts of Esther Stevens Brazer, maintaining in their research, their teaching, and their restorations the standards of an old craft and the traditions of its finest workmen.

Cover image for Ornamented Chair, isbn: 9781462913312

Yoshindo Yoshihara

Art of the Japanese Sword

$44.95

In The Art of the Japanese Sword, master swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara offers a detailed look at the entire process of Japanese sword making, including the finishing and appreciation of Japanese blades.

Japanese sword art stands out in many ways: functionality as a weapon, sophisticated metallurgy and metalsmithing, the shape of the blade itself—all contribute to the beauty of these remarkable weapons. The Art of the Japanese Sword conveys to the reader Japanese samurai sword history and Japanese sword care, as well as explaining how to view and appreciate a blade.

With 256 full-color pages, this sword book illustrates in meticulous detail how modern craftsmen use traditional methods to prepare their steel, forge the sword and create the unique hardened edge. By gaining a good understanding of how a sword is actually made, the reader will be able to appreciate the samurai sword more fully. Topics include:

Appreciating the Japanese sword
History of the Japanese sword
Traditional Japanese steelmaking
Making the sword
Finishing the sword

Cover image for Art of the Japanese Sword, isbn: 9781462909964

Alan Scott Pate

Japanese Dolls

$12.99

Japanese Dolls: The Fascinating World of Ningyo, is a wealth of information for Japanese art collectors, Asian doll collectors and doll enthusiasts of all levels and interests.

Full of beautiful photographs, the book details 18 kinds of widely collected, obtainable and affordable, antique and vintage dolls and figurines (ningyo). Author Alan Scott Pate—the leading American expert on Japanese dolls—writes in illuminating detail about the traditions of each type of doll and shares practical tips on how to collect this amazing Japanese art form.

Included in this guide to Japanese ningyo are:

Festival dolls: hina-ningyo, musha-ningyo, tableau dolls
Display dolls: saga-ningyo, gosho-ningyo, isho-ningyo, iki-ningyo
Wood dolls: kamo-ningyo, nara-ningyo, kokeshi-ningyo
Clay dolls: fushimi-ningyo, hakata-ningyo
Mechanical dolls: karakuri-ningyo, kobe-ningyo
Theatrical dolls: bunraku-ningyo, takeda-ningyo
Play dolls: ichimatsu-ningyo, keue saiko

Cover image for Japanese Dolls, isbn: 9781462907076

Amy Katoh

Otafuku

$6.99

With dozens of color photographs and fun, informative text, this guide to Japanese otafuku is a delight for collectors or Japanese culture enthusiasts.

Anywhere you go in Japan you are likely to encounter the plump, smiling image of Otafuku. Author Amy Sylvester Katoh traces the roots and folk beginnings of this mythic figure, showing Otafuku's many delightful identities, and providing a magical glimpse into this charming character who has become a national icon.

With a mixture of poems, photographs, anecdotes, and stories, she presents a veritable treasure chest of surprises that is sure to enchant readers.

Cover image for Otafuku, isbn: 9781462913886

W.D. John

Ornamented Tray

$8.99

This authoritative and definitive work contains the first formal history of antique trays every published. Each of its six chapters is written by a different authority. They discuss:

Lace-Edge Painting
The "Chippendale" Style
Trays Ornamented with Gold Leaf
The Freehand Bronze Techniques
Stenciled Trays
The Country Painted Tray
The book is lavishly illustrated with more than 500 photographs, seven of them in full color, including pictures of trays prized by museums and private collectors, as well as hundreds selected from the unique photographic collection of the late Esther Stevens Brazer.

Cover image for Ornamented Tray, isbn: 9781462912391

Robyn Maxwell

Textiles of Southeast Asia

$49.95

Textiles provide a visual history of a country's culture and crafting traditions in a way few other things can accomplish. In Textiles of Southeast Asia, Dr. Robyn Maxwell provides the definitive work on Southeast Asian textiles.

