Dictionary of Furniture

Gives terms for furniture covering style, manufacture, and makers in all countries and cultures from ancient times to the modern era

When the Dictionary of Furniture was introduced in 1985, it was hailed as the definitive reference work on the subject. The entire world history of furniture--the eras, styles, manufacturers, artisans, unique pieces, and definitions--was blended together into one straightforward alphabetical arrangement. The entries provided clear, concise definitions, and descriptions were often accompanied by pen-and-ink line illustrations.

The new edition supersedes its predecessor by including everything from the earlier text and continuing the text into the present day, thereby expanding the range of coverage from the Neolithic period through the twentieth century. As excellent as the first edition was, it lacked the all-important finishing touches: an introduction, bibliography, and index, all of which play prominent roles in this update.

A lengthy introduction now presents a thorough and succinct account of the major cultural, political, social, and technological influences on the design and development of movements and individual pieces. The extensive bibliography offers an excellent selection of reading material on every facet of the field. The only minor drawback is the arrangement of the bibliography: it is alphabetical, rather than divided into subjects, so that one must search through the entire bibliography to locate those books pertaining to specific makers and movements. Two excellent new appendixes, "A Guide to Buying Furniture" and "Places to Visit," have been inserted between the end of the A-Z entries and the bibliography. The first contains useful tips on searching for the best bargains, determining fakes and reproductions from the genuine articles, and handling professional dealers. For those unsure of specific styles, the list of public collections of fine furniture in the U.S and elsewhere will help solve that problem. The detailed index denotes main entries in boldface.

All in all, the new edition of the Dictionary of Furniture is an excellent choice for most library collections. RBB
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