Traditional textiles are one of the most widely collected and important categories of Southeast Asian art. Using an extensive range of locally produced raw materials and an astonishing array of techniques—including applique, weaving, batik and embroidery—the textiles of Southeast Asia are astonishing in their versatility and originality. Textiles are used to fashion everything from everyday clothing to sacred and ceremonial costumes, shrouds and wrapping cloths, hangings, banners and ritual regalia—all of which are represented and explained in Textiles of Southeast Asia.

This authoritative text focuses on the changing relationship between indigenous Southeast Asian traditions and the outside influences continuing to be brought to the area, which change the nature of the region's textile traditions. This book considers the various ways Southeast Asian textile artisans reacted over the centuries to the steady stream of new and powerful ideas and raw materials arriving from India, China, the Islamic world and Europe. A detailed and definitive resource, Textiles of Southeast Asia is a welcome addition to the field of textiles.

Cover image for Textiles of Southeast Asia, isbn: 9781462906987

Peter F. Stone

Oriental Rugs

$49.95

This monumental reference work—long awaited by collectors and scholars—fills an important gap in the available literature on oriental rugs.

Lavishly illustrated with over 1000 photographs and drawings, it offers clear and precise definitions for the rug and textile terms in use across a broad swath of the globe—from Morocco to Turkey, Persia, the Caucasus region, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China. Covering priceless museum-quality rug traditions as well as modern centers of production, Oriental Rugs: An Illustrated Lexicon of Motifs, Materials, and Origins draws on classical scholarship as well as current terminology in use among producers and traders in these areas today. It focuses primarily on the rich hand-knotting and hand-weaving traditions of the Near East and Central Asia, but also includes some examples of Scandinavian and Native American weavings.

Oriental rugs are receiving ever-increasing attention and recognition in the field of art history. Tribal weavings especially have become a focus for new research, and Oriental Rugs provides a new understanding of many distinctive traditions that were previously understudied, such as the weavings of southwest Persia, Baluchistan and Kurdistan. This concise oriental rug reference book is a must-have for scholars and anyone serious about collecting rugs, selling rugs or the rug trade in general. Additional reference information also includes:

Foreign terms
Place names
The Oriental Rug lexicon
Museums with notable rug collections
Oriental rug internet sites

Cover image for Oriental Rugs, isbn: 9781462911844

Ray Grover

Carved & Decorated European Art Glass

$19.99

9781462909650

Rudolf Smend

Batik, Traditional Textiles of Indonesia

$29.95

Batik occupies a special place in Indonesian culture. Each fabric has a rich story to tell—as a reflection of the nation's religious beliefs, sophisticated court cultures and cosmopolitan history.

The extraordinary textiles in this book are from the collections of Rudolf Smend and Donald Harper. Most date from the period 1880 to 1930 when the art of batik reached its apogee. Having collected historical batik for over thirty years and published two books on the subject, Rudolf Smend has invited his friend and fellow batik specialist Donald Harper to contribute his fine collection to this publication as well. None of the batik in this book have been published before. They represent an exquisite cross-section of the batik production of Java—the most important batik-producing region in the world.

The cloths are complemented by vintage photographs from the first quarter of the 20th century demonstrating how the batik were worn at court and at home. Three are from museums in Dresden and Cologne, while three are from the private collection of Leo Haks. The others have been collected over the past 30 years from private sources in Java. The captions are by Maria Wronska-Friend, an ethnologist and batik expert who frequently visits Indonesian batik centers and has worked for many years as an anthropologist in Papua New Guinea. Her contributions provide fundamental knowledge for lovers of this art form while at the same time providing new insights for experts.

Rudolf Smend has invited other batik aficionados of his generation to share their passion for batik in this book. Inger McCabe Elliott, author of the bestselling Batik: Fabled Cloth of Java has contributed her lifelong experience. Other authorities like Annegret Haake, Brigitte Khan Majlis and Jonathan Hope share their views and expertise in these pages. This book represents a labor of love and a lifetime of friendship for the two authors, who hope it will provide inspiration to a whole new generation of batik lovers.

Inger McCabe Elliott

Batik

$29.95

Batik: Fabled Cloth of Java is richly illustrated with color plates of the finest antique and contemporary batik from thirty museums and private collections around the world.

From the royal courts of Yogyakarta and Cirebon to the coastal towns of Pekalongan, Surabaya and Lasem, Inger McCabe Elliot takes the reader on a spellbinding tour of Java's north coast examining the customs, cultures and craftsmanship that distinguishes its magic cloth.

Batik—Fabled Cloth of Java is a sumptuous book and now a classic, richly illustrated with color plates of the finest antique and contemporary batik batik from collections all over the world. It includes historical photographs, etchings, engravings, maps and photographs of modern Java.

This new edition will be welcomed by designers, scholars and art lovers alike. it is the product of many years of collecting and on-the-scene exploration by a leading photojournalist, whose life was changed forever when she first laid eyes on the wondrous batik of Java's north coast.

Cover image for Batik, isbn: 9781462908691

Mary L. O'Brien

Netsuke: A Guide for Collectors

$24.99

Featuring dozens of Japanese netsuke masterpieces and insightful commentary, this Japanese art book is a classic collector’s item.

Netsuke: A Guide for Collectors approaches the subject of Japanese nestuke from the point of view of the amateur collector rather than that of an owner discussing his own accomplished collection.

Ever since Japan's emergence a little over a century ago from her long period of seclusion under Tokugawa rule, netsuke have exerted an almost irresistible attraction for Western collectors. These tiny carvings-exquisite in detail, charming in conception, and delightful for the sheer tactual pleasure to be experienced in handling them-captivated admirers of Japanese art and craftsmanship. Basically, netsuke were utilitarian in purpose, for they were designed to serve as pendants or toggles to support medicine boxes, writing cases, smoking equipment, and similar articles worn suspended by a cord from the obi-a practical device since the kimono had no pockets. At first quite primitive in design, they soon became more and more sophisticated, and their carvers turned increasingly to the legendary of Japan and China for inspiration and subject matter.

This fascinating book is a wonderful introduction to this classic Japanese art and will be invaluable for both professional collections and amateurs alike.

Cover image for Netsuke: A Guide for Collectors, isbn: 9781462904105

Ronald G. Knapp

Peranakan Chinese Home

$15.95

Discover the rarified Peranakan (native-born Chinese of Southeast Asia) aesthetics that are today highly sought-after for their beauty: distinctive furniture and ceramics, textiles and jewelry, and many other art objects. Peranakan Chinese Home displays these extraordinary objects, visible markers of a highly developed culture.

The broad range of beautiful objects which the Peranakan Chinese created and enjoyed in their daily lives is astounding. Each chapter in The Peranakan Chinese Home focuses on a different area and presents objects used or found in those spaces. Each piece is described in the context of their utility as household objects, as part of periodic celebrations to mark the Chinese New Year and other holidays, or in important life passage rituals relating to ancestor worship, birth, marriage, mourning and burial. The meaning of the rich symbolic and ornamental motifs found on the objects is discussed in detail and key differences are highlighted between Peranakan objects and similar ones found in China.

A fascinating mix of Chinese, European and Southeast Asian influences, the distinctly Peranakan identity of a people and their culture is beautifully portrayed through objects and archival photographs in this lovely and exotic book.

Cover image for Peranakan Chinese Home, isbn: 9781462911851

Edwin C. Symmes Jr.

Netsuke Japanese Life and Legend in Miniature

$24.99

Featuring dozens of Japanese netsuke masterpieces and extensive commentary, this Japanese art book is a treasured collector's item.

Netsuke are superb miniature carvings, usually less than two inches high, that have been created by Japanese artists for over three hundred years. During that time, they have portrayed almost every aspect of life and culture in Japan.

These tiny carvings were traditionally used to prevent the cord attached to a gentleman's medicine box or tobacco pouch from slipping through the belt of his kimono. Today they are highly collectible works of art.

Netsuke: Japanese Life and Legend in Miniature presents over seventy full-page color photographs of netsuke in enchanting settings. The accompanying text gives technical details about the netsuke as well as interesting commentaries relating the pieces to Japanese life and legend. Information on the carvers has also been provided whenever possible.

Cover image for Netsuke Japanese Life and Legend in Miniature, isbn: 9781462911387

Ila Keller

Batik Art & Craft

$3.99

This complete guide to Batik is an invaluable resource for those interested in Batik history, design, and weaving.

Here in this volume, the author has not only given a comprehensive and fascinating account of the origins and history of batik, with examples of techniques and design, but also includes a complete "How-To-Do-It" section on modern methods of creating batik.

The text is lucid and easy to follow, and the simple step-by-step format will enable the art enthusiast to investigate this rewarding and creative medium. Sample batiks by modern artists, show what can be done with craft, skill, and imagination.

The author takes the reader through all aspects of making a batik, from a simple dipping, or tie-dying, to sectional dyeing, and the more intricate five or six-color patterns. Basic materials, fabric mixtures, wax temperatures etc. are discussed fully, and more important, the practical problems often encountered by a beginner are thoughtfully explained. Here is a book of batik literally giving you the 'tricks of the trade'.

Cover image for Batik Art & Craft, isbn: 9781462909575

Felicitas Titus

Old Beijing

$9.99

This collection of rare and vintage postcards offers a unique look at a vanished China and its storied capital.

Comprising 355 black-and-white and hand-tinted Beijing photography postcards that span the period from the last years of Imperial China to the Japanese invasion of 1937, it is a treasure trove for buffs of Beijing history, collectors, Sinophiles, and anyone fascinated by people and cultures from times past.

Readers will enjoy the wide selection of images showing different aspects of the life of old Peking—from the arrival of a camel train at a city gate to hand-colored views of the Forbidden City and an array of vendors, street performers, officials, gentry, commoners, and foreign tourists. Several chapters present the city's distinctive Beijing architecture—its walls and gates, towers, fountains, temples, pagodas, memorial arches, and public or imperial buildings, including the Summer and Winter Palaces and the Ming Tombs. Other chapters of Chinese photography look at the Manchu rulers, street life, the Legation Quarter and Western presence, and the Great Wall.

Included are some rare scenes depicting the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion and 1911 revolution; Manchu fashion, colorful means of transportation, and the coming of the railroad. Of particular note are images of the Empress Dowager, the child emperor Puyi, and other personalities at the Manchu Court. The book also includes eight color postcards of paintings by the famous artist Carl Wuttke and rare cards showing etched drawings of the Old Summer Palace—now only a field of ruins.

The author, who was born and lived in China before 1949, has written an informative introduction to each chapter as well as a general introduction to classical Beijing. A foreword by historian and Beijing expert Susan Naquin situates this collection at once as a precious record of old Peking and a revealing snapshot of Western views of China in the first golden age of tourism.

Old Beijing: Postcards from the Imperial City offers a visual time capsule of both Beijing's history and traditional Chinese culture in a unique and revealing postcard format.

Cover image for Old Beijing, isbn: 9781462908899

Kee Ming-Yuet

Peranakan Chinese Porcelain

$39.95

With over 800 unique photographs, this Chinese art book is a feast for the eyes.

Produced exclusively for wealthy Chinese communities along the Strait of Malacca in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Peranakan Chinese porcelain is enjoying a resurgence of interest among collectors.

Straits-born Chinese, or Peranakans, in Penang, Malacca and Singapore, used this ornate and colorful enamelware on festive occasions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and Chinese New Year.

Peranakan Chinese Porcelain is richly illustrated and includes key information on reign marks and factory marks. In-depth discussion of the motifs, colors, forms and functions of Peranakan Chinese ceramics makes this an invaluable reference.

Supporting photographs and text introduce related aspects of Peranakan culture including architecture, dress, cuisine and customs, making Peranakan Chinese Porcelain a wonderful contribution to the history of the Straits Chinese.

Cover image for Peranakan Chinese Porcelain, isbn: 9781462906932

Charles Jacobsen

Oriental Rugs a Complete Guide

$28.99

This authoritative reference contains a vast amount of information about Oriental rugs.

Oriental Rugs: A Complete Guide is the first large volume on the subject to be printed in the past forty-five years is meant for the individual who is interested in purchasing his first Oriental Rug, as well as the collector, museum, and rug importer.

The volume is divided into three main parts. Part I, entitled "General Discussion devotes one chapter to each of the large rug weaving countries and includes helpful hints as to what the rug buyer should look for in an particular rug.

Part II, "Description of Types," is an alphabetical list of all the names that have been used to identify rugs in the past, as well as the names that are being used at present. Each entry is followed by a full discussion and description of the rug.

Part III, Plates,” contains 194 pictures of different types of rugs, complete with descriptive captions for each. Thirty-nine of the plates are in full color. All of the plates are large, allowing the reader to see the design, and in some cases, the colors used in the particular rug.

Cover image for Oriental Rugs a Complete Guide, isbn: 9781462904150

Miriam Kinsey

Contempory Netsuke

$24.99

Contemporary Netsuke is an in-depth study of Japanese netsukeminiature sculptures that are favorites of collectors and artists.

In this unusual and engaging Japanese art book the author traces the historical background of netsuke and goes on to examine its current state, at the same time providing the background knowledge that every collector needs concerning authenticity, workmanship, and materials along with a wealth of information on subject matter, techniques, scholarly interest, and investement. Over 110 signatures and brief biographies of present-day netsuke and okimono carvers are included, and there are close-up studies of 27 leading artists.

Contemporary Netsuke also includes nearly 200 illustrations, a photo essay showing the creation of a netsuke, and numerous sketches picturing legendary themes.

A comprehensive list of dealers, a bibliography, and a glossary-index complete this authoritative, thorough and lively introduction to one of the oldest and newest of Japan's living arts.

Cover image for Contempory Netsuke, isbn: 9781462908912

Hugo Munsterberg

Ceramic Art of Japan

$9.99

Featuring dozens of color photographs and extensive commentary, this Japanese ceramics guide is an comprehensive resource for collectors and art enthusiasts.

For the collector of Japanese ceramics, the chief value of the book will lie in the author's very practical advice on what, where, and how to collect; what to pay; how to choose a dealer; how to distinguish between the genuine and the imitation; and similar matters of importance. For the non-collector who nevertheless admires Japanese ceramics, the main interest will undoubtedly lie in the concise and highly readable background information that Mr. Munsterberg presents and in his amiable manner of leading the reader to an appreciation of Japan's ceramic art.

For both the collector and the non-collector, the abundance of illustrations, many of them in color, will provide an aesthetic treat.

Cover image for Ceramic Art of Japan, isbn: 9781462913091

Ronald G. Knapp

Things Chinese

$9.99

China's art objects and traditionally manufactured products have long been sought by collectors—from porcelains and silk fabrics to furniture and even the lacquered chopsticks that are a distant relation to ones found in most Chinese restaurants. Things Chinese presents sixty distinctive items that are typical of Chinese culture and together open a special window onto the people, history, and society of the world's largest nation. Many of the objects are collectibles, and each has a story to tell.

The objects relate to six major areas of cultural life: the home, the personal, arts & crafts, eating & drinking, entertainment, and religious practice. They include items both familiar and unfamiliar—from snuff bottles and calligraphy scrolls to moon cake molds and Mao memorabilia. Ronald Knapp's evocative text describes the history, cultural significance, and customs relating to each object, while Michael Freeman's superb photographs illustrate them. Together, text and photographs offer a unique look at the material culture of China and the aesthetics that inform it.

Cover image for Things Chinese, isbn: 9781462908585

Karen Mazurkewich

Chinese Furniture

$24.99

The international market for antique Chinese furniture is booming, and masterpieces from the Ming and Qing dynasties are now selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Chinese Furniture is a survey of these collectibles—from the very best museum-quality hardwood pieces to standard softwood specimens still available at reasonable prices on the international market.

Carpenters from this era were artisans. They elevated furniture from the functional to the realm of the philosophical. By artfully aligning wood grain patterns, experimenting with spatial dimensions, and innovating new forms of joinery, simple tables and chairs came to represent something higher—the harmony and union of man and nature.

Lavishly illustrated with over 300 color photographs, historical prints and detailed drawings, this book presents an overview of:

Carving Styles
Wood Types
Regional Variations
Class Distinctions
Restoration Techniques
And much more!

With its detailed historical overview and regional coverage, this book highlights the great diversity of antique Chinese furniture and serves as an indispensable guide to collectors, new and old.

Cover image for Chinese Furniture, isbn: 9781462906925

Roger Gillham

British Toy Boats 1920 onwards

$11.99

Toy boats, especially those designed to sail on the local pond, have always had a fascination for boys and girls of all ages. This book celebrates these boats, which many will remember purchasing with their pocket money.
Before the 1914-1918 war many toy boats were of German origin, but when hostilities ceased there was a surge in buying British. Many manufacturers took advantage of this, and British toy boats became extremely popular right up to World War II, with numerous seaside resorts actually building special ponds for yachts and clockwork vessels. Interest continued right up to the introduction of electronic toys, at which point the majority of manufacturers realised that the more traditional toy boat was no longer in demand. This book covers that golden period of toy boats, from 1920 onwards.

Cover image for British Toy Boats 1920 onwards, isbn: 9781787118683

Antonis Kotsonas

The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou VII, Vol. 1

$85.00

New insights from the archaeology and pottery of the sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou, Crete

The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou VII: The Greek and Roman Pottery presents in two volumes the Greek and Roman pottery recovered from the excavation of the sanctuary of Syme Viannou, one of the most long-lived and important cult sites of ancient Crete and the Aegean. The site, which is known as the Cretan Delphi, was dedicated to Hermes and Aphrodite for much of its history. The present study analyzes and catalogs 865 pieces, dating from across the early first millennium BCE to the mid-first millennium CE. Kotsonas integrates traditional typological and chronological inquiries with contextual considerations, macroscopic and petrographic analyses of ceramic fabrics, and quantitative studies. The resulting work provides detailed documentation of the pottery from Syme Viannou and explores its ritual and other roles within the diachronic panorama of cultic and other activities at the site. It also supports a broader understanding of the role of ceramics in sanctuary contexts by introducing systematically comparative perspectives on the evidence of pottery from other Cretan and Greek sanctuaries.

Volume 1 provides an introduction to the site of the sanctuary of Syme Viannou and its history, and contains an analytical catalog of the ceramic remains.

Cover image for The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou VII, Vol. 1, isbn: 9781479830343

Antonis Kotsonas

The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou VII, Vol. 2

$85.00

New insights from the archaeology and pottery of the sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou, Crete

The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou VII: The Greek and Roman Pottery presents in two volumes the Greek and Roman pottery recovered from the excavation of the sanctuary of Syme Viannou, one of the most long-lived and important cult sites of ancient Crete and the Aegean. The site, which is known as the Cretan Delphi, was dedicated to Hermes and Aphrodite for much of its history. The present study analyzes and catalogs 865 pieces, dating from across the early first millennium BCE to the mid-first millennium CE. Kotsonas integrates traditional typological and chronological inquiries with contextual considerations, macroscopic and petrographic analyses of ceramic fabrics, and quantitative studies. The resulting work provides detailed documentation of the pottery from Syme Viannou and explores its ritual and other roles within the diachronic panorama of cultic and other activities at the site. It also supports a broader understanding of the role of ceramics in sanctuary contexts by introducing systematically comparative perspectives on the evidence of pottery from other Cretan and Greek sanctuaries.

Volume 2 presents synthetic studies of the material, exploring the use of different ceramic fabrics, the relationship between the form and function of the vessels, and the place of ceramic items in the cultic practice and daily life at the sanctuary in Greek and Roman antiquity.

Cover image for The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite at Syme Viannou VII, Vol. 2, isbn: 9781479830367

Earl F. Robacker

Pennsylvania Dutch Stuff

$79.95

This authoritative work was, at the time of its first publication, the first full-length book to cover in detail the collecting of Pennsylvania "Dutch" furnishings and crafts. It was subsequently redesigned and enlarged, to make it again available in this more ample format it deserves.

The Pennsylvania Dutch country may be said to have been "discovered" by collectors in the 1920s and 1930s. These unique people, with their old-world customs and colorful folk art, have created in America an authentic genre, with a flavor much in vogue among experienced decorators, as well as amateur collectors.

Earl F. Robacker, a native Pennsylvanian and a collector himself, introduces this volume with a general discussion of characteristic Dutch country art forms and craftsmanship, emphasizing its authentic "peasant" quality in contrast to the more elegant styles of other early American furnishings. Chapter by chapter he discusses typical pieces of furniture, china, kitchenware and other articles, giving careful descriptions of each important piece, its availability, and most important, the rules for a collector to keep in mind when on the trail of real Pennsylvania Dutch "stuff."

This volume offers a thorough orientation in Pennsylvania Dutch country antiques and makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in the general subject of old furnishings. As the first volume to assemble the scattered and fragmentary information on the subject, it is an invaluable guide for those who merely want to achieve authentic atmosphere in home decoration. Many fine illustrations supplement the text, and a partial list of museum collections gives additional guidance. The book contains a full discussion of the basic principles of Pennsylvania Dutch decoration, and an appraisal of the quality of reproductions available on the market.

Cover image for Pennsylvania Dutch Stuff, isbn: 9781512821147

William Pettas

Sixteenth-Century Spanish Bookstore

$45.00

An article pub. in 1952 on early foreign printers in Burgos mentioned the existence in that city’s archives of a 1556 document concerning the shop of the printer-bookseller, Juan de Junta, an Italian by birth, son of the famous Florentine publisher Filippo di Giunta. The document is a legal contract written in 1556 by the notary Pedro de Espinosa for the lease of the Junta bookstore and print-shop in Burgos and also contains “a very interesting inventory of everything which was in the shop in that year.” Few contemporary documents give us as much primary evidence for the kinds of materials a 16th-cent. Spanish bookstore contained as this document does, for it provides the titles of all the books in the stock, the number of copies of each title, the costs of the individual books, in most cases the format of the book, and, in many cases, the city of publication or the name of the publisher.

Cover image for Sixteenth-Century Spanish Bookstore, isbn: 9780871694041

Meredith Parsons Lillich

Queen of Sicily and Gothic Stained Glass in Mussy and Tonnerre

$45.00

Following the death of St. Louis, a new court fashion of ostentatious display was introduced into French stained glass with the advent of Queen Marie de Brabant, who in 1274 became the second wife of St. Louis's heir Philippe le hardi. Little stained glass in this new style survives, since the very motifs that made it different -- large donor ‘portraits,' elaborate heraldry, lavish name-inscriptions -- were targets of vandalism. This study reconstructs two ensembles in the new style, at Mussy-sur-Seine in southern Champagne & at the medieval hospital of Tonnerre in Burgundy. Both can be connected with the extraordinary figure of Marguerite de Bourgogne. Titled the Queen of Sicily, she was a revered agent of Christian charity of the Gothic era. 50+ illustrations.

Cover image for Queen of Sicily and Gothic Stained Glass in Mussy and Tonnerre, isbn: 9780871693853

Ingrid E. M. Edlund

Iron Age and Etruscan Vases in the Olcott Collection At Columbia University, New York

$45.00

This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication.

Cover image for Iron Age and Etruscan Vases in the Olcott Collection At Columbia University, New York, isbn: 9798893984040

Murphy D. Smith

Due Reverence

$40.00

This vol. evolved from a tiny segment of the author’s study of the Cabinet of Curiosities of the Am. Philosophical Soc. (APS). One of the divisions of this Cabinet is “Objets d’Art” and he included furniture in this division. As time passed, awareness grew of several fascinating and valuable antiques in the Soc., begining with 1769. Most of the “objets” pertain to various presidents of the Soc., although a few are from members whose activity in the Soc. was memorable. Some items were purchased, also, or made, for the Soc. No work has been done hitherto on this furniture as a unitl. Several pieces are well known and have been researched at various times: Franklin’s library chair, the Rittenhouse astronomical timepiece, the chair which Jefferson purchased in Philadelphia in 1776 and used while he wrote the Declaration of Independence, for example. Little is known of most of the various artifacts, however, or their provenance. Photos.

Cover image for Due Reverence, isbn: 9780871692832

Bob Frishman

Edward Duffield

$60.00

The first comprehensive study of the life and times of colonial Philadelphia clockmaker Edward Duffield

Edward Duffield (1730–1803) was a colonial Philadelphia clockmaker, whose elegant brass, mahogany, and walnut timekeepers stand proudly in major American museums and collections. Duffield, unlike other leather-apron ‘mechanics,’ was born rich and owned a country estate, Benfield, and many more properties. He was deeply involved in civic and church affairs during crucial years in American history—his lifelong close friend, Benjamin Franklin, was staying at Duffield’s Benfield estate when Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams first discussed the Declaration of Independence. Sally, Franklin’s daughter, brought her family there for extended periods during the Revolution and Franklin’s wife, Deborah, was best friends for fifty years with Duffield’s mother-in-law. Duffield was even one of three executors of Franklin’s will.

In this lavishly illustrated book, Bob Frishman catalogs and describes seventy-one known Duffield clocks and instruments and reveals how, during the mid-eighteenth century, they largely were not fabricated from scratch by isolated individuals. He contends that Duffield and his fellow clockmakers were not furniture-makers; they were mechanical artisans whose complex metal machines rang the hours and steadily ticked inside wooden cases made by others. Existing books on Philadelphia clocks have focused on these artifacts as furniture, including their woodwork, cabinetmakers, and decorative aspects. However, Frishman, a professional horologist for nearly four decades, brings his vast expertise to bear on this first comprehensive study of Duffield’s life and work.

Far more than a treatise on pre-industrial horological timekeeping, this book tells the compelling stories of a man, a city, and an era, while deepening our appreciation for Duffield’s stately sentinels—often a colonial American family’s most valuable possession—and the times and places in which their makers lived.

Cover image for Edward Duffield, isbn: 9781606180105

Anne Rudloff Stanton

Queen Mary Psalter

$60.00

Illuminated manuscripts are among the more intimate works of art surviving from the medieval period. The Queen Mary Psalter (c. 1316?-21) has long been recognized as one of the most outstanding English Gothic manuscripts. Its devotional texts are framed by an encyclopedic series of narrative images painted in a delicate and courtly style. The psalms are introduced by an Old Testament preface in which tinted drawings are explained by French captions. The psalm decoration incorp. a combination of framed illuminations of the life of Christ at the beginnings of important psalms, and tinted drawings in the bottom margin of every page that tell stories ranging from the bestiary to the lives of the saints. Winner of the 2000 Millennium Award. 100+ illus.

Cover image for Queen Mary Psalter, isbn: 9780871693846

Ronald R. Hoppes

The Most Important Clock in America

$40.00

During the years of 1767-1770 David Rittenhouse designed and produced two orreries, one for Princeton Univ. and one for the Univ. of PA. During the last two years of this interval he also produced two 30-day musical tall-cased clocks. The first clock, built in 1769, is currently owned by the PA Hospital. The following year (1770) Rittenhouse made a second tall-case musical clock, which was more elaborate than the first. This clock, currently owned by Drexel Univ., is a very good example of Rittenhouse’s work as it has experienced only minor changes over the years. This was the masterpiece of his clock-making career and is a national historical treasure. Here is a detailed analysis of the various gears in the clock. 100+ drawings and full-color photos.